Observing Tips

Here are some hints to help you get started with your observing projects.

• Keep a separate notebook devoted to your project observations. This will make it much easier at the end when you need to write up your results, since all your data will be organized in one place.
• Be sure to always record everything you will need later (see Recording).
• Plan your observations ahead of time. Plan together and check each other. There are lots of resources available to find out when your object will be visible, where it will be in the sky, how to find it, how bright it is, etc. Here is a short list:
• SKY Online (http://www.skypub.com), from the makers of Sky and Telescope magazine, describes what is currently visible in the sky and when. Also see the links from the class webpage.
• heavens-above.com. Enter anonymously, find Athens, GA and look for what you want.

Good luck, and happy observing!

The observatory webpage which has the public nights (bring your friends, but don’t schedule any work) and rise and set, lunar rise and set, lunar phase.