6-week course: April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24

The courses are held 7 PM at Vancouver Telescope Centre, 3303 W 4th Ave. in Vancouver.
The course is of six sessions, each lasting two hours. Start time 7 pm.

Introduction to the Celestial Sphere

The sky above resembles a large bowl: you, the observer stands underneath the centre of this bowl, looking up. Although there is more to the sky than this the Celestial Sphere makes an excellent jumping off point to Astronomy. We will explore the sky from the point of view of the naked eye and learn its motions, seasonal patterns and the main constellations.

The Planisphere

The Planisphere is the easiest way for the beginner to learn the Stars. Long ago travellers used an Astrolabe to find their positions under the sky. Today people use Planispheres to learn the names of stars and constellations. The Planisphere is simply a card with a rotatable sky map that enables the user to locate any part of the sky that is of interest.

*** Field trip to the Planetarium at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (Burnaby campus)***

We meet under the always-clear skies of BCIT and the skills acquired in class 1 and 2 will now be demonstrated under the artificial sky at the planetarium. 

Optical Aids

The fourth class will cover the different types and styles of optical instruments that are used to examine the sky at a narrow field of view. Binoculars are the smallest (some say the best) of the ways to extend our eyes as they encounter the sky. We will examine star maps and review the simple classifications of astronomical bodies. The difference between point sources and extended objects will be introduced. 

More power. More targets

We move naturally from binoculars to telescopes. Different types of telescopes are examined and their use and care described. Everyone will have a chance to set up an EQ (equatorial mount) and examine completely the parts and accessories of at least two styles of scope.  We will see images and discuss the five types of extended objects, and the antics that variable and double stars show. Observing the Moon and planets will be described.

Telescope observing

We will adjourn to a nearby park site (TBA) and observe with a powerful telescope. (Poor weather will mean meet at the store where we will cover the mythology of the heavens). 

The VTC Beginner's Astronomy Course includes following materials:

1. A portable planisphere by Orion. This is a pocket-sized permanent sky-map; an essential accessory for learning the sky.

2. A Skywatchers 2009 Calendar. A wonderful day-by-day wall calendar including maps, background information, and information for every day of the astronomer's year.

3. A Skywatchers Companion book on Constellations and Their Mythology; fascinating background information on "the biggest movie-screen in the universe".