The Complete Guide to Modern Astronomy

Step one: buy a telescope.  Step two: stay up late.  Step three: profit?

No no that’s not right at all.  But that’s how we all think it goes.  We get our first telescope and suddenly we’re astronomers.  That first night we set up the scope with our star charts in hand and aim for the brightest spot in the sky.  Some us might even set our scopes on the Andromeda Galaxy or some other fuzzy Messier object.  

The Modern Astronomer is here to help.  Use the table of contents below to jump to any section or follow the primer completely, it is your choice.  With our guides and advice we will be learning the hobby together, taking us from fumbling bumbling tele-novices to star-studded stargazers.  Rockstars of the astronomy club!  Fame and fortune without the money and glamour!

But first, we confess. Stargazing is a pain in the ass.

For the beginner, astronomy is full of cold dark nights with a roadmap that doesn’t make sense and nothing in color. It is very disappointing if you’re expecting to see Hubble images your first go.

So how do we do it the right way, to get the most visual pleasure out of what can be a frustrating hobby?

We start with studying!