Tips for a beginner in planet gazing

onlyhuman · November 23, 2022 at 10:46 AM

Hello, world! After enjoying staring at the sky and the space images for a while, I decided to take the next step to experience those views through my own eyes. There is still a lot for me to check, especially the tools and environment for such nights, so any tips will be much appreciated.

I am mostly looking forward to seeing the planets, but maybe I should tone down my expectations a little, right?

Insomnia · November 28, 2022 at 4:46 AM

If we go into astronomy believing that we can see stuff like what the magazines or NASA videos have in our first viewing, I'm sure we are going to be very disappointed. Sometimes my friends only talk about this dot, that little shine, or a slight color that may be up for debate. I guess we should be prepared for that much if we want to go deep into this subject.

MaddieAI · November 28, 2022 at 10:36 PM

Check with your local college to see if they host public events. I didn't know what I was really looking at until I had a professional guide me through it.

Mars · November 29, 2022 at 12:29 AM

It matters where you're located. It's much easier to see the planets in a wide-open space on a clear night. In other locations, you might need a telescope. Happy hunting!

onlyhuman · December 1, 2022 at 3:33 AM

Thank you, everyone. Maddie's idea is especially nice, I should've thought about it sooner! I'm sure there are actually many stargazing events from various public places other than colleges, so I just need to find a few that are beginner-friendly. It will be nice to go to a mass viewing event if there's anything like that.

Belinda · December 11, 2022 at 5:25 AM

I love trying to find planets!

When I was a kid, I learned that you can sometimes identify some planets with the naked eye because they have a colored tinge to them. It was always neat to try and find them!

Participate now!