You need to make sure you can use a star chart. It isn't
difficult Alan M Maccrobert and Fred Schaaf give some good advice in
their article OUR MONTHLY SKY MAPS AND HOW TO USE THEM in SKYWATCH
'99 pg. 40.
"Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the
direction ( north, south, east, or west) you are facing down. The
stars above this horizon on the map now match the stars you're
facing. Ignore the rest of the map until you turn to face another
direction. The center of the map is overhead."
Mr. Macorbert and Mr. Schaaf also give some good hints
about finding constellations on your first few tries. They recommend
that you start with the brightest stars and constellations finding
them first. I remember my first night I started with the Big Dipper
and worked at finding all the constellations around it first.
They also remind you that star patterns will look much
larger in the sky than they do on paper. Be prepared.
They recommend that you try to learn a new constellation
every night. My astronomy class and I would try to learn two or three
new constellations each week.
It would really help you if you read Celestial Coordinates. It
contains of information that you will need. Many terms you will find
in star guides, astronomy books, and star charts are explained on
this page.
I always studied the map and my star guide book before I
went out. I found this to be an important step. I planned my viewing
for that night. I wanted the shapes of the constellations to be
familiar to me. This helped me see them in the sky more quickly. I
also wanted to know the myths about the constellations and the
brightest stars in the constellations. That makes it more fun. I
would say the major star names and the constellation names so that I
would remember what star was in what constellation.
My first sky watching year, I would eagerly look forward
to what the next season would bring. In the autumn, I read about all
the winter constellations, in the winter, I read and studied about
the spring constellations, and so forth. I remember eagerly waiting
for Orion and Canis Major. I was not disappointed!!
My astronomy class had tests and quizzes where we had to
name the brightest stars or the main stars in each constellation. I
would give them a blank star map and they had to fill in all of the
names of the constellations and the main stars. This can become a
family game .
On one of our trips to Kansas City for the astronomy
safari program sponsored by the Creation Science of Mid-America, my
astronomy class learned a really good way to show the constellations
to those who have never seen them or those who are having a difficult
time locating them. Get a one of those very large flashlights and use
it is a pointer. Someone who is very familiar with the constellations
can easily point them out star by star using that flashlight as a
pointer because it is easier for a person's eyes to follow the beam
of light to the exact star than a finger at the end of a hand. We use
this method with new comers all of the time. It works really well
when teaching the constellations to children.
One last piece of advice I read in one of my favorite
books. Be patient. It takes a while to find all of the
constellations. It is worth it however. They will always be a source
of pleasure to you and your family.
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