Beginner Targets
Are you new to the hobby and aren’t sure what to point your telescope at? Here are a few things to look for in the night sky.
Year Round
One of the first things many of us look at in the night sky is the moon. Easily visible to the naked eye, the features of the moon come to life when viewed through binoculars or a small telescope. The moon is easy to find in the night sky and provides a range of things to look at. As the moon progresses through its phases, the surface features along the terminator (the line between the bright and dark parts of the moon) are bathed in shadow, highlighting craters and other surface features. To figure out what phase the moon will be in and where to expect it in the sky, be sure to check out Stellarium (Web Apple Google) or another interactive sky map.
Meteor showers happen when the earth passes through dust clouds on its trek around the sun. They are named for the constellation they appear to be coming from, though this is just an illusion. The best way to view a meteor shower is to go to a dark place, lie on your back, and just look up! A list of upcoming meteor showers can be found here.
Winter
One of the best winter targets is the Orion Nebula. Nestled just below Orion’s famous belt, the Orion Nebula (also known as M42) is one of the brightest in the night sky. More on its history and how to locate it can be found here.
After using Orion’s belt to find the Orion Nebula, you can use his arm to find another great winter target – the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. This cluster of stars with a blue hue surrounding them is easily visible to the naked eye and can be even more magical with binoculars or a telescope. More on how to find the Pleiades can be found here.
Spring
Spring is galaxy season, and the biggest in the night sky – the Andromeda Galaxy – is a great first choice. This massive galaxy is 2.5 million light years away but is bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye in dark locations. It can be seen almost year-round in many parts of the US. More information can be found here.
Summer
The Milky Way Galaxy (our home galaxy) stretches across the night sky starting in summer. It can be seen shortly after sunset in dark locations with the naked eye. A telescope or binoculars will help to see some of the fainter details and you can spend all night looking at this bright band that covers a wide swath of the sky from horizon to zenith.
Fall
Joining the stars in the early-evening night sky in the fall is the parade of planets. Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars can be easily located with the naked eye on clear nights, even in heavily light-polluted areas. Binoculars or a telescope will reveal the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and the reddish glow of Mars. Use your favorite night sky map to locate the planets in the night sky.
