How To Read A Star Chart.

Star charts are ideal for those who have just made star-gazing as their hobby and want to go a step ahead in identifying different constellations with the naked eye. So if you are also interested in star-gazing at night time then star charts can take your interest to a new level of excitement.

A star chart is a map of the night that enables you to locate stars, celestial bodies, other planets and different patters of stars called constellations. Star charts are very easy to use. The first thing that needs to be done is to find a dark place away from any source of light so that you can have a clear view of sky. After a small amount of time your eyes will get used to the darkness and will be able to spot stars clearly. You can also use a pair of binoculars to get into more details.

Star charts can be obtained from every better bookstore. Nowadays some websites, including lookatstars.com are also providing such charts. Now when using a star chart be sure that you have a correct map in accordance with your location and date. Generally star charts are different for Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Now when you made sure that the chart is fine for you just concentrate on the compass provided (most of the time at the right-bottom end) on the map. Now to start off you star-gazing activity, you need to rotate the star chart in such a way that the direction of the compass of the star chart direction appears along the bottom of the map when you face that particular direction.

After adjusting the compass, hold your map high above your head and the center of the map is the place directly over you head. Now check for all the constellations and celestial bodies the map provides you with and try to locate them. One golden rule of interpreting star charts is that the celestial body which is half way through the boundary and center of the map is bound to be located in between the center and horizon of space.

These star maps can also be used at locations up or down of up to 15° without any errors that lead to problems. When you are using the star chart for the first time you will also note the reversed direction in East and West directions on the compass, this is due to the fact that you are looking away from the Earth into the space as compared to other geographic maps where you look into the Earth from space. The difference in the area of observation causes the swap of directions. However North and South directions are the same.

The online availability of some charts makes them easy to obtain, but those maps may be only for educational purposes and may not be that exact. Surely star charts can change the altogether experience of star gazing and once you get used to it you can even locate stars, constellations and celestial bodies without it. But initially it will surely provide you with lots of information about heavenly bodies and constellations.

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