Tom's Astronomy Web: An Astronomy page for the Observer, the Scientist, the Educator--to provide a content-rich resource for those of us interested in Astronomy.   I try to select pages with information that give you access to the work of skilled-amateurs and professionals .. to help them give you materials for your own investigations . -  Tom (eMail)

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index TIME MST UTC SIDEREAL GO TO
SOLAR SYSTEM
BASICS TIME LAT/LONG CHARTS .. SETI TABLES VISUAL
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Double 
Stars		          

Basics of Observing  .. to top .. index

Basics

Your home computer and the Internet will help you locate most Astronomical objects in the sky.  This section will help you set up your home computer so that you can access Astronomical resources on the Internet.  The first step is to insure that your computer's clock is always set correctly .. so .. 

Starting Out .. #1

  • References .. #1
  • Magazine Articles .. #1
  • Catalogues .. #1
  • Tutorials .. #1
  • Weather .. #1
  • Visual Parameters .. #1
  • Equipment .. #1
  • Cleaning Optics .. #1
  • Selecting an Observing Site .. #1
  • Polar Alignment .. Southern Hemisphere
  • Trivia .. #1 .. Drawing .. #1
    Links .. #1

Time Resources .. to top .. index

Normally, you will find two "time systems" used by various Astronomical web pages .. UTC and local time .. make sure that you know which time is being displayed on any given page. 

Warning .. It is important that your computer clock time always reads, correctly !

Examples of  time problem-solution might be:
a) UTC Vs local-clock-time:  where UTC time  may be different from local-clock-time by several hours (e.g. - 7 hours in Taos, NM)
b) local-clock-time Vs daylight-saving-time:  Your computer clock time can be off   by one hour (If so reset your computer configuration)
c) If your computer clock is correct but prediction times are always wrong check to make sure that you have determined your local Latitude/Longitude, correctly.
d) Your computer clock gradually looses time and needs to be adjusted using the software, below
e) Is the time given as AM or PM or 24-hr clock time?

Other Astronomical times systems that you might see are:
a) "sidereal time" is the current R.A. on your local meridian. This is used to correlate object positions with (current) time-sky configuration. (Determine your local Sidereal Time)
b) Julian Date a continuing sequential day-counter .. often used to determine the number of days between event-dates or to specify the date of an event .. without having to worry about leap-years, number of days per month etc.
b) Time Zones are *roughly* every 15-deg of longitude East (+) or West (-) of Greenwich. However, local preferences can alter this nominal rule substantially and you will probably need to look here to determine a time zone elsewhere in the world. (e.g. Taos is -7 hrs west of Greenwich, at -105-deg longitude)

Software:

to Hear .. the UTC Time Announcer  (w/Real Audio-requires sound card and speakers)
           at: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/what.html

Local Sidereal Time .. "Sidereal Time" is the current R.A. on your Local Meridian
          Enter your City and State to get local Longitude .. (Taos is 105.57 West)   

Julian date
where "Julian Date" is the sequential number of days since -4713 B.C

Other:

Latitude - Longitude  .. to top .. index

Note:
a) It is important to specify whether you are at a longitude West (-) or East (+) of   the Greenwich meridian.
    for example: European countries are East (+) of Greenwich while the Americas are West (-).
b) Time Zones are *roughly* every 15-deg of longitude East(+) or West(-) of Greenwich. However, local preferences can alter this nominal rule substantially and you will probably need to look here to determine a time zone, elsewhere in the world.

Observing Params .. to top .. index

Weather Conditions .. to top .. index

Note: In theory .. if the jet stream is within 200 miles of you location, the "seeing" will start to deteriorate

Charts . .. to top .. index

          (also see Satellite observing star charts)

Details  .. to top .. index

Satellite Observing   .. to top .. index

Tables  .. to top .. index

Details

Visual  .. to top .. index

Telescopes .. to top .. index

Photography

 

Topics .. to top .. index

Double Stars

Software Aids .. to top .. index

Details

Links .. to top .. index

 

END