Newbee question about star gazing

[hracctsold]

I understand this is the place for real questions that can be truly answered by those that know. I have enjoyed viewing the stars, but have not had the time to properly learn the right constellation names.<br /><br />But I now have a question that I have always wondered about, why does it seem, to me, that the night the stars seem to blaze the brightest is the same nights that is the coldest??<br /><br />I have always enjoyed the stars, but between going to school for a new mid-life career change, work, and my church work, I do not have much time or energy to study about the star groupings and names. But I am interested in materials, not TOO expensive, that could help me out there, when I have the time and energy to put into it.<br /><br />I have enjoyed the banter about the sci-fi threads and other fun questions as well, but with school just around the corner don't know how much time will be left for such things as this. So thanks in advance for any help to this real question about the stars.

 

[newtonian]

hraccts- Good questions. I'll try on the cold night question:<br /><br />Cold air holds less moisture than warm air, so the air is clearer or more transparent.<br /><br />Especially if, as tonight here in south Louisiana, the temperature is above the dew point.<br /><br />Here it is 45 degrees with a dew point of about 30 degrees (F). <br /><br />That is fairly dry.<br /><br />Constellation names - well, that's not my strong point, so I will let others detail constellation like Orion, etc.<br /><br />Some of the constellations are named in the Bible, BTW, like Orion:<br /><br />(Job 9:9) 9 Making the Ash constellation, the Ke´sil constellation, And the Ki´mah constellation and the interior rooms of the South;<br /><br />"The Ash constellation." Heb., `Ash. Thought by some to be the constellation Ursa Major (Great Bear).<br /><br />"The Kesil constellation." Heb., Kesil´. Thought by some to be the constellation Orion.<br /><br />"And the Kimah constellation." Heb., weKhi·mah´. Thought by some to be the Pleiades stars in the Taurus constellation.<br /><br />Footnote showing the Greek (LXX) and Latin (Vg) equivalents names:<br /><br />"The One making the Pleiades and Hesperus and Arcturus and the storerooms of the South," LXX; Vg, "who makes Arcturus and Orion and the Hyades and the interior rooms of the South." The interior rooms of the South are understood to be the constellations below the equator, in the southern hemisphere.<br /><br />Those southern constellations would be constellations those of us in the northern hemisphere cannot see most of the year.

 

[hracctsold]

Newt.,<br />Thanks for the update, that helped me understand it better. It seems to be a common sense answer as well, for all I know. I live in West Michigan where we see the direct sunlight and sky only about 90 full days a year. It is a great place to live, but to enjoy the sky as I did in northern Louisiana, is not an option. I have lived in southern La. as well, until a huricanne(sp),[in 1957], moved us out.<br /><br />One of my favorite thoughts from the Bible deals with the stars as well, "don't look for your answers from the stars, but from the one who made the stars." I have always prefered to deal with the source instead of someone else. Many people decide to call fate their god, and hope to luck to see their fortunes made. I guess if they want to be satisfied with a inferior source, that is their choice.<br /><br />As to the constellations, I was looking for a resource book, or material, that could show me HOW to find the stars in the sky, and what to call them. I have one book that does that, but as I have said, am not able to spend the time or brain power to follow it with much depth. Some of the books I have seen require a college degree just to understand them. I saw a book one time that translated the horizon degrees by using your fists for about 10 degrees or so. That way you could look up so many fists and find that star above the horizon or something like it. But I have lost that title and writer; that is what I mean by simple ways to find the stars. I have found that with spliting my mind into school, church work, and regular work, I am just to tired(?) to really put much more effort into this now.<br /><br />Any other takers willing enough to help out this newbee? Thanks, have enjoyed chatting with you-all.

 

[newtonian]

hracets - You are welcome.<br /><br />There are many sites which give basic star maps and locations of constellations.<br /><br />Hopefully someone else will post the information as I have no time to research it today.<br /><br />I'll check tonight to see if someone posted help.<br /><br />I know space.com offers a computer program called Starry Night which gives locations with dates and times - though I do not have it myself yet.

 

[nevers]

Starry Night is where it's at. They have different levels at different costs. But as Paul says, somewhere there is one for free.<br /><br />As far as reference materials, here's a picture of my favorite books. But, they best way to learn the Constellations is in conjunction with the books and looking at the night sky.<br /><br />First, here's some links:<br /><br />1.) Constellation Meanings<br />2.) Constellation Info with Pictures<br />3.) Atlas of the Universe<br /><br />I think looking at individual pictures of the constellations is in some ways, more confussing. You really need to look at the stars and constellations in relation to the surrounding area to get the big picture and make it all come together.<br /><br />Orion Telescopes has a webpage that you can print out monthly star charts. They are not very detailed but that's exactly what you need at first. If you can find the time to join a local astronomy club, I'm sure they would be more the happy to point out the constellations to you.<br /><br />Ok, hope that helps some. Here's the picture of some books I like...

 

[hracctsold]

Thanks to both of you. That is what I was looking for. The book I do have does some of that, it shows the location of the constellations and how to simply locate them, the name of it is "The Stars," by H.A. Rey.<br /><br />The sites are good to view as well, and will look at them as time goes on. Thanks again, Henry.

 

[newtonian]

hracets - You are welcome.<br /><br />Nevers - Hi! How are you?<br /><br />I was hoping you would post on this thread. Thank you.

 

[heyscottie]

Another reason that the stars seem brightest when it is coldest is that (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), there are simply more brilliant stars out in the winter. Betelgeuse, Rigel, Canopus, Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Aldeberan, and the granddaddy of them all, Sirius, are all brilliant more or less winter stars that lie in roughly the same region of the sky.<br /><br />I have another book I always recommend for somebody wanting to learn the stars, and it only costs about $10-$15 or so:<br /><br />"The Monthly Sky Guide" by Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion.<br /><br />It has an excellent star chart for each month, and goes through the best targets for binoculars and small telescopes. It also gives some background about constellations, etc. I highly recommend it.