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ob
ser
ver
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OBSERVER
Guide of Stargazing
For Theory & Practice
瞭望者 观星人指南
理论与实践共知
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CONTE 目录
Did the astronomy bug bite you w Feeling inspired to learn about th system, and all the science behin guide to astronomy for beginner
1 入门
12
了解天空，凭借双眼即可
15
浏览地图和指南
17
寻找其他的观星者
19
称手的装备
21
调整心态
23
蓝月亮以外的故事
29
8
ENT
while you were out last night? he wonders of the sky, the solar nd them? Let it serve as your rs.
2 常识
58
天文术语 A
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F
111
N
137 T
167
B
71
G
115 O
139 U
175
C
79
H/I
119 P
143 V
179
D
91
L
121 R
147 W
181
E
99
M
125 S
155 Z
185
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10
1A 11 1
1 入门
个人系统 基础知识 Elementary Knownledge
建立你的个人系统 也许你不想知道星座的希腊名，也不想了解黑 洞的性质，但仍旧希望享受夜空带来但快乐。 Even though you don't need to know the Greek names of the constellations or understand the nature of black holes in order to relish the night sky, you might want to anyway. We provide a rich supply of information and resources on astronomy for beginners.
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你知道人类仅凭 肉眼目光就能穿 透星际 250 万 光年么？ 你知道仅凭双筒 望远镜就能找到 木星的卫星么？ 13 A
Astronomy is a learning hobby. Astronomy’s joys come from intellectual discovery. Gaining the know-how to navigate the starry path- ways of the night sky takes some time. But long-time stargazers often say learning to find their way around the stars and constellations was one of the most fun parts of becoming an amateur astronomer. One way to start is to visit a bookstore or library and look for books that describe what you can see out there. The internet is also a tremendous resource with news and discussion, but it also spreads a great deal of misinformation.
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了解天空，凭借双眼即可 天文学是户外自然爱好。第一步，在一个晴朗夜晚外出，学习头 顶上最亮的星星和星座的名称。如果你生活在一个人口稠密，污 染较轻的地区，你会发现更多，看看你是否能冒险进入黑暗的乡 村。 只需抬起头说：“北极星来了！“或者”那是土星！“这将带给你乐趣， 让你在宇宙中找到归属——并给你的朋友留下深刻印象！ 天文学的乐趣来自于智力发现 掌握如何在星空中穿行的诀窍需要一些时间。但是长期的观星者 经常说要学会找到自己的路，了解恒星和星座是成为业余天文学 家最有趣的部分之一。从书店到图书馆，寻找参考资料。同时互 联网也是巨大的资源库，不过更需要谨慎参考正规网站远离谣言 和不实信息。
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Dive into maps and guidebooks. Invest in star charts. A sailor of the seas needs top-notch charts, and so does a sailor of the skies. Fine star maps, such as those in the Pocket Sky Atlas, make it easier to find hidden jewels in the sky. Although traditional paper star maps, just like paper road maps, remain an excellent way to plan your observing sessions and locate celestial objects, today there are scores of superb apps for smartphones and mobile devices. Most of these apps show the sky as it appears for your time, location, and even the direction in the sky where you are looking, thus making it particularly easy to find and identify objects. Some allow you to adjust the display to match your observing conditions, which is helpful if you’re viewing from urban environments where fewer stars are visible. Many of these apps include lists of the most interesting objects visible at the time you’re looking. The skills you’ll develop using binoculars to locate these objects are the same skills you’ll need to put a telescope to good use. With detailed star charts and guidebooks to show you the possibilities, binoculars can keep you happily busy for years. 16
浏览地图和指南 投资星图—海上的水手需要一流的航海图，天空的 水手也需要。精细的星图，如口袋里的天空地图册， 使人们更容易在天空中找到隐藏的宝藏。即时只是 份普通的纸制星图，也会像纸质路线图一样，成为 你观察定位天体的好助手，如今有许多优秀的智能 手机和移动设备应用程序。这些应用程序中的大多 数都能显示特定的时间、地点的天空全貌，从而使 你很容易找到和识别物体。有些还可以让被调节后 适配每个人的观测条件——针对生活在可见星更少 的城市人群。 这些应用程序中的许多都包含了在您查看时最有趣 的对象的列表。使用双筒望远镜定位这些物体所需 要的技能与使用望远镜所需要的技能相同。有了详 细的星图和指南来展示你的可能性，双筒望远镜可 以让你快乐地忙碌多年。
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Seek out other stargazers. There’s nothing like sharing an interest. Thousands of astronomy clubs exist worldwide, from tiny to huge. Consult the directory at SkyandTelescope.com/clubs and then call or e-mail a club near you to see what it has to offer. Many clubs organize star parties, where you can check out a variety of telescopes and learn what they can and cannot do. Star parties are wonderful for picking up advice and skills, and for making new friends.
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寻找其他的观星者 没有什么比分享兴趣更重要了。世界上有成千上万的天 文学俱乐部，从小到大。请查阅 skyandtelescope.com/ clubs 上的目录，然后给附近的俱乐部打电话或发电子邮 件，看看它能提供什么。许多俱乐部组织明星聚会，在那 里你可以查看各种望远镜，了解他们能做什么和不能做什 么。明星聚会对于接受建议和技巧，以及结交新朋友都是 极好的。
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When it’s time for a telescope, plunge in deep. Know what matters when you choose. You’ll know when you’re ready to buy a telescope. After reading ads and reviews, and speaking to other skygazers, you’ll know the different kinds of telescopes, what you can expect from them, and what you’ll do with the one you select. This is no time to skimp on quality; avoid flimsy, toy-like shopping-mall or department-store scopes. Your telescope will have highquality optics and a sturdy, smoothly working mount. Naturally, you’ll also want large aperture (the size of the primary lens or mirror), but don’t lose sight of portability and convenience. Remember, the best-choice telescope for you is the one you will use the most. Some telescopes have computers and motors that can point the scope to any celestial object at the push of a few buttons. Some of these scopes even use built-in cameras to initialize their computer brains and help beginners learn their way around an unfamiliar sky. 20
称手的装备 到了选择望远镜的时候了，让我们继续深入： 首先我们应该知道以什么方面为重。你需要知道 什么时候开始购买备。在参考完各种广告和评论 之后，或者与其他天文观测者交流后，你会知道 不同类型的望远镜和它们的使用方法。 现在不是省吃俭用的时候；要避免购买像购物中 心或百货公司那样脆弱的玩具。你的望远镜得有 高质量的光学器件和一个坚固、平稳的工作架。 当然，你也需要大光圈（主透镜或反射镜的大小）， 同时不要忽视便携性和方便性。记住，对你来说 你用得最多的望远镜就是最好的望远镜。 （一些望远镜有电脑和马达，只要按下几个按 钮，就可以把望远镜对准任何天体。其中一些示 波器甚至使用内置摄像头来初始化他们的计算机 大脑，帮助初学者在陌生的天空中学习他们的方 法。）
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Astronomy teaches patience and humility. Invariably, when you go stargazing, you’ll hunt for some wonder in the dark depths and miss it. You’ll hunt for it again and miss it again. This is normal. There’s nothing you can do about the extreme distance and faintness of the objects of your desire, or the clouds that occasionally move in. The universe will not bend to your wishes; you must take it on its own terms. Many deep-sky objects — star clusters, galaxies, nebulae — are within reach of any telescope, but will appear faint. Stay persistent in your hunt because your patience will be rewarded. Finding an object for the first time is always a thrill.
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调整心态 天文学教人耐心和谦逊。总有一天，当你去看星 星的时候，你会在黑暗的深处寻找奇迹，然后错 过它。你会再次追寻它，然后再次错过它。这个 是正常的。对于你渴望的物体的极端距离和模糊， 或者偶尔移入的云彩，你无能为力。宇宙不会屈 从于你的愿望，你必须按照自己的方式来接受它。 许多深空物体——星团、星系、星云——在任何 望远镜都能到达的范围内，但会显得很模糊。在 狩猎中要坚持不懈，因为你的耐心会得到重新保 护。第一次找到一个物体总是一件令人兴奋的事。
23 A
Relax and have fun. Amateur astronomy should be calming and fun. Don’t get upset if things aren’t always perfect. If you find yourself get- ting worried over Pluto’s faintness or your eyepiece fogging up, take a deep breath and remember why you’re doing this. It’s a big universe out there. Enjoy it!
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放松，玩得开心 业余天文学应该是平静和有趣的。 如果事情不完美的，不要生气。 如果你发现自己对冥王星模糊或目 镜起雾很担心，深吸一口气，记住 你为什么要做这件事。广阔的宇宙 在等着你呢。好好享受吧！
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27 27 A
ï¼&#x; MOONs' NAME
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蓝月亮以外
的故事
STORIES BEYOND BLUEMOON
29 A
早在 16 世纪，“ 月亮是蓝的 ” 意指否认一个明确的、 明显的事实，类似于中国的成语 “ 指鹿为马 ”。但 在 1883 年，真正的 “ 蓝月亮 ” 现身了。印度尼西 亚喀拉喀托火山的大规模爆发，致使天空充满了火 山灰尘和灰烬。据 NASA 记载，当时整个天空变红、 1983 年墨西哥埃尔奇琼火山爆发时，“ 蓝月亮 ” 再 次现身。据了解，1980 年圣海伦斯火山爆发、1991 年皮纳图博火山爆发、1953 年 9 月加拿大阿尔伯 塔省的森林火灾都有类似的景象。但蓝月亮现象是 天体运行自然规律所致，把自然灾害与 “ 蓝月亮 ” 联系在一起根本没有科学依据。尽管天文现象的 “ 蓝 月亮 ” 每隔 32 个月就会出现一次，但是真正的蓝 月亮照耀夜空其实很少发生。 科学家解释： 这是因为烟雾和尘埃颗粒在地球大 气层中集结对光产生了折射，这些乌黑的水珠可以 在地球周围穿行数千英里，散布在了月球的光线中。 因此真正的蓝月亮出现的时候，一定是气候、环境 条件特别的状况。
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每年不同月份
不同时期
满月名各异
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一月 老月 ANCIENT
MOON
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二月 雪月
SNOW MOON
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三月 乌月
CROW MOON
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四月 粉月
PINK
MOON 39 A
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五月 花月 FLOWER
MOON
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六月 莓月 STRAWBERRY
MOON
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七月 雷霆之月 THUNDER
MOON
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八月 红月
RED
MOON 47 A
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九月 丰收月 HARVEST
MOON
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十月 猎手之月 HUNTER
MOON
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十一月 霜月 FROST
MOON
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十二月 长夜之月
DARK NIGHT
MOON 55 55 A
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57 57 A
2 常识
了解基本 天文术语 Astronomy Lingo
Astronomy Terms Knowing some of the most oft-used astronomy terms will help you better understand the nuts and bolts of stargazing and the science of astronomy. Choose a telescope, and plan your trip to the next big celestial event!
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角度 光圈 星辰 小行星 天文单位 眼角余光法
倍理珠 巴洛镜头 黑洞 蓝月亮
天体坐标 极圈 准直 彗星 复合望远镜 汇合点 星座 中天
暗适应 赤纬 道布森 双星
A Angular Aperture Asterism Asteroid Astronomical Unit Averted Vision B Baily's Beads Barlow Lens Black Hole Blue Moon C Celestial Coordinates Circumpolar Collimation Comet Compound Telescope Conjunction Constellation Culmination D Dark Adaptation Declination Dobsonian Double Star -
地球反射 偏心率 日食 黄道 伸长 星历表 分 目镜
视场 取景器 焦距 焦距比
银河系 凸月 直方图
倾斜度
天平动 光污染 光年 体
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E Earthshine Eccentricity Eclipse Ecliptic Elongation Ephemeris Equinox Eyepiece F Field of View Finderscope Focal Length Focal Ratio G/H Galaxy Gibbous Histogram I Inclination L Libration Light Pollution Light-year Limb -
放大倍率 震级 子午线 梅西耶天体 流星 流星雨 银河系 安装
星云
目标 掩星 反对
视差 相位 星轮
反射器 折射镜 逆行 右提升
M Magnification Magnitude Meridian Messier object Meteor Meteor Shower Milky Way Mount N Nebula O Objective Occultation Opposition P Parallax Phase Planisphere (Star Wheel) R Reflector Refractor Retrograde Right Ascension S
61 A
能见度 太阳能滤光片 至日 恒星 星团 星形对角线 星空派对 太阳黑子 超新星
明暗界 过境 透明度 暮光
单位功率探测器 世界时间
变星
月亏 月盈
天顶 黄道十二宫
Seeing Solar Filter Solstice Star Star Cluster Star Diagonal Star Party Sunspot Supernova T Terminator Transit Transparency Twilight U Unit-Power Finder Universal Time V Variable Star W Waning Waxing Z Zenith Zodiac
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Angular Size And Distance / 角度大小和距离 天空中物体的表观尺寸，或两个物体之间的距离，以 角度测量。你的食指保持在手臂的长度约 1°，你的拳 头约 10°。
Aperture/ 光圈 望远镜主镜头或镜子的直径 - 以及望远镜最重要的属 性。根据经验，望远镜的最大有效放大倍数是其孔径 的 50 倍（或以毫米为单位的两倍）。
Asterism/ 星辰 任何非整个星座（如北十字星，北斗七星）的明显星形。
63 A
A
ANGULAR SIZE AND DISTANCE The apparent size of an object in the sky, or the distance between two objects, measured as an angle. Your index finger held at arm’s length spans about 1°, your fist about 10°. APERTURE The diameter of a telescope’s main lens or mirror — and the scope’s most important attribute. As a rule of thumb, a telescope’s maximum useful magnification is 50 times its aperture in inches (or twice its aperture in millimeters). ASTERISM Any prominent star pattern that isn’t a whole constellation, such as the Northern Cross or the Big Dipper.
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A
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Asteroid / 小行星 由金属和岩石组成沿太阳轨道绕行的星体。 多数只有几英里的直径，位于火星和木星的轨道之间， 小而远，在小型望远镜中很容易看到。其中一些会偶 尔靠近太阳或穿越地球轨道。
Astronomical Unit/ 天文单位 从地球到太阳的平均距离，略小于 9300 万英里。
Averted Vision/ 眼角余光法 通过略微侧视来查看对象。 这个技巧可以帮助你明确出难以看清的隐藏着的物体。
67 A
A
ASTEROID (MINOR PLANET) A solid body orbiting the Sun that consists of metal and rock. Most are only a few miles in diameter and are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, too small and far away to be seen easily in a small telescope. A few venture closer to the Sun and cross Earth’s orbit. ASTRONOMICAL UNIT The average distance from Earth to the Sun, slightly less than 93 million miles. AVERTED VISION Viewing an object by looking slightly to its side. This technique can help you detect faint objects that are invisible when you stare directly at them.
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B
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Baily's Beads/ 倍理珠 出现在日全食前后，在月球边缘周围出现太阳 漏出的光亮。
Barlow Lens/ 巴洛镜头 一种放置在聚焦管中的镜头，可以有效地使望 远镜的焦距增加一倍或三倍，进而使用任何目 镜的放大倍数。
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BAILY'S BEADS A few "beads" of sunlight, shining between mountain peaks and through the valleys along the Moon's edge in the moment before totality. BARLOW LENS A lens that’s placed into the focusing tube to effectively double or triple a telescope’s focal length and, in turn, the magnification of any eyepiece used with it.
72
B
73 A
B
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B
Blackhole / 黑洞 一种如此密集的质量浓度，一旦被吞噬，任何 东西 - 甚至不是光 - 都可以逃脱它的引力。许 多星系（包括我们的星系）在它们的中心都有 超大质量的黑洞。
Blue Moon/ 蓝月亮 传统上，很少或永远不会发生的事情。最近， 这已经成为单个日历月中的第二个满月。
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BLACK HOLE A concentration of mass so dense that nothing — not even light — can escape its gravitational pull once swallowed up. Many galaxies (including ours) have supermassive black holes at their centers. BLUE MOON Traditionally, something that happens rarely or never. More recently, this has come to mean the second full Moon in a single calendar month.
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C
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Celestial Coordinates / 天体坐标 用于定位天空中的物体的网格系统。它固定在 天极（地球的北极和南极上方）和天体赤道（地 球赤道正上方）。赤纬和右倾是纬度和经度的 天体等价物。
Circumpolar/ 极圈 温带与寒带的分界，当地球旋转时，它也不会 低于地平线。
79 A
C
CELESTIAL COORDINATES A grid system for locating things in the sky. It’s anchored to the celestial poles (directly above Earth’s north and south poles) and the celestial equator (directly above Earth’s equator). Declination and right ascension are the celestial equivalents of latitude and longitude. CIRCUMPOLAR Denotes an object near a celestial pole that never dips below the horizon as Earth rotates and thus does not rise or set.
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C
81 A
C
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C
Collimation/ 准直 对准望远镜的光学元件，使它们都指向正确的 方向。大多数反射镜和复合望远镜需要偶尔准 直以产生最佳图像。
Comet/ 彗星 彗星仿佛一个 “ 脏雪球 ”，由冰和岩石碎片组成， 一般为几英里宽，绕日以椭圆轨道行进。当靠 近太阳时，温度会使其核中的冰蒸发，形成气 体云和尾巴。彗星以发现者的名字命名，有时 会在短短几年或长达数万年之后进行回访。
83 A
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COLLIMATION Aligning the optical elements of a telescope so that they all point in the proper direction. Most reflectors and compound telescopes require occasional collimation in order to produce the best possible images. COMET A comet is a “dirty snowball� of ice and rocky debris, typically a few miles across, that orbits the Sun in a long ellipse. When close to the Sun, the warmth evaporates the ice in the nucleus to form a coma (cloud of gas) and a tail. Named for their discoverers, comets sometimes make return visits after as little as a few years or as long as tens of thousands of years.
84
C
85 A
C
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C
Compound Telescope/ 复合望远镜 一种望远镜，后面有一面镜子，前面有一个镜 头。最受欢迎的设计是 Schmidt-Cassegrain 望远镜（SCT）和 Maksutov-Cassegrain 望远 镜（通常称为 “Mak”）。
Conjunction/ 连接 当月亮或行星特别靠近另一个行星或明亮的恒 星时。
Constellation/ 星座 一种独特的星组合模式称谓，在非正式场合描 述天空景观。有 88 个官方星座，科学定义了 天空的各个部分，而不是（学术上）特定的集合。
Culmination/ 中天 当天体穿过子午线并因此处于地平线以上时的 最高点。
87 A
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COMPOUND TELESCOPE A telescope with a mirror in the back and a lens in the front. The most popular designs are the SchmidtCassegrain telescope (SCT) and the Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope (commonly called a “Mak�). CONJUNCTION When the Moon or a planet appears especially close either to another planet or to a bright star. CONSTELLATION A distinctive pattern of stars used informally to organize a part of the sky. There are 88 official constellations, which technically define sections of the sky rather than collections of specific stars. CULMINATION The moment when a celestial object crosses the meridian and is thus at its highest above the horizon.
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C
89 A
D
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Dark Adaptation/ 暗适应 眼睛向夜视转变，以便看到微弱的物体。在离 开光线充足的房间后的前 5 或 10 分钟内，暗 适应很快，但完全适应需要至少半小时 - 并且 可以通过瞬间瞥一眼明亮的光线来破坏它。
Declination (Dec.)/ 赤纬 天体相当于纬度，表示天空中物体在天体赤道 的北部或南部有多远（以度为单位）。
91 A
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DARK ADAPTATION The eyes’ transition to night vision, in order to see faint objects. Dark adaptation is rapid during the first 5 or 10 minutes after you leave a welllit room, but full adaptation requires at least a half hour — and it can be ruined by a momentary glance at a bright light. DECLINATION (DEC.) The celestial equivalent of latitude, denoting how far (in degrees) an object in the sky lies north or south of the celestial equator.
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D
93 A
D
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Dobsonian/ 道布森望远镜 一种牛顿反射器，由业余天文学家 John Dobson 制作，使用简单但高效的木制底座。 与任何其他望远镜设计相比，Dobs 每美元提 供更多光圈。
Double Star/ 双星 两颗恒星非常靠近，并且经常在轨道上运行。 视线双打是视角的结果，与身体无关。许多恒 星是引力束缚在一起的倍数（双倍，三倍或更 多）。通常这些恒星的轨道非常紧密，即使通 过专业望远镜观察也会出现单点光。
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DOBSONIAN (“DOB”) A type of Newtonian reflector, made popular by amateur astronomer John Dobson, that uses a simple but highly effective wooden mount. Dobs provide more aperture per dollar than any other telescope design. DOUBLE STAR (BINARY STAR) Two stars that lie very close to, and are often orbiting, each other. Line-of-sight doubles are a consequence of perspective and aren’t physically related. Many stars are multiples (doubles, triples, or more) gravitationally bound together. Usually such stars orbit so closely that they appear as a single point of light even when viewed through professional telescopes.
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Earthshine/ 地球反照 阳光被地球反射，使月亮的黑暗部分发出微弱 的光芒。在月亮的新月形期间尤为明显。
Eccentricity/ 偏心 轨道偏离圆形的程度。
Eclipse/ 食 当行星或月亮的阴影落在第二个物体上时发生 的事件。当月亮的阴影落在地球上时会发生日 食，我们看到月球挡住了太阳。当地球的阴影 落在月球上时，会引起月食。
Ecliptic/ 黄道 全年太阳追踪的恒星之间的路径。月球和行星 从不远离黄道。
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E EARTHSHINE Sunlight reflected by Earth that makes the otherwise dark part of the Moon glow faintly. It’s especially obvious during the Moon’s thin crescent phases. ECCENTRICITY The measure of how much an orbit deviates from being circular. ECLIPSE An event that occurs when the shadow of a planet or moon falls upon a second body. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s shadow falls upon Earth, which we see as the Moon blocking the Sun. When Earth’s shadow falls upon the Moon, it causes a lunar eclipse. ECLIPTIC The path among the stars traced by the Sun throughout the year. The Moon and planets never stray far from the ecliptic.
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Elongation/ 伸长率 月球或行星与太阳的角距离。水星和金星的内 行星在最大伸长时最佳，因此在日出之前或日 落之后在地平线以上最高。
Ephemeris/ 星历 表具有天体坐标的时间表，表示行星，彗星或 其他身体相对于背景恒星移动的位置将在天空 中。
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ELONGATION The angular distance the Moon or a planet is from the Sun. The inner planets of Mercury and Venus are best seen when at maximum elongation, and thus are highest above the horizon before sunrise or after sunset. EPHEMERIS A timetable with celestial coordinates that indicates where a planet, comet, or other body moving in relation to background stars will be in the sky.
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Equinox/ 昼夜平分时 每年两次，接近 3 月 20 日和 9 月 22 日，当太 阳从地球赤道看中午直接从中午开始。在昼夜 平分日，白天和黑夜的长度相等。
Eyepiece/ 目镜 你观察的望远镜的一部分。通过使用不同焦距 的目镜可以改变望远镜的放大倍率 ; 较短的焦 距产生较高的放大倍数。大多数目镜的金属桶 直径为 1¼ 英寸 ; 其他标准尺寸为 0.965 和 2 英寸。
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EQUINOX The two times each year, near March 20th and September 22nd, when the Sun is directly overhead at noon as seen from Earth’s equator. On an equinox date, day and night are of equal length. EYEPIECE The part of a telescope that you look into. A telescope’s magnification can be changed by using eyepieces with different focal lengths; shorter focal lengths yield higher magnifications. Most eyepieces have metal barrels that are 1¼ inches in diameter; other standard sizes are 0.965 and 2 inches across.
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Field of View/ 视野 当您通过望远镜或双筒望远镜观察时看到的天 空圆。通常，放大率越低，视野越宽。
Finderscope/ 寻星镜 一种小型望远镜，用于将主要望远镜对准天空 中的物体。Finderscopes 具有低放大倍率，宽 视场和（通常）十字线标记场的中心。
Focal Length/ 焦距 从镜子或镜头到其形成的图像的距离（通常以 毫米表示）。在大多数望远镜中，焦距大致等 于管的长度。一些望远镜使用额外的镜头和 / 或镜子在短管中产生长的有效焦距。
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FIELD OF VIEW The circle of sky that you see when you look through a telescope or binoculars. Generally, the lower the magnification, the wider the field of view. FINDERSCOPE A small telescope used to aim your main scope at an object in the sky. Finderscopes have low magnifications, wide fields of view, and (usually) crosshairs marking the center of the field. FOCAL LENGTH The distance (usually expressed in millimeters) from a mirror or lens to the image that it forms. In most telescopes the focal length is roughly equal to the length of the tube. Some telescopes use extra lenses and/or mirrors to create a long effective focal length in a short tube.
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Focal Ratio/ 焦距比 镜头或镜子的焦距除以其光圈。例如，具有 80 毫米宽镜头和 400 毫米焦距的望远镜的焦比为 f / 5。
Galaxy/ 银河系 大量的恒星，气体和尘埃，直径通常为 10,000 到 100,000 光年，含有数十亿颗恒星。
Gibbous/ 凸月 当月亮或其他身体出现超过一半但未完全照亮 时（来自 gibbus，拉丁语为“驼峰”）。
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FOCAL RATIO (F/NUMBER) A lens or mirror’s focal length divided by its aperture. For instance, a telescope with an 80-mm-wide lens and a 400-mm focal length has a focal ratio of f/5. GALAXY A vast collection of stars, gas, and dust, typically 10,000 to 100,000 light-years in diameter and containing billions of stars. GIBBOUS When the Moon or other body appears more than half, but not fully, illuminated (from gibbus, Latin for “hump”).
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直方图 每个亮度级别的图像中像素数的图表。它是确 定最佳曝光时间的有用工具 ; 正确曝光图像的 直方图通常在可用亮度范围的中间附近达到峰 值，并在到达任一端之前降至零。
HISTOGRAM A plot of the number of pixels in an image at each brightness level. It’s a useful tool for determining the optimum exposure time; the histogram of a properly exposed image generally peaks near the middle of the available brightness range and falls to zero before reaching either end. 倾角 轨道平面与参考平面之间的角度。例如，NASA 卫星通常具有与地球赤道相差 28° 的轨道。
INCLINATION The angle between the plane of an orbit and a reference plane. For example, NASA satellites typically have orbits inclined 28° to Earth’s equator.
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Libration/ 天平动 每周轻微倾斜和倾斜月亮，使肢体的各种特征 更好地观察。主要两方面原因来自月球轨道： 椭圆的形状和黄道倾角。
Light Pollution/ 光污染 由人造光引起的夜空或观察点周围的光线。它 大大减少了可见星数量。通过望远镜特殊的光 污染滤光片才可提高天体的可见度。
Light-year/ 光年 以光（在约 186000 英里每秒移动）的距离行 进一年，约六万亿英里。
Limb/ 体 可见天体的边缘。
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Magnification/ 放大倍数（功率） 望远镜放大其主体的量。它等于望远镜的焦距 除以目镜的焦距。
Magnitude/ 幅度 表示星星或其他天体亮度的数字。幅度越大， 物体越暗。例如，1 级恒星比 6 级恒星亮 100 倍。
Meridian/ 子午线 一条假想线，由南至北，直接从人们头顶（通 过天顶）穿越。
Messier object/ 梅西耶天体 1758 年至 1782 年间由法国彗星猎人查尔斯梅 西耶（Mess-YAY）编制的 103 个星团，星云和 星系目录中的条目。现代梅西耶目录包含 109 个物体。
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MAGNIFICATION (POWER) The amount that a telescope enlarges its subject. It’s equal to the telescope’s focal length divided by the eyepiece’s focal length. MAGNITUDE A number denoting the brightness of a star or other celestial object. The higher the magnitude, the fainter the object. For example, a 1st-magnitude star is 100 times brighter than a 6thmagnitude star. MERIDIAN The imaginary north-south line that passes directly overhead (through the zenith). MESSIER OBJECT An entry in a catalog of 103 star clusters, nebulas, and galaxies compiled by French comet hunter Charles Messier (mess-YAY) between 1758 and 1782. The modern-day Messier catalog contains 109 objects. 126
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Meteor/ 流星 由一小块固体物质以极快的速度（通常为每秒 20 至 40 英里）进入地球大气层引起的短暂光 线。也被称为 “ 流星 ”。如果物质在大气层中 幸存下来，它在降落在地球表面后被称为陨石。
Meteor Shower 流星雨 由于地球沿着太阳周围的彗星轨道穿过一串粒 子，一年中某些时候的流星活动增加。
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METEOR A brief streak of light caused by a small piece of solid matter entering Earth’s atmosphere at tremendous speed (typically 20 to 40 miles per second). Also called a “shooting star.” If material survives the trip through the atmosphere, it’s called a meteorite after landing on Earth’s surface. METEOR SHOWER An increase in meteor activity at certain times of the year due to Earth passing through a stream of particles along a comet’s orbit around the Sun.
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Milky Way/ 银河系 一条宽阔，微弱的发光带，横跨夜空，由我们 银河系中数十亿颗恒星组成，太微弱，无法单 独看到。当天空被人造光或明亮的月光照亮时， 它是不可见的。
Mount/ 望远架 一种支撑望远镜的设备，帮助它指向天空的不 同部分，并在地球旋转时跟踪物体。 坚固，无振动的安装架与望远镜的光学系统一 样重要。安装座的顶部或头部可以是 alt 方位 角（从一侧到另一侧，上下）或赤道（与天体 坐标系平行）。
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MILKY WAY A broad, faintly glowing band stretching across the night sky, composed of billions of stars in our galaxy too faint to be seen individually. It’s invisible when the sky is lit up by artificial light or bright moonlight. MOUNT The device that supports your telescope, allows it to point to different parts of the sky, and lets you track objects as Earth rotates. A sturdy, vibration-free mount is every bit as important as the telescope’s optics. A mount’s top, or head, can be either alt-azimuth (turning side to side, up and down) or equatorial (turning parallel to the celestial coordinate system).
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星云 拉丁语为 “ 云 ”。明亮的星云是巨大的发光气 体云，由内部或附近的恒星照亮。黑暗的星云 没有被照亮，只有因为它们阻挡了它们后面的 恒星光才可见。
NEBULA Latin for “cloud.” Bright nebulas are great clouds of glowing gas, lit up by stars inside or nearby. Dark nebulas are not lit up and are visible only because they block the light of stars behind them.
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Objective/ 物镜 望远镜的主要聚光透镜或镜子。
Occultation/ 掩星 当月球或行星直接通过更遥远的行星或恒星前 方时。如果背景体从未完全隐藏在观察者身上， 则会发生放牧掩星。
Opposition/ 反射作用 当行星或小行星在天空中与太阳相对时。在这 种情况下，物体整晚都可见 - 在日落时升起， 在日出时升起。
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OBJECTIVE A telescope’s main light-gathering lens or mirror. OCCULTATION When the Moon or a planet passes directly in front of a more distant planet or star. A grazing occultation occurs if the background body is never completely hidden from the observer. OPPOSITION When a planet or asteroid is opposite the Sun in the sky. At such times the object is visible all night — rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.
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Parallax/ 视差 当视角改变时前景对象与背景的明显偏移。在 给定的瞬间，月球出现在地球上广泛分离的观 察者的不同恒星之间。天文学家通过测量地球 绕太阳公转的极小的位置变化（其视差），直 接计算到附近恒星的距离。
Phase/ 相位 我们看到的月亮或其他身体被阳光照射的部 分。
Planisphere/ 星轮盘 一种可以调节的工具，可以在圆形星图上显示 任何时间和日期的夜空外观。Planispheres 可 用于识别恒星和星座，但不能识别行星，它们 的位置总是在变化。
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PARALLAX The apparent offset of a foreground object against the background when your perspective changes. At a given instant, the Moon appears among different stars for observers at widely separated locations on Earth. Astronomers directly calculate the distance to a nearby star by measuring its incredibly small positional changes (its parallax) as Earth orbits the Sun. PHASE The fraction of the Moon or other body that we see illuminated by sunlight. PLANISPHERE (STAR WHEEL) A device that can be adjusted to show the appearance of the night sky for any time and date on a round star map. Planispheres can be used to identify stars and constellations but not the planets, whose positions are always changing.
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Reflector/ 反射望远镜 一 种 通 过 镜 子 收 集 光 线 的 望 远 镜。 由 Isaac Newton 设计的牛顿反射器有一个小的第二个 镜子，安装在管子前面的对角线上，可以将光 线侧向转移到你的眼睛。
Refractor/ 折射望远镜 用镜头收集光线的望远镜。原始设计在恒星和 行星周围显示出戏剧性的彩虹或 “ 假色 ”。大 多数现代折射镜都是消色差的，意思是 “ 没有 假色 ”，但这种设计仍然在最亮的物体周围显 示出淡紫色的条纹。今天生产的最好的折射镜 是复消色差的，意思是 “ 超过消色差。” 他们 使用昂贵的，异国情调的玻璃，将假色降低到 几乎检测不到的水平。
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REFLECTOR A telescope that gathers light with a mirror. The Newtonian reflector, designed by Isaac Newton, has a small second mirror mounted diagonally near the front of the tube to divert the light sideways and out to your eye. REFRACTOR A telescope that gathers light with a lens. The original design showed dramatic rainbows, or “false color,” a rou n d s t a rs a n d p l a n e t s. M o s t modern refractors are achromatic, meaning “free of false color,” but this design still shows thin violet fringes around the brightest objects. The finest refractors produced today are apochromatic, meaning “beyond achromatic.” They use expensive, exotic kinds of glass to reduce false color to nearly undetectable levels.
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Retrograde/ 逆行 当物体以 “ 正常 ” 运动的反向运动时。例如， 太阳系中的大多数物体围绕太阳旋转，并从地 球轨道的上方（北侧）逆时针旋转 ; 那些顺时 针旋转或旋转的人有逆行运动。该术语还描述 了行星或小行星由于地球轨道运动引起的观察 视角变化而在天空中回溯的时期。
Right Ascension/ 右升天 天体相当于经度，表示在 3 月春分期间物体位 于太阳位置以东的距离（在 15°“ 小时 ” 内）。
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RETROGRADE When an object moves in the reverse sense of “normal” motion. For example, most bodies in the solar system revolve around the Sun and rotate counterclockwise as seen from above (north of) Earth’s orbit; those that orbit or spin clockwise have retrograde motion. This term also describes the period when a planet or asteroid appears to backtrack in the sky because of the changing viewing perspective caused by Earth’s orbital motion. RIGHT ASCENSION (R.A.) The celestial equivalent of longitude, denoting how far (in 15°-wide “hours”) an object lies east of the Sun’s location during the March equinox.
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Seeing / 能见度 大气稳定性的衡量标准。当在望远镜中以高放 大率观看时，观察不良会使物体摇晃或模糊。 最好的观察经常发生在朦胧的夜晚，当天空的 透明度很差时。
Solar Filter/ 太阳能过滤 材料通过阻挡几乎所有的光线，可以安全地观 察太阳。适当的过滤器应完全覆盖望远镜的前 孔，不应连接到目镜 ; 它们的范围从焊工使用 的玻璃到特殊的塑料薄膜。白光滤光片将显示 太阳黑子，而氢 -α（Hα）滤光片让某些红光 透过，显示太阳的流动热气体。
Solstice/ 至（夏至和冬至） 每年两次，大约在 6 月 20 日和 12 月 21 日， 当太阳在天空中最北或南。在夏至，白天最长， 夜晚最短，反之亦然。
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SEEING A measure of the atmosphere’s stability. Poor seeing makes objects waver or blur when viewed in a telescope at high magnification. The best seeing often occurs on hazy nights, when the sky’s transparency is poor. SOLAR FILTER Material that allows safe viewing of the Sun by blocking nearly all of its light. Proper filters should completely cover the front aperture of a telescope and should never be attached to the eyepiece; they range from glass used by welders to special plastic film. White-light filters will show sunspots, while hydrogenalpha filters let certain red light through that reveals the Sun’s streaming hot gases. SOLSTICE The two times each year, around June 20th and December 21st, when the Sun is farthest north or south in the sky. At the summer solstice, the day is longest and the night is shortest, and vice versa at the winter solstice.
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Star/ 恒星 巨大的气体球，在其热的密集核心中产生巨大 的能量（包括光）。太阳是一颗星。
Star Cluster/ 星团 围绕着共同质心的恒星集合。疏散星团通常包 含几百颗星，可能只有 1 亿年甚至更短。球状 星团可能包含多达一百万颗恒星，而且大多数 至少有 100 亿年的历史（几乎与宇宙本身一样 古老）。
Star Diagonal/ 星形对角线 一种肘形外壳中的镜子或棱镜，连接到折射器 或复合望远镜的聚焦器上。当望远镜直接指向 头顶时，它可让您水平观察目镜。
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STAR A massive ball of gas that generates prodigious amounts of energy (including light) from nuclear fusion in its hot, dense core. The Sun is a star. STAR CLUSTER A collection of stars orbiting a common center of mass. Open clusters typically contain a few hundred stars and may be only 100 million years old or even less. Globular clusters may contain up to a million stars, and most are at least 10 billion years old (almost as old as the universe itself). STAR DIAGONAL A mirror or prism in an elbow-shaped housing that attaches to the focuser of a refractor or compound telescope. It lets you look horizontally into the eyepiece when the telescope is pointed directly overhead.
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Star Party/ 星空派对 一群人聚在一起观看夜空。天文俱乐部经常举 行星空派对，向公众介绍观星。
Sunspot/ 太阳黑子 太阳表面上的一个临时黑暗瑕疵，是一个行星 大小的气体冷却区域。可以使用太阳能过滤器 安全地观察太阳黑子。
Supernova/ 超新星 一颗巨星在巨大的爆炸中结束了它的生命。相 比之下，新星是一颗爆炸性地脱落其外层而不 会破坏自身的恒星。
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STAR PARTY A group of people who get together to view the night sky. Astronomy clubs often hold star parties to introduce stargazing to the public. SUNSPOT A temporary dark blemish on the surface of the Sun that is a planetsize region of gas cooler than its surroundings. Sunspots can be viewed safely using a solar filter. SUPERNOVA A star ending its life in a huge explosion. In comparison, a nova is a star that explosively sheds its outer layers without destroying itself.
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Terminator/ 明暗界 月球或一个行星上的一条线，它将明亮的阳光 照射部分与阴影中的部分分开。它通常是通过 望远镜观察月球最令人兴奋和最详细的区域。
Transit/ 过境 当水星或金星穿过太阳区域或月亮穿过它的母 行星时，看起来会形成一个黑点的轮廓。过境 也指天体穿过子午线并因此在天空中最高的瞬 间。
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TERMINATOR The line on the Moon or a planet that divides the bright, sunlit part from the part in shadow. It’s usually the most exciting and detailed region of the Moon to view through a telescope. TRANSIT When Mercury or Venus crosses the disk of the Sun, making the planet visible as a black dot in silhouette, or when a moon passes across the face of its parent planet. Transit also refers to the instant when a celestial object crosses the meridian and thus is highest in the sky.
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Transparency/ 透明度 衡量大气层清晰度的方法 - 夜间天空暗淡，白 天天蓝色。当透明度很高时，你会看到最多的 星星。然而，具有极好透明度的水晶般清澈的 夜晚往往看不清楚。
Twilight/ 暮光 日落之后或日出之前天空未完全黑暗的时间。 当太阳位于地平线以下 18° 时，天文暮光在日 落之后（并在日出之前开始）结束。
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TRANSPARENCY A measure of the atmosphere’s clarity — how dark the sky is at night and how blue it is during the day. When transparency is high, you see the most stars. Yet crystal-clear nights with superb transparency often have poor seeing. TWILIGHT The time after sunset or before sunrise when the sky is not fully dark. Astronomical twilight ends after sunset (and begins before sunrise) when the Sun is 18° below the horizon.
172
T
173 A
U
174
U
Unit-Power Finder/ 自动查找器 一种用于瞄准的望远镜装置，可在没有放大的 情况下显示肉眼看到的天空。最简单的类型是 与目标对齐的一对凹槽或圆圈。其他版本使用 LED 将红点或圆圈投影到观察窗口上。
Universal Time / 世界时（UT） 格林威治标准时间，以 24 小时制表示。例如， 23：00 UT 是东部夏令时间晚上 7 点（或东部 标准时间下午 6 点）。天文学家使用世界时间 来描述天体事件何时以独立于观察者时区的方 式发生。t
175 A
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UNIT-POWER FINDER A device for aiming your telescope that shows the sky as it appears to your unaided eye, without magnification. The simplest type is a pair of notches or circles that you line up with your target. Other versions use an LED to project a red dot or circle onto a viewing window. UNIVERSAL TIME (UT) Greenwich Mean Time, expressed in the 24-hour system. For example, 23:00 UT is 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (or 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time). Astronomers use Universal Time to describe when celestial events happen in a way that is independent of an observer’s time zone.
176
U
177 A
V
178
V
变星 一颗恒星，其亮度在几天，几周，几个月或几 年内总是变化。
VARIABLE STAR A star whose brightness changes over the course of days, weeks, months, or years.
179 A
W
180
W
Waning / 月亏 月亮（或其他身体）的变化的发光随时间。月 亮在新的和完整的阶段之间变得更加光亮，并 且在其全阶段和新阶段之间逐渐消失，变得不 那么明亮。
Waxing/ 月盈 随着时间的推移，月亮（或其他身体）的变化 照明。月亮在新的和完整的阶段之间变得更加 光亮，并且在其全阶段和新阶段之间逐渐消失， 变得不那么明亮。
181 A
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WANING The changing illumination of the Moon (or other body) over time. The Moon waxes, growing more illuminated, between its new and full phases, and wanes, becoming less illuminated, between its full and new phases. WAXING The changing illumination of the Moon (or other body) over time. The Moon waxes, growing more illuminated, between its new and full phases, and wanes, becoming less illuminated, between its full and new phases.
182
W
183 A
Z
184
Z
天顶 在天空中直接在头顶上的点。
ZENITH The point in the sky that’s directly overhead. 黄道十二宫 希腊语为“生肖圈”。它是沿着黄道在天空中的 一组星座，太阳，月亮和行星通过这些星座移 动。
ZODIAC Greek for “circle of animals.” It’s the set of constellations situated along the ecliptic in the sky, through which the Sun, Moon, and planets move.
185 A
186
187 A
server ob
188
TURN OFF LIGHTS
189 A
TURN ON STARS
190
191 A
192