Getting oriented to better learn the night sky: Stargazing Basics 1 of 3

Getting oriented to better learn the night sky: Stargazing Basics 1 of 3

Want to know more about the basics of stargazing? Learn how to orient yourself in the night sky for beginner astronomy, starting with the cardinal directions, and moving through the concepts of the meridian, zenith, ecliptic, celestial sphere, celestial equator and celestial pole – all in a friendly, easy-to-understand presentation.

#withcaptions

50 Comments

  1. @mikegordonbrasov161 on February 5, 2025 at 4:40 pm

    ¿Any idea how to locate the first aries point from any place you are on earth? Is for the purpose of practicing. Maybe some DIY clinometer gadget, that help me to locate where is the vernal point, and after that, finding a star by it´s declination and AR?
    Or maybe a simpler method? By the way, i like your tutorials, they are very good!

  2. @kenfrank2730 on February 5, 2025 at 4:40 pm

    Nicely explained subject with very good graphics.

  3. @wordwordwordwordword on February 5, 2025 at 4:41 pm

    Santa lives at the north pole

  4. @JedeyeCoffee on February 5, 2025 at 4:42 pm

    Went from my 11PM to the 15PM in natural. Love it. Awesome bit of kit.

  5. @MarkSmith-jp6cr on February 5, 2025 at 4:42 pm

    You for got the wabulling of the earth.

  6. @edrianarmenta9874 on February 5, 2025 at 4:44 pm

    Hi I’m edrian

  7. @MindYourBusinesses on February 5, 2025 at 4:44 pm

    Helpful, informative and useful.😊

  8. @bipolarbear7325 on February 5, 2025 at 4:51 pm

    Were you born a space wizard or did you have to learn? 😊

  9. @abdullahhussain9589 on February 5, 2025 at 4:52 pm

    You lost me from 2:06 onwards

  10. @Rehash84 on February 5, 2025 at 4:56 pm

    Great work duder, this is really helpful.

  11. @rahulbarca4112 on February 5, 2025 at 4:57 pm

    I am the 500th comment.

  12. @Nino-vt9bt on February 5, 2025 at 4:57 pm

    It would be helpful if you said that you are northern or southern hemisphere

  13. @riatalwar8709 on February 5, 2025 at 4:57 pm

    Wowww….a greattt explanation 🥺🙌💯✨🙏…hats off to you🙌💯…just one doubt…What’s the difference between right ascension and ecliptic?? If you could clear it out.. I’ll be highly obliged🙏✨

  14. @JinkyLusaran-gz7tp on February 5, 2025 at 4:58 pm

    Thanks to remember to me astro nomy

  15. @holzkopp5181 on February 5, 2025 at 4:58 pm

    U great teacher🤟🏽

  16. @IsaacColbert on February 5, 2025 at 4:59 pm

    Did Santa get evicted?

  17. @bumb_blet1593 on February 5, 2025 at 5:00 pm

    Can you please explain how the northstar can be fixed in the same spot? and how come all the star constellations are the same and moving in the same pattern since the beginning of the earth as we know it? Shouldn’t we see new stars all the time since we are speeding around in the universe after a moving sun? Or are the star constellations we see moving around the earth? While the earth is moving around it self and at the same time around the sun that is at the same time moving through space? I would really like to get a intellectual answer on this and also on what real scientific proofs we have of this?

  18. @johnspivack6520 on February 5, 2025 at 5:01 pm

    Not well explained. Too confusing for newcomers. Sorry. Next time, try making a slower, simpler version for people with IQs under 150.

  19. @gagemurphy8373 on February 5, 2025 at 5:02 pm

    I don’t understand why the night sky has West on the right and East on the left

  20. @erichowry9356 on February 5, 2025 at 5:05 pm

    First time here! I am an amateur astronomer and excited about learning stargazing and using my telescope.

  21. @gerrardjones28 on February 5, 2025 at 5:06 pm

    Iv always loved space since i was a kid, its one of my main interests and i want to learn the constellations and how to star gaze thank you!

  22. @raj-theeraofraj7294 on February 5, 2025 at 5:06 pm

    1:33 the east and west direction are placed opposite… In the place of east U have kept west and vice versa

  23. @Harsh-ed4fn on February 5, 2025 at 5:08 pm

    Thanks to you i could visualise this scenario, as i am not able to witness the night sky with my own eyes due to the pollution and my myopia 😢

  24. @funonthebun888 on February 5, 2025 at 5:09 pm

    This video is so fun, feels so good to just know the names of the things used to explain exactly where we are and what we’re looking at, on a god scale

  25. @dpackman on February 5, 2025 at 5:09 pm

    The sun rises and the sun sets, so the sun does move.

  26. @viviennelester9939 on February 5, 2025 at 5:10 pm

    I was led here believing I was to be shown the positions of two star clusters, and I got this 101 night sky. I’ve been observing for 50+ years and would have liked to read what I clicked to see.

  27. @banginghats2 on February 5, 2025 at 5:13 pm

    I don’t understand why you say about the ecliptic that: "this line appears lower in the sky in summer" . The sun always rises further north in the summer, so wouldn’t that mean the ecliptic is further north too and would be higher in the sky in summer, not lower?

  28. @jpalma9795 on February 5, 2025 at 5:15 pm

    Someone said “he lost me a pizza.” And that’s hilarious to me I don’t know why 😂

  29. @shelbyhoffman5020 on February 5, 2025 at 5:16 pm

    Wouldn’t the sun be lower in the sky during the winter and higher in the summer? I think it was said the other way around in the video.

  30. @bobmustbebored on February 5, 2025 at 5:16 pm

    Wow thanks for that! I couldn’t put into words what I was thinking to explain to someone what I was trying to understand. And the simple words of “getting oriented with the night sky” sounds so basic but is powerful thanks! 🙏🏽 🎉 🌎

  31. @KFlint-n9n on February 5, 2025 at 5:16 pm

    Yes I am in North Central Kansas about 28 miles from the Nebraska line and I’d like to know what’s that Taurus will be positioned tonight please

  32. @erandabandara9757 on February 5, 2025 at 5:17 pm

    Thanking you … sir ❤❤❤

  33. @PingpongPoof-c3r on February 5, 2025 at 5:21 pm

    This in the guidelines playlist of my uni’s astro club

  34. @Ricobangz-nq8iw on February 5, 2025 at 5:22 pm

    Spring class 2024 🔥🔥

  35. @joe5834 on February 5, 2025 at 5:25 pm

    I feel so dumb … The graphics at the end helped alot though… On to part 2

  36. @sacredstonecards9051 on February 5, 2025 at 5:25 pm

    Great video

  37. @MaryannaIbale-z2l on February 5, 2025 at 5:25 pm

    Clinton Field

  38. @ToyotaGuy1971 on February 5, 2025 at 5:26 pm

    Easy enough, right?
    NOOOOO! 🤷‍♂️Celestial sphere, right ascention, Im never gonna remember all that. Better put it on loop. 😩

  39. @sciencelablady4134 on February 5, 2025 at 5:26 pm

    fantastic! I teach Astronomy and your videos are great to prep and share.

  40. @Capecobra1000 on February 5, 2025 at 5:27 pm

    Super video❤️👍

  41. @andycavedal9382 on February 5, 2025 at 5:28 pm

    in what age this statement become created?

  42. @slickerbill5330 on February 5, 2025 at 5:29 pm

    ‘Thankyou" for knowledge and video.

  43. @nonokodog622 on February 5, 2025 at 5:29 pm

    This is great ! I studied physics some years ago but never had a chance to get into Astronomy. Now I’m hiking in the wilderness more and wanted to appreciate the night sky better.

    Question: Can I use the position of Polaris, to determine magnetic declination for normal daytime compass use ? Seems like one could do that.

  44. @nadinestapler3881 on February 5, 2025 at 5:30 pm

    You’re a explainer. Thank you 😊

  45. @hjmack7388 on February 5, 2025 at 5:30 pm

    SO clearly explained! Thank you!

  46. @ericshayer on February 5, 2025 at 5:32 pm

    I’m sorry i think I’m the single dumb here, but in my mind if I’m facing North, East and ascension would be on my left side, not right. What am I doing wrong?

  47. @shahab154 on February 5, 2025 at 5:33 pm

    What an amazing video and explaining the basics in such a calm way. I did watch it a couple of times to make sure I understand all the references. I’ll surely be coming back here again.

  48. @nwrob1 on February 5, 2025 at 5:35 pm

    Wow. The zero hour of right ascension DOESNT go through Aries – it goes through Pisces. The spot where the elliptical crosses the zero hour is called "the first point of Aries" for historical reasons, even though that point is in Pisces now. Kind of blown away at such a fundamental mistake in a beginner’s video. You had one job!

  49. @DamienMatthews-qb5be on February 5, 2025 at 5:36 pm

    🎉Hi, KIAORA!! I’m a Maori woman from the beautiful land of Aotearoa NZ. I’ve been a stargazer most my life, I love it all SPACE, THE COSMOS our Solar system etc..I come from a line of Highly spiritual people with great gifts for healing also for reading the stars as with 1 of my IWI tribe believes our people descended from the stars…My gift is seeing many patterns forming in the sky, which started at night but now I can include daytime too…I’m puzzled by it all as I’m not able to interpret these visions..I was told to draw what I see which is impossible for me atm .theres too much n none of it makes sense to me….😮😢🤨..ANY IDEAS.??

  50. @nacashok on February 5, 2025 at 5:37 pm

    Does north refer to the magnetic north in your video?

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply