Jared May: What's Up February 10-17, 2021
This week’s weather is pretty Ohio February typical. The nighttime temperatures, with windchill, will be in the mid-teens, and cloudy skies occur far more often than clear skies. Sunset this week happens just after 5:50 PM. It won’t be too long until we pass the 6 PM sunset mark (nothing significant about that, it’s just indicative of the coming spring with longer and warmer days with more clear skies).
The cloud-cover forecast is not looking good at all this week. Cloudy skies may put a pause on using our telescopes and binoculars for stargazing, but it doesn’t mean that the stargazer’s curiosity must also be paused. Here are some stargazing-related activities that can be done under cloudy skies this week: learn about the constellations, join some citizen-science efforts, utilize remote observing, or if you’re an astrophotographer, go back and revisit some old photos to try re-editing them.
The constellations are probably one of the first things that come to mind when thinking of the night sky. They are mentioned in schools and in countless introductory and advanced astronomy books. Cloudy skies bring the perfect opportunity to read and discover the rich history of these celestial figures.
Knowing the constellations will also greatly aid navigating the night sky; knowing which ones lead to others and what major stars comprise them. The figures and stories behind the constellations likely started during prehistoric times as a means of telling stories and explaining the natural world. Many of the cosmic designs we know and love today originate from ancient Greek culture and mythology. It wasn’t until 1922 that the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formalized the names of 88 constellations. There are countless websites and books that dive into the interesting stories and histories of these mythological figures.
The winter evening constellations over the whole sky, as seen from mid-northern latitudes.
Another possibility for this week is to join a citizen science project. These projects can range in complexity, purpose, and membership size. Two very popular projects are the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) and Galaxy Zoo. The AAVSO is a massive effort by citizens to measure and take data on variable stars that professional astronomers then use for their research. It is not unheard of for AAVSO amateurs to get their names in scientific publications. The AAVSO’s website has lots of information on how to join and get started. They do a great job supporting anyone who joins: complete amateur to expert.
The second citizen science project is known as Galaxy Zoo. This projects aim is to have people view images of deep-space galaxies imaged by the Dark Energy Camera in Cerro Tololo, Chile. Fun fact: you are likely to be the very first person to ever lay eyes on the galaxies you see on this site. You are then asked a handful of easy-to-answer multiple choice questions about the structure in the galaxies you are shown. This helps astronomers classify the galaxies which in turn aids in galaxy morphology and evolution studies. Classifying these galaxies is mildly addicting and a ton of fun!
Another possibility for cloudy nights is utilizing remote observing. Lots of places have telescopes in really dark and clear sky locations that are available for the public to use remotely from the comfort of their own homes. Some of these remote observing sites are free to use and just require an “appointment” to get in the schedule and others require membership fees. There is a great website that walks through lots of these remote observing opportunities and how to get started.
A building full of telescopes waiting to be used by remote observers. You can rent one of these telescopes to make observations from iTelescope’s website.
Lastly, if you are an astrophotographer, beginner or expert, cloudy nights provide a great opportunity to revisit old images to try re-editing them with new skills or perhaps a different artistic approach. And after all, practice makes perfect. I personally have the bad habit of editing my photos at 3 or 4 AM after I finish my night of astrophotography. So a fresh take and good sleep may make a world of difference in the final edited photo. If you are new to astrophotography and want to save some money, consider using the free photo-editing software, GIMP. This is effectively a free Photoshop with minor differences.
Making pictures of the night sky is more than just pointing a camera. It’s also about processing the images you take. An image can be processed, and reprocessed, long after you take the original exposures that it is made up up.
While this week’s weather may be terrible for stargazing, it opens up a number of possibilities to enrich your astronomy knowledge, begin partaking in citizen science efforts, try remote observing, or retouch old astro-images. These activities are also indoors and will keep you safe from the frigid temperatures of February. There are many more ways to explore the cosmos than just gazing into the heavens on a clear night, explore the many possibilities that the amateur astronomy community has to offer.
Clear Skies!