stellarium - the albuquerque astronomical society · stellarium a free planetarium program that you...

This Slide Show Will Help You to Learn How to Use

Stellarium

A free planetarium programthat you can download, install on your computer and use to learn the night sky.

We will use this program in the TAAS Fabulous 50 program.

This program is designed to get you started with using Stellarium

24 Jan 15

TAAS Fabulous 50 2015

What is Stellarium?

A FREE night sky planetarium program.

The program allows you to

(1) set your

- observing location (use Albuquerque)

- date of observing

- time of day.

(2) identify objects

(3) find objects

What is Stellarium?

http://www.stellarium.org/

You need to log into

Install the program on your computer and then

follow the instructions from the next slides on how to use the program.

Choose your operating system and then you can download the program

You can also download a “User Guide”

How Do I Obtain Stellarium?

http://www.stellarium.org/

We will now learn how to the use STELLARIUM.

You can use STELLARIUM to plan your observing sessions.

When you return to the computer after observing,

You can use it to confirm your observations.

How to Use Stellarium

When we first open STELLARIUM on the computer this screen will appear.

The appearance of the sky will reflect the time of day that you open the program.

Noon 10 pm

There are two menus that we use to properly configure STELLARIUM.

Placing the cursor on the bottom of the page

will make the bottom menu appear.

How to Use Stellarium (cont.)

Placing the cursor on

the left side of the page

will make the second

menu appear.


Placing the cursor over each symbol

will give you the name of the symbol.

This shows the

“Date/time window”.



We begin by setting the

correct date and time.

First we click on the

Date/time symbol.

This brings up the

“Date and Time” window.


To change the settings click on the small symbols to either

increase the setting

or

decrease the setting

+_

This example shows how to change the year.

You can also change the month and day

and the

hour minute and second

month day hour minute second

This means you can look back at the night sky on the day that you were born.

year


To change the direction you are observing

depress and hold the cursor as you drag it across the screen.

Note how the position of Sirius changes as you move your cursor from left

to right

- in the left photo when looking east

- in the right photo when looking south.


We shall next set the location for your observing session.

Click on the location window on the left side of the screen.

The “Location” window will appear.


Use the slide bar to select your location (Albuquerque, United States).

The latitude and longitude will appear

and a red arrow will appear on the map.

Clicking the “Use as default” will lock in the location for your

next session.


To show the constellation lines and labels

click both symbols on the bottom menu.

The constellation lines and

labels will appear


To identify an object

click on the object.

A circle appears around

the object.

The name of the object

appears in the upper

left hand corner.

Detailed information is

Provided below the name.

To close out the information

right click the mouse.


To find the location of an object, click on the Search window.

The “Find Object or Position” box appears.


Type in the name of the object.

A circle appears around the

object and

the information about the

object appears in the upper

left hand corner.

To close out the information

right click the mouse.


To label objects in the sky

click on the Sky and viewing options window.

The “View” window appears.


Click on the boxes to label the stars and planets.

You can also set the brightness level of stars and deep sky objects (DSO’s)

Other options are also available.

Now we will turn our attention to patterns in the sky.

We will look for four star patterns which

will be a part of these constellations.

Observing Star Patterns

OrionCanis Major

Gemini

Canis Minor

Observing Star Patterns

using Stellarium

Orion Canis Major Gemini Canis Minor

CANIS MAJOR

Is also know as the

“BIG DOG.”

It contains the brightest

star in the sky

SIRIUS

which is sometimes

called the

DOG STAR.

Observing Star Patterns - CANIS MAJOR

Locating Canis Major

Look SOUTHEAST find SIRIUS

It is in CANIS MAJOR

We also observe Betelgeuse and Rigel in Orion

and Procyon in Canis Minor

SE

Observing Star Patterns - ORION

ORION is a very easy to recognize constellation that is visible from both the

northern and southern hemisphere.

It has two very brilliant stars RIGEL and

everyone’s favorite star BETELGEUSE (reddish color).

It contains the naked eye visible nebula M 42.

It appears as the middle “star” of Orion's sword.

The naked eye visible nebula M 42.

New stars are being formed in this region that

is 1,500 light years distant.

This is also called Messier 42 “The Great Orion Nebula.”

ORION

Locating Orion

Look SOUTHEAST

Find SIRIUS

It is below ORION

In Orion we observe

Rigel

Betelgeuse

and the three stars that form the “BELT” of Orion

SE

Observing Star Patterns - GEMINI

GEMINI the twins contains the two “twin stars”

CASTOR and POLLUX.

It is near the star PROCYON in CANIS MINOR

which is know as the “LITTLE DOG”.

To the right of Gemini is Betelgeuse

Locating Gemini

Look SOUTHEAST

find SIRIUS

it is below and to the right of GEMINI

We also observe Rigel and Betelgeuse in Orion

and Procyon (in CANIS MINOR)

SE

This completes the basic instructions

on how to use Stellarium

It might be helpful for you to review

this presentation several times to

get familiar with Stellarium

You may address any questions/suggestions to

[email protected]

Clear skies!

mailto:[email protected]

The End

M - 42

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