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Google 100,000 Stars

googlestars
As demonstrated  at the CAS Xmas 2013 meeting, 100,000 Stars is an interactive visualization of our stellar neighbourhood created for the Google Chrome web browser. It shows the real location of over 100,000 nearby stars in 3D.

http://workshop.chromeexperiments.com/stars/

Using this 3D map is a bit like using Google Maps.  Zooming in reveals the major named stars and our solar system, with associated details.

Note: This does work (slower, with some colour issues etc.) in some other browsers, like Internet Explorer , but you really you need Google Chrome to run this visualisation at its best.

Interesting information on how it was built is at:
http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/casestudies/100000stars/

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Ten Targets for Light Polluted Astronomers

NGC7331-LRGB
NGC 7331 by Rik McRae

Members enjoyed Bob Mizon's talk last month - ten targets for light polluted astronomers. In case you did not manage to remember them all - these are the ten targets:

  1. Cluster NGC 752  And
  2. Double star Gamma And
  3. Chain of stars Kemble's Cascade (Cam)
  4. Double star h3945 CMa
  5. Red star Y CVn
  6. Cluster NGC 457  Cas
  7. Variables R and T CBr
  8. 'Fast-moving' double star Sigma 2398 Dra
  9. Cluster Stock 4 Per
  10. Galaxy NGC 7331  Peg
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Eddies Observing Tips

At our last meeting, Eddie Carpenter presented some observing tips.

Many members asked if these could be written up and put on the website, so here they are.

I have added my own recollections and interpretations on Eddie's suggestions - Callum.

1. Black cloth over head and eyepiece

A black cloth over your head and eyepiece will help block out any extraneous light, and help you ‘focus’ on the object you are observing.

Continue reading "Eddies Observing Tips"