Astronomy Finder Charts

In astronomy, finder charts are maps of sections of the sky. They help us to locate specific stars in relation to other recognisable objects

They are useful to help us communicate which object on a map is being referred to, and to find the same star in multiple observations.Use an astronomy finder chart to fix your telescope on a particular star, so that other objects can be identified relative to the first object.

Planets, asteroids and comets are not shown on finder charts due to their mobile nature – they don’t stay in the same location for long!

How to find planets in the night sky

An initial problem for beginners in astronomy is understanding the night sky

This includes constellation names, differentiating between planets and stars, and what is available to view on a particular night.Deep Sky objects include galaxies and nebulae and can be difficult to locate due to their brightness, some are extremely dim and require pinpoint accuracy to locate them.

They can be located using an array of technical advances in astronomy, including the resources included in this section.

Star Chart or Planisphere

A Star Chart or Planisphere is a celestial map of the night sky with astronomical objects laid out on a grid system. They are used to identify and locate planets, stars, constellations nebulae and galaxies. They have been used for human navigation since time immemorial.

GOTO Telescope

In astronomy, “GoTo” refers to a type of telescope mount and related software that can automatically point a telescope at astronomical objects that the user selects. Both axes of a GoTo mount are driven by a motor and controlled by a computer, which could be either a microprocessor-based integrated controller or an external personal computer.

Stargazing Apps

Every stargazing app is different in one way or another, with each app having unique features and tools. Generally, however, they’re all helpful in learning about the night sky, pinpointing particular celestial objects, or as a tool to help when setting up a telescope.

A guide to star finder charts

Messier

The Messier Catalogue consists of 110 deep sky objects, including open and globular star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, a double star and even a supernova remnant.

It was compiled in the 18th century by Charles Messier.

Charles Messier published his charts in 1781, containing 103 objects, many of which he lays claim to discovering himself.

Messier Finder Charts

Caldwell

109 objects were catalogued by Sir Patrick Caldwell Moore, including 28 open star clusters, 18 globular star clusters, 13 planetary nebulae, 12 bright nebulae, one dark nebula, and both halves of a supernova remnant.

Every object within the Caldwell catalogue should be visible with a 4-inch telescope under a dark sky, and most are also visible with binoculars (and in many cases even with the naked eye).

Caldwell Finder Charts

Deep Sky Finders

A Telrad sight attached to a telescope allows you to see the sky the way the star charts show it, and guide you to the right location for an object. Here is a range of Telrad finder guides to help you find specific clusters and nebulae in the deep sky.

Deep Sky Finder Charts

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