lumpy darkness

Observation notes (with equipment details), photos, sketches, reviews, software tips, random thoughts, by an amateur astronomer.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011

what's up for the year

If you're like me, you need to see "the big picture." Usually over the winter months, I start sketching out my plans for the whole year. For example, I try to tie camping trips to good night skies.

I use a combination of technologies. I maintain a set of events in a Google Calendar layer called "astronomy" (surprise, surprise); I use a Yahoo!Widget to monitor this calendar. It's in my face, visible on my regularly used computer(s), it catches my eye, every day. I'm more dialled now. For significant events, I make the calendar e-mail me reminders!

Why not regularly view my shared read-only Google Calendar. It supports Week, Month, and Agenda (list) views.

 

 

The calendar is shown above in an "iFrame." Your browser may not support this unconventional style.

The calendar is written primarily for the south-western Ontario locale.

 

 

 

SATURday, FEBRUary 12, 2011

sources

I gather information about upcoming astronomical events from a variety of sources.

  • RASC Observer's Handbook (annual)
  • RASC calendar (annual)
  • Stan Shadick's Skywatchers calendar (annual)
  • The Evening Sky Map from SkyMaps.com (monthly)
  • SkyNews magazine (bi-monthly)
  • Sky and Telescope magazine web site (weekly)
  • Eric Briggs of the RASC Toronto Centre
  • Gary Boyle of the RASC
  • Dave Mitsky's Celestial Calendar in StarryNights Yahoo!Group (also published on the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers site)
  • CalSky's custom calendar
  • SkyTools 3 planning software
  • etc.

 

 

 

 

 

links

    lumpy darkness sites:
    blog proper
    lists home
   
    telescopes:
    my cat
    Mom's newt
    accessories
   
    life lists:
    planets, moons, etc.
    constellations
    notable stars
    double stars
    Messier objects
    other deep sky objects
  eclipses
  occultations
  photo gallery
  magnitude limit
  to do
   
    other lists:
    Greek alphabet in HTML
    judging angular size
    atlases, books, software
(*)   what's up for the year
    meteor showers
  with just your eyes
  assessing darkness
  observing preparation
  
    web site links:
    magazines
    sky conditions
  science and research
  space telescopes
    double stars sites
    retail stores
    clubs and associations
    DIY observatories
    miscellaneous