[Fleecewife]

https://www.calsky.com/

Thank you for that link pjkvet.  I've been looking for something like that.  Excellent.


Sally - finding Sirius is easy - just continue down to the left from Orion's belt til you come to an amazingly bright star.  That's Sirius and the dog is around it.

The star atlas sounds good.  I had something similar which just lasted a year, so I'll look into the Phillips one - thank you 

[Victorian Farmer]

This was Christmas eve 11 o'clock looking at the north star

[Tala Orchard]

I love clear nights and an opportunity to get my 4" reflector out, I have found the following programe great in helping you locate stars and planets it gives you a virtual planetarium on your computer or laptop.

http://www.stellarium.org/

This is an open source programe and it was suggested by my daughters science teacher when she was studying her Astronomy GCSE,

I find it great.

[susiev]

I've got a couple of apps on my phone that are really good.  The "Sky Map" that Oopsiboughtasheep mentioned works well and I've got another one called "ISS Detector" that tells you when the International Space Station is going over.

[Lesley Silvester]

I, too, love the night sky but now I live in a town, it's not so easy to see. I have experienced the aurora though, although not in the form that it is often shown in photos. It was at midnight over Arran and was like standing under a dome shaped 'waterfall' of colour. I will never, ever forget the experience (or how cold it was standing there).

[doganjo]

Due to a neck condition I get dizzy or even fall over so although i have always loved watching the sky I can no longer enjoy it.  I have been known to lie flat on the grass in the summer though to enjoy it once it's dark - the dogs tend to ruin it within a few moments unfortunately by rolling all over me.  I will download these apps though so thank you, susiev 

[Fleecewife]

Due to a neck condition I get dizzy or even fall over so although i have always loved watching the sky I can no longer enjoy it.  I have been known to lie flat on the grass in the summer though to enjoy it once it's dark - the dogs tend to ruin it within a few moments unfortunately by rolling all over me.  I will download these apps though so thank you, susiev 

Do you have a garden recliner?  That's perfect for stargazing in comfort 

[devonlady]

VF, you take the most amazing photographs

[Fleecewife]

http://astronomynow.com/sky_chart.shtml# 

I don't usually see the early morning sky, so when I did this morning it was a bit scary as I didn't find anything familiar.  Then directly above I found the plough and the polestar to the north of it.  But that was it.  No Orion, no Sirius, but lots of constellations I didn't recognise.  Jupiter was very bright and I did spot that (it was just about bright enough to be casting shadows so I could hardly miss it) 


So I found this site, above, which shows you the sky at any time, as you see it.  The only trouble is, you lose your night vision while you look at the 'puter.

[SallyintNorth]

It was a clear sky last night, although the moon was a little bright so only the brightest stars were visible.

I remember now why I've not got the hang of Sirius etc - in Exmoor, they'd be below the horizon from the valley, and if I went up 'on top', then the light pollution eroded the lower fields.  And it's light pollution here is the problem too.  I did see Sirius a few times when I was on the moorland farm, but even there the glows of Newcastle and Carlisle were quite visible.

Never mind, there are plenty of other constellations to find and enjoy! 

[ellied]

OK well I have signed up on FL so just have to think where the mini binocs are given I've not seen them in over a decade but don't recall parting with them either..  A drawer or cupboard somewhere... Maybe!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

That picture is beautiful, where I live I get pretty amazing sunsets, but not as beautiful as that!

[Victorian Farmer]

These are my fav season pics

[Lesley Silvester]

Fantastic photos and it's clear why you live where you do.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I can see the whole coast from where I live and last night the moon was shining down onto the sea, plus it was clear, calm and only 2 clouds near the moon, it was beautiful. Sadly I don't have a really good camera.