Astronomy Question: Keeping Track of Stars?
http://www.dearastronomer.com/
Z.S asks:
how can you keep from getting stars mixed up at night when they move?
Great question, and thanks for asking!
Simply put, constellations were one of the first methods we used to track the stars throughout the night.
Stars move in a predictable pattern through the night, if you know where a star was at a certain time,
you can predict where it will be later in the night. Iowa State University has a GREAT tutorial on “sidereal time”
which explains this concept. You can read the tutorial at: http://www.polaris.iastate.edu/NorthStar/Unit4/unit4_sub2.htm
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:05:15
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2010/12/05/keeping-track-of-stars/
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