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| ⚫ | '''Star hopping''' is a technique that |
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| ⚫ | '''Star hopping''' is a technique that ] often use to locate ]s in the ]. It can be used instead of or in addition to ] or go-to/push-to systems. | ||
| Most ] of interest are not visible without instruments such as ] or ]. Unfortunately telescopes and binoculars have a much smaller field of view than the unaided eye, and directing these instruments to exactly where intended is usually very difficult. | |||
| ==The problem== | |||
| Star hopping entails the location of a bright ] to use as a starting point. The bright star can easily be seen through a telescope or binoculars and with the unaided eye, and this allows the astronomer to establish exactly where they are looking with their instrument according to a map of the sky. | |||
| Many ] of interest are too faint to be visible to the unaided eye. ] or ] collect much more light, making faint objects visible, but have a smaller field of view, thus complicating orientation on the sky. | |||
| The field of view of binoculars is rarely more than eight degrees, while that of typical amateur telescopes may be substantially less than one degree, depending on the magnification used. Many objects are best observed using higher magnifications, which inevitably go along with narrow fields of view. | |||
| Knowing where the object is on the map, the astronomer can then identify a trail of stars that will lead them from the starting location towards the item they are searching for in the sky. It then becomes possible to move the aim of the telescope by small increments, following the identified patterns of stars in the sky, perhaps referring back to the map on occasion. | |||
| ==The technique== | |||
| Star hopping uses bright ]s as a guide to finding fainter objects. A knowledge of the relative positions of bright stars and target objects is essential. After planning the star hop with the aid of a ], the observer first locates one or more bright stars in a ], ], or, at a low magnification, with the instrument to be used for observation. The instrument is then moved by one or more increments, possibly using a ] to identify specific ]s, to follow identified patterns of stars in the sky, until the target object is reached. | |||
| Using a telescope equipped with a properly aligned ], the observer may also follow the ] on a star map to "hop" or "slide" along the lines of ] or ] from a well known object to find a target. This can be assisted using setting circles. | |||
| Once an instrument is centered on the target object, higher magnifications may be used for observation. | |||
| ⚫ | ==External |
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| ⚫ | * | ||
| ==Example== | |||
| ] | |||
| A simple example of star hopping would be finding ], a ] in the constellation ], which is too faint to be seen by the unaided eye under most conditions. As shown on the star chart, M 13 lies on a line connecting the stars ζ Herculis and η Herculis. Using star hopping techniques an observer would first identify these two by the naked eye and then point an instrument (binocular or telescope) two thirds of the way up from ζ, one third down from η to see M 13. An observer using a telescope equipped with an equatorial mount would pan down from η in declination to site M 13. | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links== | ||
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| {{astro-stub}} | |||
Latest revision as of 02:45, 4 January 2024
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Star hopping is a technique that amateur astronomers often use to locate astronomical objects in the night sky. It can be used instead of or in addition to setting circles or go-to/push-to systems.
The problem
Many celestial objects of interest are too faint to be visible to the unaided eye. Telescopes or binoculars collect much more light, making faint objects visible, but have a smaller field of view, thus complicating orientation on the sky.
The field of view of binoculars is rarely more than eight degrees, while that of typical amateur telescopes may be substantially less than one degree, depending on the magnification used. Many objects are best observed using higher magnifications, which inevitably go along with narrow fields of view.
The technique
Star hopping uses bright stars as a guide to finding fainter objects. A knowledge of the relative positions of bright stars and target objects is essential. After planning the star hop with the aid of a star chart, the observer first locates one or more bright stars in a finderscope, reflex sight, or, at a low magnification, with the instrument to be used for observation. The instrument is then moved by one or more increments, possibly using a reticle to identify specific angular distances, to follow identified patterns of stars in the sky, until the target object is reached.
Using a telescope equipped with a properly aligned equatorial mount, the observer may also follow the equatorial coordinate system on a star map to "hop" or "slide" along the lines of right ascension or declination from a well known object to find a target. This can be assisted using setting circles.
Once an instrument is centered on the target object, higher magnifications may be used for observation.
Example
A simple example of star hopping would be finding Messier 13, a globular cluster in the constellation Hercules, which is too faint to be seen by the unaided eye under most conditions. As shown on the star chart, M 13 lies on a line connecting the stars ζ Herculis and η Herculis. Using star hopping techniques an observer would first identify these two by the naked eye and then point an instrument (binocular or telescope) two thirds of the way up from ζ, one third down from η to see M 13. An observer using a telescope equipped with an equatorial mount would pan down from η in declination to site M 13.