Customer Reviews

The Night Sky (Small) Southern Hemisphere Star Finder

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a Canadian amateur astronomer, I needed something to help me navigate the unfamiliar night skies of the southern hemisphere on my trip to Australia. I was traveling carry-on only, and backpacking all the way, so I needed something small and light. This planesphere fit the bill.

It fit easily in my pocket. It helped me plan my observing sessions and learn the southern constellations while I was on the airplane. And with the help of a red light (to preserve my dark adaptation) I could use it under the dark skies of the Australian outback.

It's small size is a trade off. A larger planisphere can show more detail, such as the location of individual deep sky objects. This can be helpful when observing. But a large planesphere may be too big for travel, and it still can not show as much detail as a chart book.

A planesphere is easy to use. You just dial in the date and time, and you have a map of the sky. On one side is the map to the south. On the other side is a map to the north.

This planisphere will help both casual stargazers and experienced astronomers to navigate night sky from the southern hemisphere. To preserve your eye's dark adaptation at night, I also recommend a red light so you can see better in the dark.