Andromeda Galaxy, and Alpha Centauri

I bet this is a common question for newbies to Astronomy, but could someone
tell me how to find Andromeda Galaxy and Alpha Centauri star in the skies?
From where I live, I can easily see the big dipper, Orion, and I think I can
see the little dipper. I think I know how to spot Polaris too. with that
knowledge, can someone tell me how to find those two?

Brian

"Brian" wrote in message
news:bVH_g.259$%T3.86@trndny03...
I bet this is a common question for newbies to Astronomy, but could someone
tell me how to find Andromeda Galaxy and Alpha Centauri star in the skies?
From where I live, I can easily see the big dipper, Orion, and I think I
can
see the little dipper. I think I know how to spot Polaris too. with that
knowledge, can someone tell me how to find those two?

Andromeda is going to be hard to see unless you live in a dark area.

Alpha Centauri is going to be easy to see... if you live in Australia. It's
in the Southern Hemisphere. You can't see it from where you are.

Andromeda is in the evening sky look at the Sky and Telescope monthly
sky/star map and you can find it. Alpha Centauri is a southen sky star, you
have to be WAY south to see it. Like Down Under.


--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
The Church of Eternity
http://home.inreach.com/starlord/church/Eternity.html


"Brian" wrote in message
news:bVH_g.259$%T3.86@trndny03...
I bet this is a common question for newbies to Astronomy, but could someone
tell me how to find Andromeda Galaxy and Alpha Centauri star in the skies?
From where I live, I can easily see the big dipper, Orion, and I think I
can
see the little dipper. I think I know how to spot Polaris too. with that
knowledge, can someone tell me how to find those two?

Brian

"Starlord" wrote in message
. ..
Andromeda is in the evening sky look at the Sky and Telescope monthly
sky/star map and you can find it. Alpha Centauri is a southen sky star,
you have to be WAY south to see it. Like Down Under.
--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Not exactly... the highlight of my trip to Bradenton Florida was glimpsing
Alpha Centauri just above the southern horizon.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a faint fairly big smudge halfway along the two
lines of stars (leading away from the huge bright square of Pegasus) that
make up the pretty [if you have lots of imagination] constellation
Andromeda. It's almost half-way from the equater to to pole star, on the
opposite side of the pole from the Big Dipper (so if the dipper is high in
the sky you won't see it).

Saw Orion, Taurus and Canes Major real well this morning. It was very
beautiful. My new cataract replacement lenses are wonderful!

Saul Levy


On Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:07:49 GMT, "Algomeysa2"
wrote:


"Brian" wrote in message
news:bVH_g.259$%T3.86@trndny03...
I bet this is a common question for newbies to Astronomy, but could someone
tell me how to find Andromeda Galaxy and Alpha Centauri star in the skies?
From where I live, I can easily see the big dipper, Orion, and I think I
can
see the little dipper. I think I know how to spot Polaris too. with that
knowledge, can someone tell me how to find those two?

Andromeda is going to be hard to see unless you live in a dark area.

Alpha Centauri is going to be easy to see... if you live in Australia. It's
in the Southern Hemisphere. You can't see it from where you are.

OK, then, what is the closest star that is easily seen in the Northern
Hemisphere? And, how many light years is it away?

Brian

"Sandy Tipper" wrote in message
news
"Starlord" wrote in message
. ..
Andromeda is in the evening sky look at the Sky and Telescope monthly
sky/star map and you can find it. Alpha Centauri is a southen sky star,
you have to be WAY south to see it. Like Down Under.
--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Not exactly... the highlight of my trip to Bradenton Florida was glimpsing
Alpha Centauri just above the southern horizon.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a faint fairly big smudge halfway along the two
lines of stars (leading away from the huge bright square of Pegasus) that
make up the pretty [if you have lots of imagination] constellation
Andromeda. It's almost half-way from the equater to to pole star, on the
opposite side of the pole from the Big Dipper (so if the dipper is high in
the sky you won't see it).

On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 02:44:54 GMT, "Brian"
wrote:

OK, then, what is the closest star that is easily seen in the Northern
Hemisphere? And, how many light years is it away?

Brian

the sun. 8+ light minutes or so. chuckle

brightest close one would be Sirius (alpha canis majoris) at 8.7 LY
(down and left of orion. that other bright star very near Sirius is
Procyon (alpha canis minoris) at 11 LY, IIRC.

Well as far as ones you can see, it would be Sirius which is the brightest
star in all of Earths skys and it's almost 9 light years away. Stay up until
about 3am and you can see it is the easten sky behind Orion.


--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
The Church of Eternity
http://home.inreach.com/starlord/church/Eternity.html


"Brian" wrote in message
news:G0W_g.6097$k63.3792@trndny06...
OK, then, what is the closest star that is easily seen in the Northern
Hemisphere? And, how many light years is it away?

Brian

"Sandy Tipper" wrote in message
news
"Starlord" wrote in message
. ..
Andromeda is in the evening sky look at the Sky and Telescope monthly
sky/star map and you can find it. Alpha Centauri is a southen sky star,
you have to be WAY south to see it. Like Down Under.
--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Not exactly... the highlight of my trip to Bradenton Florida was
glimpsing
Alpha Centauri just above the southern horizon.

The Andromeda Galaxy is a faint fairly big smudge halfway along the two
lines of stars (leading away from the huge bright square of Pegasus) that
make up the pretty [if you have lots of imagination] constellation
Andromeda. It's almost half-way from the equater to to pole star, on the
opposite side of the pole from the Big Dipper (so if the dipper is high
in
the sky you won't see it).