Identify the brightest constellations first.Once you start to match up the constellations pictured on the star chart with the star patterns above you, the star chart begins to make sense and you will develop an intuition for reading it!.Once you find it, rotate your star chart slightly to match the orientation of the Big Dipper in the sky above you. Scan the Northern sky for the Big Dipper.Scan the star chart and find the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major).The cardinal directions will seem reversed if you try to read the Star Chart like a road map! Remember that the sky is above you rather than below you, so it wont be the same as reading a road map. Hold the star chart in front of you with “North” pointed directly toward your chest.Venus is a particularly bright "evening star" when she is in the Western sky! Western constellations are best viewed once the sun has fully set and the sky is dark, but sometimes the planets will be visible in the West just just after sunset.
North is a goood direction to start with, since Colorado is in the Northern Hemisphere and the Big Dipper is always visible when facing toward the Northern Horizon. It represents a miniature picture of the sky. The Star Chart will match the orientation of the sky above you. Now hold the Star Chart above your head and look UP at it rather than down at it. To better orient yourself, you may want to lie down on the ground and use your red headlamp. You are standing on the circumference of the circle looking in. This circle matches the circle displayed on the star chart. When you are outside facing the horizon and you look up, you will see the sky as a big circle above you. In the Northern sky we will be able to identify a prominent asterism called the Big Dipper, which is part of the constellation Ursa Major If you were facing West, you will now be facing North. Be sure that the direction in front of you on the Star Chart matches the horizon that you are facing! *In the photos, I am facing "West", as a demonstration, but you can apply this technique toward any position. Charts usually match the sky best 1-2 hrs after sunset. **Note: When using a stationary star chart, the actual orientation of the stars may differ from the chart, depending on what time you are viewing. Remember that the Sun sets in the West, so this is a good way to orient yourself without a compass. The Star Chart is read from your position on the horizon. The very center of the circle is the top of the sky, or the zenith. YOU ARE STANDING at the horizon looking up into the sky so you are standing on the circumference of the circle and looking into the center of circle. The best way to understand whats going on is to view the circumference of the circle as the horizon line.
Night sky star chart free#
pdfs that are free to print.Īs you can see, the star chart is a circular map of the sky with the cardinal directions at 4 points.
Night sky star chart software#
In addition to downloading a Star Chart App or desktop software program, I recommend that you print up a star chart of your own if you don’t already have a hard copy in front of you. The darker the sky, the more you can see! I encourage you to use this feature while stargazing! It will greatly improve your ability to identify constellations!ģ) A Good Location away from bright streetlights or extreme light pollution, with as much of the sky visible as possible! Dark rural skies with a wide horizon-to-horizon field of view offer optimal viewing, but bright stars and planets can usually be seen in an urban settings as well. BE SURE THAT YOU ARE USING RED LIGHT for Star Chart reading during a night observation session, or you will not see nearly as many stars when trying to identify the constellations! The Star Chart Apps and software all have "night vision" modes. The RED light will not diminish your night vision like a a regular flashlight will. With a basic understanding of how a star chart is set up, you will be able to easily use these charts as well as the stationary star charts found in books and on pdfsĢ) A RED headlampor flashlight. I recommend using as many of these Stargazing Resourcesas possible to help you get aquainted with the night sky: USING A STAR CHART is not always intuitive at first glance, but fear not, with a bit of practice you will soon develop a feel for it! These days, there are many software programs and apps that offer live star charts that can be accessed on a smartphone or a tablet.
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