1

The AtlantaAstronomy Club

Charlie ElliotChapter

Observing 101

2

Observing 101 - March

• Astro Events

• Featured Objects

• Target List

• Observing Techniques

3

Astro Events

Tonight:• Sunset at 6:43 PM• Moon rises at 5:30 AM• Venus sets at 7:51 PM

4

Astro Events

Tonight:• Mars transits at 9:24 PM • Saturn rises at 7:15 PM

5

Astro Events

This month’s events …

• Mar 16 - Moon near Venus

• Mar 20 - Vernal Equinox, Moon near Pleaides

• Mar 21 - Saturn at opposition

• Mar 23 - 1st Qtr Moon

• Mar 29 - Full Moon

6

Astro Events

Next month’s events …

• Apr 7/8 - Mercury at highest altitude

• Apr 15 - Moon near Venus and Mars

• Apr 16 - Mars nearest Beehive

• Apr 17 - Next CE Meeting

7

8

9

10

11

Featured Objects

• Orion - The Hunter– Several giant stars – Famous nebula of the same name– Trapezium discovered by Galileo– Most stars are fairly close to us

12

Featured Objects

• Orion - The Stars– Giant stars are common– Betelgeuse - a high mass, variable red

giant, ready for supernova– Rigel - brightest, a blue supergiant– Bellatrix, Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka are

also blue giant stars– Trapezium cluster

13

14

15

16

Featured Objects

• Orion - The Clouds– Molecular Cloud Complex

• 1500 - 1600 ly away, 100’s across• Easily observable• Region of active star formation

– M42, M43, M78, Horse Head, Flame, Barnard’s Loop

17

18

19

Table of Objects in Orion

Name Type Mag Dimensions RA DEC

M 42 Bright nebula 4 90.0'x60.0' 05h 35m 23.7s -05° 22'

M 43 Bright nebula 9 20.0'x15.0' 05h 35m 35.7s -05° 15'

M 78 Bright nebula 8 8.0'x6.0' 05h 46m 53.9s +00° 05'

NGC 1973 Bright nebula 7 5.0'x5.0' 05h 35m 11.7s -04° 43'

NGC 1975 Bright nebula 7 10.0'x5.0' 05h 35m 23.7s -04° 40'

NGC 1977 Bright nebula 7 20.0'x10.0' 05h 35m 23.7s -04° 50'

NGC 2024 Bright nebula 30.0'x30.0' 05h 41m 47.8s -01° 50'

Target List

20

Web Links• Wikipedia

www.wikipedia.com

• SEDS - Open Clustersseds.org/messier/more/m042_trapezium.html

• Jerry Lodrigusswww.astropix.com

• Shadow and Substanceshadowandsubstance.com

21

for Jon

22