Insider's Guide to the Galaxy
I'm hosting free, live, afternoon astronomy broadcasts geared towards families. It's a partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
The sessions run on alternate Tuesdays at 3:30 pm EDT. More information and the schedule can be found here.
Registration for the Zoom sessions is now open.
If we reach Zoom’s capacity of 500 viewers, you can also watch the sessions on the RASC’s YouTube channel in real time, or later on.
Have a look at our previous sessions archived there, too.
During our time together, we answer questions from viewers, tour the sky, talk about space and astronomy news, and dive into fun topics. I hope to “see” you there!
Episodes
All about Stellarium! - Video
- Install and set up Stellarium, a free, open source planetarium software that runs on all platforms!
- How to use basic tools in Stellarium to navigate and learn about the night sky.
- Learn about the planets and constellations you can see tonight and early tomorrow morning!
- After you're done, try out this Scavenger Hunt to give your new Stellarium skills a workout! We'll go over the answers in the next episode!
Introductory Observing - Video
- Find out the answers to the Scavenger Hunt from the previous episode!
- A tour of the night sky including deep sky objects and objects you can see from your back porch.
- Observing tips and tricks for beginners, including a special appearance by Venus on April 3rd! Chris shows you where to look and what to look for.
2020's Last Supermoon & Ask an Astronomer - Video
- The Full Pink Supermoon
- The Year of Mars
- Ask an Astronomer! Have you ever had questions about space but no one to ask? Chris answers those questions in an informal Q&A.
- Mission 2 Astro-Scavenger Hunt! Try your hand at finding even more objects using Stellarium! Answers will be revealed in the next episode.
Demystifying the Stars - Video
- Find out the answers to the Astro-Scavenger Hunt from the previous episode!
- This week is all about stars! Chris gives us a virtual tour of the sky using constellations as a map with Starry Night.
- We answer common questions about stars, such as how far away they are, why they are different colours and temperatures, and how they are named.
Galaxy Season - Video
- It's springtime, which means it's Galaxy season! What does that even mean?
- Learn about different types of galaxies and why they look so different from one another.
Messier and NGC Catalog - Video
- You may have heard about Messier objects before. There are 110 of them!
- What is the story behind Messier and his objects? Chris talks about the history of their discovery and what makes them special.
Apps and Tools - Video
- We discuss the best apps you can find to help you with astronomy, from planning sessions to gathering information to visualizing space.
Double Stars and Easy City Targets - Video
- What are double stars? Why are they special? Watch this episode to find out!
- We review a few easy to spot targets in light polluted skies. This is the perfect session for city-dwelling astronomers!
Beginner Telescopes - Video
- If you are considering buying a telescope, or have just purchased one and want to learn the ropes, this is the session for you!
- Chris referenced a PDF in his talk about telescopes. View that PDF here.
Science Fiction in the Stars - Video
- Want to see Vulcan, or a galaxy far, far away? We highlight some objects that are referenced in popular science fiction.
Touring the Summer Milky Way - Video
- The best objects of all types to see in the summer months, using unaided eyes, binoculars, and telescopes. We give you some tips on using nebula filters, and dive into some history about Scorpius and Sagittarius!
Constellation Deep Dive - Video
- We're diving into some more constellations in this episode! We go over Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila, the three constellations that contain the bright stars in the Summer Triangle, and some of the cool objects you can find in those constellations!
A Virtual Tour of the Southern Hemisphere - Video
- The skies down under (and in South America and Africa) host amazing sights not visible from Canada. We use Stellarium to travel to the Southern Hemisphere and see the sights.
Summer/Fall Planet Viewing Preview - Video
- Summer 2020 evenings feature Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, and Mars, too! We discuss how to view those planets, what features on them to look for, and some observing tips.
Stargazing for Beginners and the Best Sights for Autumn - Video
- We help you get started in visual astronomy by explaining the basics - how to use a sky chart, how sky coordinates work (spoiler alert - it's easy), what's a variable star, how to tell a galaxy from globular cluster, and more.
- It’s the start of autumn soon, so we highlight some of its best targets for beginners.