Still confused? Try this: Hold the sky map above your head with the 'NORTH' label towards the North and the 'SOUTH' label towards the South. Hence, the East-West switch on the sky maps. Geographic maps show the Earth from above looking down.

Remember the sky map shows the sky as you look away from Earth. Why are the East and West labels reversed? The maps are suitable for latitudes up to 15° North or South of these latitudes. The monthly sky maps are drawn for three different latitudes - 40° North, 35° South, and Equatorial regions (0° latitude). The dates and times when the night sky is the same as the sky map are shown in the top right hand corner of the map.Ĭan I use The Evening Sky Map at different latitudes? The Evening Sky Map shows the night sky as it appears on certain dates and times from a particular latitude (eg. Try to star-hop from star-to-star using the sky map. Can you find the bright star pattern? It may help if you hold the map above your head. Look up into the night sky as you face the same compass direction. Note the compass direction of the star pattern on the map. So a celestial object which is drawn halfway between the map edge and its center will appear in the sky halfway between the horizon and the zenith.įind a bright star pattern on the sky map. Objects in the night sky are located between the zenith and the horizon. The center of the map is the part of the sky directly overhead (zenith). Rotate the map about its center to see what is meant. You will need to rotate the sky map so the compass direction appears along the bottom of the map when you face that particular direction. Notice the compass directions printed around the edge. Next, print out the sky map - that's what it's for. Sky maps are often called star charts or star maps.Īn all-sky map shows the entire night sky from horizon-to-horizon.įirst, be sure you have the correct sky map for your location and date (eg. FREE Two-Day Shipping withĪs an Amazon Associate we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchasesĪ sky map is a map of the night sky that shows the location of stars, constellations, planets and other celestial bodies. store - Recommended Books & Products for SkywatchersįREE US Shipping on Amazon orders over $25. Publication Quality Sky Maps & Star Charts

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