Tom's Observing Web
To provide (near) real time information for your observing needs **
Thanks go to "Heavens Above," John Walker, and others for providing these usefull observing "tools" - tom Latest Update: July 21, 2008
Related Links::
WWV dial(+1 303) 499-7111
(skype/voice telephone, only)
El Valle Astronomers
Astronomy Web .. KCME .. Toms Music Page
Google or SciSearch or Ref.Desk
Click to go to: Events Place Time Observing Comets Solar System Planets Satellite Star Charts Positions Media Tools Navigation Catalogues Conversions Help: (.. and suggestions?)
Other Links (2)
Sky Charts: If you do not already have easy access to Star maps/charts, it is recommended that you down load and use the excellent program, SKYCalc Even the basic version is superior to most printed charts. To set it up you must know your Lat/Long and your computer's clock must be adjusted to real-time.
Basic Observing Tools:
Copy of Norton's Star Atlas (paper, Longman, isbn 0-582-31283 or contact Sky and Telescope about their charts
Elsewhere: Many of the clickables, below, are given for Taos, NM - USA To adjust for other locations go to Heavens Above and enter your local configuration. Your "place data" can be found, here: by country .. by name
Cosmic Mirror (news)
IAU: Announcements .. Headlines
Location: By Country .. By Name
Taos Map (v.large USGS .tiff map) .. (2)
Taos, NM - MST (Airport):
Long: 105 40 20.74 W
Lat: +35 27 29.48 N
orLong: 105.6724289
Lat: +35 4581900
Elev: 7091 ft
2161.3 mEl Rito SetUp
El Rito Map (v.large USGS .tif map) .. (2)
El Rito, NM - MST
Long: 106 11 17 W
Lat: +36 20 36 N
orLong: 106.1880 W
Lat: + 36.3430 N
- Julian Day Calculator
- Time Summary
- Calendar
- World Day-Night Map
- Sideral Time
- USNO UTC ... Audible Time
- World Time Zone Map
- Definitions
- Tombaugh-Smith Seeing Scale (2)
- JPL's On-Line Ephemeris Program
- Double Stars for Estimating Seeing
- Stars by Name (w/star map)
- Stars by Spectral Classes
- Navigation Stars (w/star map)
- Classical Stars
- Constellations .. #2 (w/map)
- Messier Objects (w/star map)
- NGC-Deep Sky Objects (w/star map)
- Palomar Sky Survey Plate Maps
- Periodic Comments (w/star maps)
- Meteor Radiants (w/star maps)
- Planets (w/star maps)
- Asteroids: By Name .. Number (w/star maps)
- Planet Summary Sheet
- Planet Finder (all)
- Orbital Positions
- Ephemeris: 2w
- Sun finder
- Overview
- Sun data for the day .. Click on Constellation name to obtain Star Map
- Today's Sun
- SOHO Images: 1w
- Visual Images
- Space Weather
- Comets (current) North South
- Asteroid/Object Orbit Finder
Note: The positions of planets can also be obtain from the "Planet Summary" sheet, above.
- Overview
For locations other than Taos, click on:
By Country .. or .. By Name- Mercury finder (2)
- Venus finder (2)
- Earth
- Moon finder
- Moon Phase (2)
- Meteor Showers
- Asteroids
- Mars finder (2)
- Jupiter finder (2)
- Saturn finder (2)
- Uranus finder (2)
- Neptune finder (2)
- Pluto finder (2)
- Google/Map Satellite
- NASA's Real Time Locations
- Mir Space Station (tribute)
- Int'l Space Station
- Shuttle
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Chandra X-Ray Observatory
- NOAA 12, NOAA 14, NOAA 15
- NOAA Weather/Polar Orbiting (click icon to see viewing range)
- Amateur Radio
- Search and Rescue
- Spacecraft
- Bright Satellite Predictions w/Sky Maps
- Satellite Predictions for Taos
- (To set up a new configuartion for locations different than Taos)
- Heavens Above - home page
- EU - observing tips
- NASA's JTrack - Use to identify any unknown satellites currently observed in your area: (Instructions: Wait for it to load, rotate the globe to center on your area, zoom if necessary, then click on any nearby dot/s to identify suspected satellite.)
- Next ISS - Space Station Passes
(click of blue-date to get star chart)- Next Hubble Telescope Passes
(click of blue-date to get star chart)- TLE - Orbital Elements: Visible(zip) .. AllData ..Descriptions: #1 .. #2 .. Help
Web pages: #1 ..- Satellite Observing:
- NORAD TLE sources
- Master Sat. Index w/description
- Definition of TLE format
- Satellite Event Bulletins
- Help: #1 .. #2
- T.S. Kelso: Software and TLE
Star Chart and Object Positions
- Quickies: ( 0 1 2 3 4 5)
- Sky & Telescope - Sky Chart
- Get a Star Map
- Generate Star Map (Walker)
- Simple Whole Sky Star Chart
- Constellations .. Simple Constellations
- AAVSO Charts
by Constellationa eg UMi (Detailed)
by Variable Stars per Constellation- Mimima of Algol
- Sloan Digital Sky Survey
- Off Line: StarCalc (recommended)
- Viewable Messier Objects
- Walker's "Your Sky": Real time Object Time/Positions w/ Star Maps
- Planet Positions (recommended)
- Constellations:
- Selected Deep Sky Objects
- Messier Catalogue of Non-Stellar Objects
- Radiants of Meteor Showers
- Navigation Stars
- Named Stars
- Periodic Comets
- Asteroids
- Palomar Observatory Sky Survey Plates
Earth and Moon Viewer
Day-Night Map of Earth
Star Map - Screen Saver (real time-recommended)
** Disclaimer: As always, these web pages and links are provided for entertainment purposes, only, and standard disclaimer statements apply. The content that you will find, belongs to the source, only. If you require additional information, I recommend that contact the the originators of the linked web page. - back to top
Magnitude Check
Color Check ( more details)
Solar System Symbols
For "Seeing" check use: Tombaugh-Smith Seeing Scale Animated Basic Star Charts
Constellations ( 2 3 4 )
Asterisms (ie unofficial patterns)
Bright Stars ( 2 )
Nearest Stars
Double and Multiple Stars (selected)Bayer Objects
Binary Stars
Blue White Giants
Blue White Subgiants
Virgo Constellation
Binary_stars
Conversions
CalculatorsConversions: Area / Length / Volume / Weight and Mass / Degrees / Angles / Temperature / Energy / Electrical / Astronomical / Cooking / Date-Time / Finance / Fun / Misc / More ... / Color / Number Base Calculators: Square Root / Prime Number? / Quadratic Equation / Trig: sine cosine tangent / Savings
