Astronomical Epiphany

    So I recently had a break through in trying to find a thing I have been looking for on and off for three years. 

    I have a copy of A Peterson Field Guide to Stars and Planets. I got it probably in 2007 or some time shortly after that to replace the copy I had had prior. They have these wonderful charts. Charts that show the moving positions of the planets against the background stars, the rising & setting of the planets as well as when they transit. These books also tell you when the brightest objects will be out. I used these charts in combination with a planisphere, one of those turning star charts, to find and identify all sorts of objects in the night sky. It took a lot of time and learning. 

    I am sure plenty of people would say that I should have just used one of those apps you point at the sky and it tells you what the object is. But, less importantly, those apps always give me trouble. They are never really accurate for me. Though they may have gotten better by now. More importantly, I am absolutely sure that if I had just pointed and gotten my answer the hunt for information wouldn't have been as impactful. 

    In fact, I discovered what is now my favorite celestial object this way. A blotchy object I could see in the sky in November just above a specific tree. It took me three years to finally confidently identify what it was. It wasn't visible year round and I was still getting the hang of the rest of the sky. For a while I was fairly certain that is was one of a small hand full of objects. But I practiced my naked eye observing and identifying stars & constellations. Finally I knew for sure it was Messier object 45. The Pleiades. The Seven Sisters. 

    The consistent dedication I put into trying to identify this one object isn't frustrating. It was rewarding. I still think on it fondly. And I did so much other observing during those times too. 

    I came to know Sirius and Cassiopeia. I watched Mars and Jupiter make a close approach to one another. I had so much fun. 

    I digress. 

    In 2016 or 2017 I was stargazing and saw a strangely bright object. It was along the ecliptic so I thought it might be a planet. But I wasn't finding it on the chart. After asking for some help and doing more research I found out it was in fact Mars. Turns out my Mars position chart ended at January 2016 and that's why I couldn't find it.  

    I needed new charts. People suggested Stellarium, but it just didn't give me all the info I wanted. I wanted more than where everything was at the moment. I wanted where they had been, where they were going, and all the other useful info my collection of charts, tables, and well honestly … it's a field guide. I wanted that continued experience of exploration and joy. 

    I tried to find an up-to-date copy of the field guide. I was unsuccessful. As far as I knew they weren't making them anymore. So I needed to find the charts. There wasn't a name listed in the book for the position charts. I made several attempts trying to find out what they were called. Internet searches and inquiries with no success. A lack of good confidence and communication ability didn't help when I had access to people more in the know than me. 

    But finally, the other day, I build up the confidence and took the pictures I needed to post on discord and ask. I decided to make one more attempt at finding the information myself before posting. 

    And BOOM! 

    I found it! the search terms I had needed were "position" or "path of." As well as "graphic timetable of the heavens." That one is sort of a mouthful and yet real fun to say. I don't know what I was searching before. Or if I was getting bad hits, because Google thought it knew what I actually wanted. 

    I am so happy to have found this information though. And it turns out there is an up-to-date version of my field guide! It's like I just have so much more clarity now. I found all of this in probably the space of thirty minutes. 

    Now, I'm not sure how to make certain I get the version I want for the book. The one I have, the one I want, and the one I had are all apparently the fourth edition. I'll have to look into that or wait until I can hold a copy in my hands and check it myself. I am happy though. I have figured out how to at least find the info I want. I hope to see many more years of stargazing and exploring.