The gap between the planets Mars and Jupiter disclosed by the Titius–Bode law was filled by the discovery of the asteroids Ceres and Pallas in 1801 and 1802 with many more following. Much of early Chinese astronomy was for the purpose of timekeeping. The Chinese used a lunisolar calendar, but because the cycles of the Sun and the Moon are different, astronomers often prepared new calendars and made observations for that purpose. The precise orientation of the Egyptian pyramids affords a lasting demonstration of the high degree of technical skill in watching the heavens attained in the 3rd millennium BC. The Egyptians also found the position of Sirius (the dog star) who they believed was Anubis, their Jackal headed god, moving through the heavens.
Look closely or use binoculars and you’ll be able to see them clearly even with high light pollution. In the east on pre-dawn mornings throughout April and May, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars line up as three incredibly bright colourful dots. They’re all visible with the naked eye, though with binoculars Mars will look salmon pink, Saturn oval-shaped (because of the rings) and you may even see some of Jupiter’s moons. To begin looking for objects in the heavens, you’ll need to know where north, south, east and west are. Make a note of where the sun rises (east) and sets (west), use Google maps or use the compass on your phone.
One of the many advantages this kind of experience holds is that you will be up to date with every astronomical event so that you won’t miss out on any solar eclipse or meteor shower. Observing the sky with binoculars can be a little challenging due to instability and difficulty finding objects, although tripods help. When this happens, a pair of binoculars is exactly what you need. Every pair of binoculars is described using two numbers, such as 10×25, 7×35, or 10×50. Like we have angles of longitude and latitude on the Globe, we have in the sky.
Looking for the best telescope under 200 – Look no further! Take a look at the best telescopes under £200 right here! must be aligned periodically to ensure that they are reflecting light properly. The mirrors can also become tarnished over time, so they may need to be repainted. If you choose a Newtonian reflector telescope, be sure to select one with a protective coating on the mirrors. This will help to extend the life of the mirrors and make them easier to maintain. The optical performance that the Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD delivers is impressive, with crisp and clear views with no optical distortion or false color. While not as long as the Celestron Inspire 100AZ, the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2’s long tube length results in f/7 and makes high magnification possible.
If these loosen up, the mount will wobble and the image in the scope will shake. This way you spend your time successfully observing what you can see from your location and less time being frustrated over what you can’t see, or how dim or fuzzy they are. Using one of the planetarium apps I can get the real-time altitude and azimuth coordinates for my target.