Hey there, folks!
THANK YOU for tuning into Wednesday Night’s broadcast of the first ever Charles County Public Library virtual astronomy club. MAN that was fun!
Shoutout to John - one of my buddies who was watching. He suggested posting a quick recap and some links might be helpful, so here they are:
Have fun with your kits. The binoculars are great for scanning the nighttime sky, and will let you see many more stars, the moons of Jupiter, and incredible detail on the moon. (Be REALLY careful, and never ever look at the sun with them. You’ll irreversibly damage your eyes.) Speaking of the moon, dig the moon map! We’ll get into that soon, but in the meantime, see if you can spot some of the features on the moon with it. Keep notes in your notebook, and enjoy using the red flashlight to keep your “night vision” when you’re out under the stars and need to reference a chart.
Charts! Visit
https://skymaps.com/ for a free online chart, and if you’re wondering how to use your planisphere, check out this video:
Things to look for: This month, try finding Sirius, the Dog Star, Orion’s Belt, and Jupiter. A cool thing about Jupiter - see if you can notice it’s moons moving. Galileo did, and it got him in SO much trouble. Can you guess why? (Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. We live in a different world now.) Scan around and see what else you can find. Remember, using the corner of your vision (averted vision) is helpful for picking up extra faint light.
If you’d like to use the free software I was showing you, check out
Remember to be patient, take your time, and have fun. Feel free to email me (if you’re a kid, with your parent’s help) at joshurban@protonmail.com
Want to check out an in-person astronomy club with friendly members, and a way cool observatory? (It’s even got a dome!) Say hello to my good friends and home astronomy club at www.smas.us! They’re in Nanjemoy, and I’ve been a member for 24 years.
Clear skies, and see you next month!