January 2020 Bonus Content

Virtual Planetarium, January 2020 Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel guide us through January’s night-sky highlights in our new and improved Virtual Planetarium.

Interview: Prof Andrew Coates discusses the ExoMars rover

Audiobook preview Listen to a chapter about astronomer Robert Stawell Ball’s 1881 Christmas lecture on the Sun, Moon and planets, delivered at the Royal Institution.

Download (mp3)

Clip provided courtesy of audible.co.uk

Binocular and deep-sky tours Download this month’s binocular and deep-sky tour charts. The charts are printed in black on white so they can be viewed under red light at your telescope.

Binocular Tour (PDF)

Deep-Sky Tour (PDF)

Southern Sky Chart Download this month’s sky chart for the southern hemisphere.

Download (PDF)

DIY Astronomy Download a table to help with this issue’s DIY Astronomy project.

Download (PDF)

Observing forms Record your observations of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and the Sun with our handy printable forms.

If you observe the Sun, remember NEVER to look at it with your naked eye; either project it through your telescope or use a solar filter on your telescope’s front lens.

Jupiter (PDF)

Mars (PDF)

Saturn (PDF)

Venus (PDF)

The Sun (PDF)

Readers’ Gallery <source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=480%2C624 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 425px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=215%2C279, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=430%2C559 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=544%2C707 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=465%2C604 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-43535 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.KeithBramley_NGC7000_IC5070-9dfe450.jpg?quality=90&resize=554%2C720" width="556" height="723" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="North America and Pelican Nebulae Keith Bramley, Pilling, Lancashire, September & October 2019. Equipment: Atik 383L+ CCD camera, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount" title="North America and Pelican Nebulae Keith Bramley, Pilling, Lancashire, September & October 2019. Equipment: Atik 383L+ CCD camera, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> North America and Pelican Nebulae Keith Bramley, Pilling, Lancashire, September & October 2019. Equipment: Atik 383L+ CCD camera, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount

Eye On The Sky

Launch Gallery <source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=480%2C624 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 425px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=215%2C279, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=430%2C559 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 3x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=544%2C707 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=465%2C604 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=45&resize=554%2C720 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-43555 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/25/2019/12/01.MercuryTransit-7560593.jpg?quality=90&resize=554%2C720" width="556" height="723" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="Mercury transit SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY, 11 NOVEMBER 2019 Credit: NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams" title="Mercury transit SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY, 11 NOVEMBER 2019 Credit: NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> Mercury transit SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY, 11 NOVEMBER 2019 Credit: NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams

Software Download Argo Navis Deep-Sky Tour

This month’s deep-sky tour plan file can be imported into the Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer using Argonaut software, a free utility available from Wildcard Innovations. Using Argo Navis with this month’s deep-sky tour plan file, you can:

• display essential information from the Argo Navis database for each object

• slew your telescope to each object in the plan – requires a compatible mount.

• push your telescope to each object in the plan using the coordinates provided on the Argo Navis display.

To import this month’s deep-sky tour plan file into Argo Navis using Argonaut software:

Download and save the file to your hard drive.

Run the Argonaut utility program and transfer the plan into your Argo Navis DTC.

This month’s Deep-Sky Tour plan file is produced by Deep-Sky Planner 7 (see knightware.biz/dsp).

Copyright Wildcard Innovations Pty Ltd.

Download Deep-Sky Planner

License type: Full software

Platform: Windows

Versions: 7, 8 , 10

Deep-Sky Planner 7 astronomy software for Windows provides the tools you need to make your time at the telescope more efficient and enjoyable.

• sort the objects in the plan according to the best time and order to view each object.

• slew your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount to each object in the plan – requires ASCOM software (free).

• show a sky chart centered on each object in the plan using one of the top planetarium software titles – requires TheSky, Starry Night, Redshift or Cartes du Ciel (free).

• record your observation in the open, non-proprietary observing log.

Details about Deep-Sky Planner and how to purchase can be found here.

Download the Deep-Sky Planner compatible file of this month’s deep-sky tour observing plan file so that you can visit each object directly with Deep-Sky Planner. Save the file to your hard drive and double click it to open it in Deep-Sky Planner.

Download EQTOUR

If you are one of the many astronomers who use the ASCOM driver EQMOD to control your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount, you can use an add-on application called EQTOUR to call up various sets of sky tours like Messier, Caldwell, Globular Clusters and simply click on an object name to slew to it.

Details about the application and how to download it free of charge can be found here.

Download the EQTOUR compatible file of our monthly Deep-sky tour, so that you can visit each object directly from your EQMod control panel. We’ve also included a PDF document that explains the system and how to get it installed with your telescope setup.

Copy the .lst file from the folder that appears into the same directory as the EQTOUR application file, EQTOUR.exe, and follow the instructions in the link above.

Download SkySafari

License type: Full software

Platform: iOS, Android

Versions: 4 or later (Plus or Pro editions)

This month’s deep-sky tour plan file can be imported into SkySafari software, available from Simulation Curriculum.

Using this month’s deep-sky tour plan file on SkySafari, you can:

• view each object in SkySafari’s night sky simulation view

• display essential information from the SkySafari database for each object

• slew your telescope to each object in the plan – requires a compatible mount.

To import this month’s deep-sky tour plan file into SkySafari, please see the SkySafari user manual for your device platform and version of SkySafari.