How do you locate stars?

Question

How do I read coordinates? I know this is corny to some, but I would like to name a star after someone very special to me.

Answer 1

Hi. Most "Star registries" will assign a star based on 'next in line'. I do not think you can just choose one. I ran an observatory for nine years and found a star based on its coordinates for a woman who had just the coordinates for a star named after her Dad. She wept when I found it. I just needed RA and declination. Good luck.

Answer 2

The easiest way is probably to get planetarium software, unless you really want to learn how to find angular coordinates with a telescope. Most stars "sold" will be impossible to see without a telescope, anyway. The number of visible stars is only a few thousand and they are all named already, so the ones "coming up for sale" now are very dim.

You can get access to the real astronomy data from several sites like

http://archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form

http://cas.sdss.org/dr6/en/tools/search/form/form.asp

These sky surveys have very good images, certainly better than what can be seen with most amateur instruments. I would start with them and go from there to the sky.

Good luck!

Answer 3

"...How do I read coordinates?..."
You read celestial coordinates exactly as you would Earth coordinates. On Earth longitude is east/west coordinates. Latitude is north/south coordinates. For the sky, LONGITUDE = RIGHT ASCENSION (RA) and LATITUDE = DECLINATION (DEC). The coordinates are in degrees, minutes, and seconds. You'll often find a set of coordinates shown like this -- RA 12h 47m 37s DEC +45d 22m 07s or just RA12.47.37 DEC45.22.07

For a more complete explanation along with graphics, check this website ==> http://www.astronomynotes.com/nakedeye/s6.htm

Answer 4

interior the great Dipper Merak and Dubhe factor as much as Polaris on the tip of the cope with of the Little Dipper (neither dipper is a constellation, they're in u.s. important and u.s. Minor). They factor right down to Regulus in Leo. The cope with of the great Dipper arcs in direction of the very magnificent celebrity Arcturus in Bootes, and in a on the instant line keeps to Spica in Virgo. Canes Venatici is placed interior the arc of the cope with of the great Dipper Camelopardalis in placed in front of u.s. important.