Astronomy and Viewing Resources

Observing objects beyond the Earth’s atmosphere obviously depends on whether it’s clear or cloudy. In many cases, it also depends on the general atmospheric conditions above your location, the available objects, your skill and equipment. Here are some resources to help you have a great viewing night!

For information on specific AAS-related viewing sites, please see the Observing Pages.

Resources

Austin is fortunate to have many organizations that support public astronomy programs.
Here are some links to astronomy and space news sites.
Everyone is a novice at least once. Most of us are novices many times! But that's because we're interested in learning new things. If you're interested in learning more about amateur astronomy, check out the links below, which will take you to collections of general information that do not assume any prior knowlege about astronomy or amateur observing.
What you can see in a clear sky above you depends on when you look and from what position on the Earth's surface. In most cases, you won't need precise measurements, but for those times that you do, here are some resources to help you determine what time it is and where you are.

An amateur astronomer's fundamental observing equipment is the eye. Naked eye observing of the sky is simple, inexpensive, and immensely rewarding. But the unaided human eye is limited in what it can see. Observing instruments such as binoculars and telescopes extend the eye's capabilities, while imposing limitations of their own. Here are some resources to help you sort through the myriad possibilities to find the right tools and techniques for the types of observing you want to do.
Many of the objects orbiting our Earth are visible to observers on the ground. These objects include the International Space Station, the Iridium network, the Hubble Space Telescope, a variety of other operational satellites, and even orbital debris, such as spent rocket boosters. Some of these objects appear as steady points of light undefined very similar to stars undefined moving in a slow arc across the sky. Other objects appear to "flare" as they move across the sky. Very lucky observers get the rare opportunity to see the atmospheric reentry of an object undefined. However, the (re)entry and impact of a large object could be disastrous. So some astronomers keep a close watchful eye on potentially threatening objects.
Since Yuri Gagarin's inaugural human flight into space on 12 April 1961 aboard Vostok 1, the prospect of personally exploring our solar system and beyond has thrilled and inspired hundreds of millions of passengers on Spaceship Earth. With projects like International Space Station, sub-orbital programs like SpaceX and Blue Origin, and the farther-future human mission to Mars, we are still reaching outward.
Many very important astronomical, astrophysical, and cosmological discoveries have been made possible only by the successful development and deployment of astronomical satellites into orbit above the Earth's atmosphere, which interferes with and even prevents observations of important regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here is a listing of various active orbital astronomy missions and links to information about past and future ones.
Human space flight may be thrilling, as well as necessary to accomplish some missions, but for reconnaissance and massive data gathering, space probes are indispensable. These relatively small, often quirky-looking, platforms have repaid their cost many times over with extremely valuable information about the solar system in which we live. The list below is a small sampling, representing the most recent and planned probes to major neighboring bodies.
How big is Saturn? What does Io look like? How hot does it get on Mercury? Could life exist beneath the surface of Mars? What are all these comets that had everyone in a tizzy?
Beyond our solar system lie glories that can be only partially glimpsed through our eyes and instruments. The size and distance and radiated power of these objects is incomprehensible on our human scale.
Astronomy is the oldest known quantitative, empirical science. Bone artifacts dated to 36,000 B.C. -- 38 thousand years ago! -- carry markings that appear to count days between major lunar phases. From about 4500 B.C. onward, the archeological evidence of astronomical knowledge is irrefutable. The importance of astronomy to the development of agriculture, navigation, mathematics, and all other sciences, as well as religion and society in general, cannot be overstated. Quite simply, without astronomy, we would not be who we are today.
There are astronomy clubs like the Austin Astronomical Society (AAS) throughout the USA and around the world. Here's a list of umbrella organizations, other Texas organizations we've found on the Web, and some star parties in our general region.
The Austin Astronomical Society (AAS) does not endorse any commercial products or services. This list of commercial sites is undoubtedly incomplete, but is provided for your information and convenience.