FAQs & articles
General YAS FAQ
What is Astronomy?
Astronomy is the study and understanding of the objects we can observe in the sky. It is the oldest science, and in modern times has grown to include many other branches of science such as physics, chemistry, biology, etc. Astronomy is a science, i.e. observing the cosmos and applying scientific principles to understand what is being observed, therefore gaining an understanding of the Universe around us. Astronomy should never be confused with Astrology (all that rubbish about horoscopes), which has no legitimate basis in fact, and is officially a load of mumbo jumbo.
How do I get started if I'm interested in learning more about Astronomy?
Come along to our twice monthly meetings (no meetings in August) and have a chat. We can recommend a number of ways to get started, depending on how much you want to get involved. If you just want to learn more about astronomy then there are some excellent books available from your local library, and there are also some monthly Astronomy magazines on sale in most newsagents. We would recommend BBC's "The Sky at Night" magazine, and "Astronomy Now", both of which are UK magazines, and cover a wide range of astronomical topics each month, and also include a monthly sky map, showing you what is visible through out the month. At most of our meetings we have old issues of various astronomy magazines which you can help yourself to, for a small donation in the funds box. If you want to become a more practical observational astronomer then you can start with a pair of binoculars and begin to learn your way around the night sky. A pair of 10 x 50 binoculars is a good way to get started, and they can often be found a car boot sales for reasonable prices. Combining them with the book "Turn left at Orion" will get you out under dark skies observing in no time, and the book will still help you if you move on to owning a telescope in the future. If you join the York AS you will be able to come out to our observatory and learn how to use various telescopes, and we also have some scopes which members in good standing can borrow for a month or two to use at home.
How can I join the York AS?
Simply come along to one of our regular meetings and ask on the door to join. You will have to fill in a simple joining form and then pay the annual membership fee. Your annual fee is renewable on the anniversary of your joining. Then you have all the advantages of YAS membership, i.e. £1 entry to meetings rather than £2, three free issues of "Algol" magazine each year, Use of the YAS observatory, access to loan telescopes, etc.
Where and when does the York AS meet?
We meet in the Denham room of the Priory Street Centre, Priory Street, York, on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month (Except August due to holiday season). The Railway station is 5 minutes walk away, the nearest public car park is Nunnery Lane, and we start promptly at 8pm, although most people come earlier for a chat, etc. Entry is £1 for members, and £2 for non members, with all 16s and under free.
We also meet up for regular observing sessions at the YAS observatory, and hold public star parties on the Knavesmire and at location all around the Yorkshire area. See the "meetings and events" page for more details.
What sort of telescope should I buy?
This is a very difficult question to answer, and it depends on what sort of observing you are likely to want to do on a regular basis. It is best if you join YAS and come out observing with us. This will give you the opportunity to see various telescopes in use, and get a feel for what observing can offer.
What can I see in the night sky?
There are lots of different and fascinating objects and events to observe. Have a look through our YAS gallery section, which is full of lots of images taken by YAS members, showing a range of examples of most of these objects or events. The types of things we observe on a regular basis are:
- The Sun - In white light to observe Sun spots and in Hydrogen Alpha light (Ha) to reveal surface details, prominences and flares, etc.
- The Moon and Planets - Jupiter and Saturn are spectacular, while Mars is best seen every 2 years or so when it is close to the Earth.
- Stars - Double stars, Variable stars, coloured stars, etc.
- Star clusters - Open clusters, Globular Clusters.
- Nebula - Emission nebula, Planetary nebula, Dark nebula.
- Galaxies - Spirals, ellipticals, irregular.
- Comets - When there are any well placed for observing.
- Meteors - At certain times of year there are specific showers with higher numbers of meteors visible per hou
- Eclipses - Solar and Lunar.
- Occultations - Of planets and stars by the Moon, or of stars by the planets. Sometimes it is possible to watch the Moons of Jupiter being occulted.
- Transists - Of planets with the Sun, or the Moons of Jupiter and their shadows on Jupiter.
- Man made Satellites - Iridium satellites, the ISS, tumbling satellites, etc.
- Aurora - (Northern Lights) rarely seen in the North, but more common around times of high solar activity
What is light pollution and how can I reduce it?
Light pollution is the unwanted glow, or brightness of the sky, due to man-made lights shining up in to the night sky. The sky is made lighter, therefore it becomes impossible to observe the fainter objects in the night sky. People who live in town and cities have often never seen the night sky as it should be, i.e. black dark and with thousands of stars visible to the naked eye. Light pollution is bad, and we can help to reduce it by making sure our external security lights point down to the ground, and never sideways or up. Local councils can help by using proper street lights with reflectors and masks to direct the light down on to the road where it is needed, and not letting it shine up into the sky where it is wasted and causes light pollution. Light pollution represents wasted money too, since proper light fittings would take less power to direct light where it is needed, rather than waste power to light up the sky. Astronomers try to encourage sensible use of light, and often travel great distances to observe from the few remaining locations which are not affected by light pollution from growing urban areas. For more infomration about light polution in the UK see the CfDS (Campaign for Dark Skies) web site at http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/index.html
What UK astronomy magazines are available?
The BBC's "The Sky at Night" magazine, and"Astronomy Now" are both from the UK, and "Astronomy" and "Sky and Telescope" are US magazines which can also be found in some of the larger UK newsagents. We often have old copies of various magazines on display at our Friday meetings, which you can have for free (a tiny donation in the yellow box would be nice).
Where can I buy astronomical equipment and accessories?
Not from high street "toy" shops. Go to a proper Astronomy dealer who will help you buy the right telescope for you. In our links section we have links to some recommended retailers. The UK astronomy magazines are a good source for dealer adverts and information. There are also a few Internet based services for buying and selling second hand astronomy equipment in the UK and these can be a good way to buy used equipment at reasonable prices.
Back to the top.