Observing Resources
The following selected resources are of interest to observers.
Sky, Cloud and Darkness
- US Naval Observatory Ephemerides (Sun rise/set, Moon rise/set, astronomical twilight, Moon phases and more).
- Dark Sky Calculator - Interactive applet, from RASC member Larry McNish, to calculate dark skies taking moonlight into account.
- Sunrise/Sunset Calculator - Web applet that allows you to calculate today's sunrise and sunset times for your location
- Astronomical Time - What time is it? Using your PC`s time settnigs, dynamically displays your Local and Local Sidereal time, UTC, Greenwich Sidereal Time and Julian Date includes Night Vision mode, courtesy Larry McNish.
- Dark Sky Finder - Jonathan Tomshines great site of Light Pollution overlays on Google Maps.
Observing Projects
- Terry Adrians' Deep-Sky Challenge Objects Chart (820kb 10 pages) - Designed for observers who want to go beyond the Finest NGC program
- Terry Adrians' Dark Nebula Charts (400kb 4 pages)
- Terry Adrian's Dark Nebula and DSC Objects (10 kb .zip file) - These plugins for the Starry Night planetarium program will allow you to chart the Deep Sky Challenge and Dark Nebula items
- Messier Marathon Planner - Need help planning a Messier Marathon? Dynamically tailors and generates a Marathon observing list, courtesy Larry McNish.
- Night Observing Planner - Need help planning a night's observing list for yourself or because the in-laws are suddenly coming over? Dynamically tailors and generates an observing list from over 600 objects, courtesy Larry McNish.
- Ace Amateur Astronomer Tony Schellink (Halifax Centre) created this outreach program for RASC members interested in coaching absolute beginners to get started with observing, using binoculars. A special list for every month. Find 5 things—earn a certificate! Feel free to download and use locally.
Current Events / Observing Opportunities
- This Week's Sky at a Glance - Provided by the publishers of Sky & Telescope magazine
- IAU Circular Headlines - Provided by the International Astronomical Union this page highlights current comets, supernovae, minor planets and other recent discoveries.
- Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) - ALPO has excellent resources on all solar system objects and highlights transient events
- Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service - Allows for the calculation of orbital elements for most minor planets and comets.
- Meteors: International Meteor Organization - Listing of current meteor events, showers and reporting information
- North American Meteor Network - Founded in 1995 this organization has comprehensive predictions for upcoming meteor showers and storms
- Heavens Above - This site provides an interactive web page allowing you to predict satellite passages over your location.
- Solar Terrestrial Dispatch - Website devoted to space weather
- Variable Stars - Link to the American Association of Variable Star Observers which highlights variable stars that are in outburst and need observations
Newspaper Columns by RASC Members
Column | Columnist (Centre) | Circulation Area | Province |
What's Up in the Sky | Fred Barrett (Kingston) | Frontenac Township | Ontario |
... | James Edgar () | Saskatchewan |
Amateur Radio Astronomy Links
- Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - Amateur organization devoted to radio astronomy
- Haystack Radio Observatory - Operated by MIT near Boston, MA
- Radio Sky Publishing - Resources for Radio Astronomers, Teachers and Students
Amateur Observatories
- Amateur Astronomical Observatories - Website by Bill Arnett with links to many amateur observatories - a great source of ideas
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
The Ace Amateur Astronomer Programme (PDF) | 873.17 KB |
Starry Night Databases for DSC Objects and Dark Nebulae (ZIP) | 9.18 KB |
Post date:
Thursday, April 11, 2019 - 3:26pm
Last modified:
Sunday, November 20, 2022 - 9:19pm