Observing Tips
This is a page prepared from several related sources. It gives you a list of questions to ask yourself when you're at the telescope, to help you make more detailed observing notes.
By paying attention to these items when you are at the scope, you can learn to see more detail in celestial objects, and learn to appreciate the universe just that much better.
All Object Types
- What is the shape of the object?
- What is it size, based on field of view (FOV) of eyepiece?
- Is averted vision required? Averted vision is a technique where instead of looking directly at an object, you observe out of the corner of your eye, shifting attention away from a head-on view. This focuses light on areas of your eye that are more sensitive to light, and thus will allow you to see fainter detail.
- Does averted vision reveal more detail?
- Is the object near or in the same FOV as other deepsky objects or bright stars?
- What magnification gives the best view of the object?
- Does a filter improve the view?
Nebula
- What is the overall shape?
- Can it be seen with direct vision?
- Is any part of nebula brighter or concentrated?
- Are there any dark lanes or patches?
- Can any color be detected?
- Are there any bright streamers or filaments?
- Are the edges of the nebula well defined?
- Are there any stars within the nebula?
Planetary Nebula
- What is the overall shape?
- Is it stellar in appearance, or can a disk be seen?
- Is it easy or difficult to identify?
- Can any color be detected?
- Are the edges sharp or diffuse?
- Is the center brighter, darker, or same as edges?
- Can you see the central star?
Dark Nebula
- Is it easy or difficult to discern the dark nebula from the background sky?
- Are there any stars within the nebula?
Open Cluster
- Easily distinguishable from background stars?
- What is the overall shape?
- How many stars?
- Are the stars more/less concentrated anywhere?
- Fully resolved, or does nebulosity remain?
- Describe brighter stars, colors of stars including locations within cluster.
Globular Cluster
- Can it be seen with direct vision?
- Is core bright, compact, or indistinguishable?
- Is cluster tight or loose?
- What is the degree of star concentration (high, medium, low)?
- Can any part of cluster be resolved into component stars (none, outer edges, middle, to the core)?
- Is any mottling visible?
Multiple or Double Star
- How many stars are visible?
- What is the general positions of the stars?
- How bright and what color are the stars?
- What is the overall appearance?
Galaxy
- Can it be seen with direct vision?
- What is the overall shape?
- Is it uniform in brightness, or does it have a brighter nucleus?
- Is the core compact, stellar, obvious bulge?
- Can any lanes or mottling be seen?
- Are there any stars visible within the arms?
- Are the edges sharp or diffuse?
- What angle is the galaxy seen at?