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-how-the-night-sky-moves/

How The Night Sky Moves

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 Circumpolar Constellations

“Their orientations due to Earth’s rotation may change, but they are ALWAYS VISIBLE IN THE NIGHT SKY – SO LEARN THESE SIX FIRST!”

Zodiac, Ecliptic, Solstices, Equinoxes

“The constellations of the Zodiac are special because they mark the apparent path the Sun and planets take across the sky as the Earth revolves around the Sun.”

One Earth Day vs. One Earth Rotation

“There are 24 hours in a day, but the Earth takes 4 minutes less than 24 hours to make one full rotation.”

Constellation Movement By The Hour

“With 24 hours in a day, the sky turns 15 degrees (1/24th of 360 degrees) per hour. During a 4-hour observing session, circumpolar constellations will then appear to move counterclockwise (East-to-West) 60 degrees – 1/6th of a circle – around Polaris.”

Constellation Movement During The Year

“After 12 months, the Earth (and our view of the Night Sky) almost returns to the same position it was the year before. Why almost?”