10 New Year’s Resolutions for Amateur Astronomers
In the spirit of continuous improvement, and to help you get the most enjoyment out of your interest in astronomy, here are 10 astronomical new year’s resolutions for 2009. Pick one or try them all. But whatever you do, I wish you a new year filled with happiness, good health, and clear dark skies.
1. Use the tools and the sky you’ve got
Don’t wait for the perfect night, the perfect equipment, or the perfect frame of mind to go stargazing. If you do, you’ll never get outside. Use the scope and the sky you’ve got and get out at least once a week. Life is short and there’s a lot to see up there. And remember, you will get much more out of short bursts of stargazing if you…
2. Plan your observing sessions
Many beginners take the channel-surfing approach to stargazing, hopping from object to object until they run out of ideas. This gets boring after a while. On cloudy nights, or during the day, use a star map or astro-planning software to plan out your next observing session. Make lists of things you want to see that are visible from your observing site. Then work through your list methodically. You will see more, make better use of your time, and you’ll get a sense of accomplishment. Which brings me to the next resolution…
3. Set “astro goals”
What would you like to see this year? Perhaps the elusive galaxy M74? Or the ghostly Helix Nebula? Or all the Messier objects. Whatever your goal, write it down, plan it out, and make it happen. My goal is to see all the Caldwell objects visible from my latitude… and next year, see all the Caldwells from the southern hemisphere. What’s your astronomy goal this year?
4. Take a break
“Wait a second!”, you might say. “Planning? Goal setting? I thought astronomy was supposed to be fun, not work!” Yes, yes, but lugging your scope and swatting bugs in the dark gets taxing after a while. And even the most pleasurable activity gets stale if you spend too much time at it. So to help maintain your enthusiasm, take a short break from astronomy if you need to. But not for too long. Set a date when you’re going to get to it again, and if possible do yourself a favor and…
5. Get to dark sky
Because of a busy schedule, I do 90% of my observing from light-polluted city skies. But when I manage to set up under dark sky, I am awestruck by what I can see and how achingly beautiful many deep-sky objects appear against a coal-black background. If you regularly observe under clear dark sky, you are most fortunate. But if you’re an urban observer, make an effort to escape the city and get to dark sky as often as possible. It’s the difference between listening to a Mozart symphony on an old transistor radio versus a Bang and Olufsen sound system. But dark sky or not, you can’t go wrong in astronomy if you…
6. Share with others
2009 is a special year: the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). That means there will be many opportunities and public events at which you can share your knowledge with others. Here in Canada, we have a goal to give 1 million people a “Galileo moment”: a look through a telescope for the first time. And IYA organizers all over the world will hold “100 Hours of Astronomy” from April 2-5 where astronomers will offers views of Saturn, the waxing Moon, and many other celestial wonders. Participate in IYA events if you can, and give someone a look through your telescope. It’s a thrill they will remember their entire lives.
7. Learn a constellation
Here’s a good project for you this year: pick up a good guidebook like Burnham’s Celestial Handbook, and intimately learn the layout, location, history of at least one constellation. Find out as much as you can about the deep-sky objects in that constellation… all the double and variable stars, the star clusters, the nebulae, galaxies, and novae. Learn the constellation as you’ve learned the streets of your own neighborhood. You’ll amaze yourself at how much there is to see in a little patch of sky. And while you’re in the mood for learning, don’t forget to…
8. Learn a little science
The basics behind the science of astronomy are not terribly difficult. And when you know a little science, your observing experience becomes far more rewarding. Spend some time, especially on cloudy nights, to learn how stars live and die, about the shapes and structure of galaxies, and how nebulae give off their eerie glow. You’ll learn some science at One-Minute Astronomer, but you’ll learn much more if you…
9. Read a good astronomy book.
There are many good astronomy books out there, and I’ve mentioned some of my favorites. But any books by Timothy Ferris, Chet Raymo, Carl Sagan, Patrick Moore, and Steven James O’Meara, and Terence Dickinson are good bets. Read on nights when it’s too cold, buggy, or cloudy for stargazing. And finally, don’t forget to…
10. Treat yourself
If you can, get yourself a top-notch eyepiece. Or a dew heater to help extend your observing sessions. Or a light-pollution filter, if you don’t already have one. Maybe even a small second telescope for short observing sessions. You don’t have to go crazy. But if you have the right tools, astronomy will be more fun and far more rewarding.
