See the CNYO Brochure Archive Page for background more information.
Because these are still asked for/about – and because the cnyo.org website continues to suffer from WordPress-related aging that may make it less-and-less accessible as time progresses, the original brochures put together as hand-outs at hosted events and star parties have been embedded into the page below for your reading and downloading pleasure.
These two-page brochures were printed out double-sided, tri-folded into pamphlets, and handed out at lectures and observing sessions. The PDFs should print just fine with no cut-offs in any modern printer.
These include the following:
- A Guide For New Observers (original post, local PDF, local page)
- A Guide For Solar Observing (original post, local PDF, local page)
- A Guide For Lunar Observing (original post, local PDF, local page)
- How The Night Sky Moves (original post, local PDF, local page)
- A Guide To Meteor Showers (original post, local PDF, local page)
Original post: www.cnyo.org/2013/05/01/cnyo-brochure-guide-for-new-observers/
A Guide For New Observers
The Importance Of The Constellations
“For modern amateur astronomers, constellations are the ‘coarse adjustment’ by which we find our way around the Night Sky, using these star groupings as guides to planets, star clusters, nebulae, comets & galaxies.”
The Importance Of Dark Adaption
“A camera flash or smart phone will set your dark adaption back MINUTES, SO AVOID BRIGHT LIGHTS!”
Sky Too Confusing? Start In The City
“Light Pollution is the bane of astronomers, but it does simplify the search for constellations by making your eyes less sensitive to light from dim and distant stars.”
Distances In The Sky – Hand’s Up!
“With some ‘digital’ calibration (as in, your fingers), a walk between constellations becomes a matter of letting your fingers gauge how far you need to look based on any sky charts you may be using.”
Why Polaris Doesn’t (Seem To) Move
“Like the Sun, the Night Sky appears to rise in the East and set in the West (which is a result of the Earth spinning from West to East).”
The Zodiac And The Ecliptic
The Zodiacal Constellations mark the ecliptic – the path the Sun and planets appear to take over the course of the year.
The Circumpolar & Seasonal Constellations
The circumpolar constellations are the best places to start for the new amateur astronomer because they are always visible from your latitude (even if you have to turn your head a bit to see them all).