Observer’s challenge: the travelling astronomer

Martin Griffiths looking at the Milky Way over the mill pond at Stokes Castle, Ludlow (image: Allan Trow)

Most BAA Observer’s Challenges are directed towards specific observing targets or events. However, with the onset of the vacation season, at least in the northern hemisphere, I thought we’d try something different!

Many people will be visiting foreign climes where unfamiliar parts of the night sky will be more readily visible and often under darker skies than they experience at home. We’d love to hear about any observations you make. This could be a description of your naked eye impressions of the Milky Way towards the galactic centre, a sketch of a star cluster seen through binoculars or an image of an object taken with a DSLR camera or perhaps a small telescope – in fact anything that catches your interest. 

Galileo’s birthplace, Pisa, Italy (image: Jeremy Shears)

You might be lucky enough to visit an astronomical site, such as an observatory or the home of a famous astronomer so why not take some photographs? You can share you observations, impressions and photos with others via the BAA Member’s Pages.

By the way, if you are thinking about which binoculars to pack for your holidays, do have a look at Dr Stewart Moore’s helpful BAA Tutorial on “Binoculars for the travelling astronomer”

Jeremy Shears

Thumbnail image by James Dawson

The British Astronomical Association supports amateur astronomers around the UK and the rest of the world. Find out more about the BAA or join us.