Stargazing during National Stargazing Days? Follow these tips
This weekend is National Stargazing Day. Do you ever stare futilely at the dazzling sky without having a clue what you are seeing? Together with Esther Hanko of the Anton Pannekoek Institute, Folia has put together a little viewing guide to get you started.
During National Stargazing Days, there are several places where you can stargaze with a telescope. Although there is also plenty to see with binoculars or even the naked eye from your own balcony, garden, or other spot, even in a lit city like Amsterdam there is something to see in the sky, as long as you know where to look.
The best time for stargazing is until about the end of April and then again only after summer, because in the summer months, it gets dark late or not dark at all. So says Esther Hanko of the Anton Pannekoek Institute, which conducts astronomical research. But what exactly should you look for?
What stars can you see this weekend?
Many people think the North Star is the brightest star in the sky, but it is not. The North Star happens to be a star that is exactly above the Earth's north, so it always points north. In the past, that is, before the days of the Internet and Google Maps, the star served as a navigator. The North Star is part of the Little Bear, a well-known constellation. Even better known is the Great Bear or Ursa Major, also known as “the Big Dipper.” If you extend the "front" of the Big Dipper upward five times, you reach the North Star.
Many constellations have their origins in Greek mythology. Orion, an outstanding hunter, or Cassiopeia, queen of the Ethiopians, who was vain and maddeningly beautiful, come to mind. They were placed in the sky by the gods for punishment. Both constellations are bright and easy to see. Orion consists of three stars in a row and Cassiopeia can be recognized by the shape of the letter W. Other easily visible constellations in the firmament are Virgo, Leo, and Gemini.
Or look for clusters of stars, Hanko advises, large groups of stars that are close together. “So-called open clusters consist of thousands of stars. The most famous star cluster is the Pleiades, which is bright and can be viewed anywhere in the world. Look up around midnight and look for a small group of stars in the shape of a scoop. We are now entering galaxy season, which means there are lots of galaxies to admire at this time of year, but they are often not so easy to see with the naked eye or binoculars. The Milky Way, of which we are a part, is also a galaxy, but it is only one of about two trillion galaxies that exist. You can see the Milky Way now at the end of the night and after summer at the beginning of the evening.”
One galaxy that can be seen with the naked eye from a dark place bears the name Andromeda. Fun fact: Andromeda is also a constellation and was the (stunningly beautiful) daughter of Cassiopeia. If you want to see this galaxy next to Cassiopeia, you will probably see only a faint line, but that line represents trillions of stars. Scientists expect the Andromeda galaxy to merge with “our” Milky Way galaxy in four billion years, though the living creatures of that time will hardly notice.
And what planets?
Mars, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter are easy to see with the naked eye, although you need binoculars to see the latter's moons from Earth. “You often see four, or sometimes three moons orbiting Jupiter,” Hanko said. “Jupiter is a mini solar system in itself because of the orbiting moons.” The planet was also probably how Galileo figured out that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and the Sun does not revolve around the Earth. After all, all planets revolve around the sun. Sometimes they overtake us and sometimes the other way around.” This is also the reason Saturn and Venus cannot currently be seen. They are currently too close to the sun to be visible.
Planets look like stars, with one big difference: They don't blink.
What else is there to see?
Anyone looking up at 19:45 or 21:15 p.m. on Saturday will see the International Space Station ISS flying overhead. “It does indeed pass by from time to time,” says Hank. “The station is easy to spot, as it's the brightest ‘star’ you can see, and it moves slowly from west to east.” The station is permanently inhabited. There are currently seven astronauts aboard.
Any other tips?
On skymaps.com you can download a map of the night sky and how it currently looks. It also shows what planets or stars you can view with the naked eye, and where you need binoculars or telescopes. There are also apps you can download that “scan” the sky for you. Hanko uses Skysafari, which is “very nice” but you have to pay for it. “There are also free apps like Starwalk, which work through your compass on your phone. But those are not always very precise,” says Hanko. Another disadvantage is that your phone lights up, so your eyes can't fully adjust to the darkness to see optimally. “That's why it might still be more convenient to print a map from skymaps, which you can then study with a red bicycle light, which is best for your eyes.”
So although there is quite a bit to see in Amsterdam, it is still best to look for a dark and quiet spot outside the city, Hanko advises. Go to the sea, for example, or the Kennemer dunes near Haarlem, or look around the Afsluitdijk. On the site www.lightpollutionmap.info you can see exactly where it is dark enough.
The Anton Pannekoek Institute is also participating in National Stargazing Days. At Science Park on Saturday, March 16th, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, you can look at the sky through the large star domes every hour. This edition is fully booked but tickets from no-shows will be distributed to other visitors at the start of the tours.
