Astronomy Primer: Finding your directions in the sky
Have you ever looked up into space and wondered just how big the universe actually is? If the answer is no I encourage you to do so. Some easy things to learn that will help you in your navigation of the night sky is your directions. The easiest way to do this is by finding the big dipper.
The big dipper is a circumpolar constellation, meaning that it never sets in our night sky. The dipper is a bright easy to see constellation. Look for the bowl and handle.
The next thing to find is the north star; take the front two stars of the big dipper and go until you run into the end of the little dippers handle. That star is polaris also known as the North Star.
The big dipper is a circumpolar constellation, meaning that it never sets in our night sky. The dipper is a bright easy to see constellation. Look for the bowl and handle.
The next thing to find is the north star; take the front two stars of the big dipper and go until you run into the end of the little dippers handle. That star is polaris also known as the North Star.
If you were to extend the Earth's north pole into space it would run into Polaris. Now you can observe the path of the stars over the course of an evening. You will notice stars rise in the the East and set in the West, now that you have located your directions it will be easier to find many other interesting constellations in the sky.
All of the above images were taken from:
Fix, John D. Astronomy: Journey to the Cosmic Frontier. 3rd ed. St. Louis: Mosby, 2004.
Check back later for the second part of this mini astronomy primer!
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