Links to Astronomical Resources
The WCAC lists these links as reference only. These links are listed in the following categories:
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General Information
Blogs
Podcasts
Weather
Optical Observatories
Solar Observatories
Vendors and Manufacturers
Search EnginesLast updated July 29, 2007, by Brian Gray
General Information (return to top)American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) - Variable star finder charts, bulletins, observational data and more.Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) From Ralph Geschwind. If you are interested in observing objects within our solar system then this is the place to visit.
Astronomical Data Center - Astronomical catalogs and data tables. An element of the Space Science Directorate at the NASA Goddard Flight Center.
Astronomy Magazine - Kalmbach Publishing Co. Good information for amateurs, news, events, product information and hobby information.
The Astronomy Network of Ohio - (ANO) A useful resource for Ohio amateur astronomers with bulletin boards, educational material, Ohio club info, planetarium and observatories throughout Ohio.
Astronomy Picture of the Day - Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams - Go here if you discover something!
Constellations & Deep Sky Atlas - By the Hawaiian Astronomical Society.
Gordon Garradd's Astronomy Page. Great astronomy pics and mpeg videos.
Handbook of Space Astronomy and Astrophysics - Caimbridge University Press
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Moon - Lots of lunar pics and data.
Hoover-Price Planetarium - Part of the McKinley Museum and National Memorial, Canton, OH.
International Astronomical Union - Promotes and coordinates world wide cooperation in astronomy
International Dark-Sky Association - Helps to eliminate light pollution.
International Occultation and Timing Association - (IOTA) Facilitates the observation of occultations and eclipses.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/ - From Phil Hoyle. NASA will release an image per day of Mars taken from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft
Messier Catalog - The SEDS Messier listing from the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.
Mount Union Physics and Astronomy Dept.. Mount Unions Department of Physics and Astronomy has ben a good friend to the WCAC for many years hosting us annually at one meeting, and providing one or two lectures a year. Mount Union is the only school in the area offering a concentration in Astronomy.
NASA - http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTime/JTrack/ Click on 3-D and play a bit. Locate HST or CHANDRA and watch it move in real time.
THE NATURES OF THE STARS - http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/star_intro.html It is the purpose of this site to provide a deep, non-technical review of stars and their natures for the beginner.
On-line Lunar Atlas - The Lunascan Project. An Earth-Based Telescopic Imaging program using live CCD imaging technology to observe, document, and record LTPs (Lunar Transient Phenomena).
Satellite Visibility Home Page
SETI @ HOME - Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.
Sky & Telescope Magazine - Sky Publishing. News, sights, tips, images, product reviews and resources.
The Solar System In Pictures (http://www.the-solar-system.net/) From Alwyn Botha of Hartbeespoort, South Africa. The goal of this website is to be of educational value (mainly for middle school students).
Space Telescope Science Institute - Hubble pics and info on Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST)
SPECTRA - http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/spectra.html This site, closely coupled toThe Natures of the Stars, provides an introduction to the spectra of stars and allied celestial objects.
STARS - http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/sowlist.html The stars are illustrated by links to photographs of their parent constellations.
Virtual reality moon phase - http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html
WEBD -. http://obswww.unige.ch/webda/navigation.html Data on open clusters with charts and individual star magnetudes.
Mars Maps - http://ralphaeschliman.com/id22.htm
Mars Watch - http://marswatch.amaonline.com
Lunar Photo of the Day-Charles Wood http://www.lpod.org/
http://www.picasa.com/index.php Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. "http://users.pandora.be/lunarsite/" A very nice compendium of lunar sketches and photos.
"Java for Astronomy" by Matt Oltersdorf. Clocks, conversion calcullators, Sun and Moon calculators, date calculators and more! Lots of good stuff.http://www.astronomyclubs.com A listing of astronomy clubs around the world.
http://www.AstronomyInYourHands.com. Our site is devoted to hands-on astronomy activities and contains high quality material of great usefulness for promoting astronomy to beginners. Of special note is our downloadable star wheel or planisphere which has versions covering every latitude on Earth
http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~durda/Apollo/landing_sites.html - Great site for Apollo lunar landing sites. You start with an Earth based photo of the moon with Apollo landing sites marked. With successive clicks on the sites, you zoom in through high resolution Earth images to space craft images of the landing sites. One of the photos acutally shows the landing module as taken from the command module(17?). Keep zooming in until nothing happens when you click.
http://www.bdl.fr/Phemu03/phemu03_eng.html - A nice page dealing with the mutual events involving the Galilean satellites in the upcoming Jupiter observing season.
Variable stars - http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/~percy/index.html - a simple web page which introduces students and others to variable star analysis. It includes links to data and to software, as well as simple information and references on variable stars.
http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/index.html - High resolution CCD images.
http://www.astro-nut.com/sun-ha-08nov02.html - Hi-res images of the sun in hydrogen alpha
http://www.astrobiology.com/ - Astrobiology
http://www.astrobio.net/news/index.php - Astrobiology news
Blogs
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Astroprof's Page - A
content-rich blog written by a college instructor of physics and
astronomy
Planetary Society Blog
- Emily Lakdawalla’s blog on solar system exploration – sponsored by
the Planetary Society
Star Stryder - Pamela Gay’s blog
Bad Astronomy Blog - Phil Plait (a.k.a. the Bad Astronomer); also see http://www.badastronomy.com for the Bad Astronomy pages (HT to Roy Preece)
Science Musings Blog - Chet Raymo’s blog – not always astronomy, but this guy can write!
Cosmic Variance -
Some professional astronomers and cosmologists share ideas and opinions
Astronomy Cast - Weekly podcast in which a specific topic is discussed during each show
Astronomy A Go Go - Monthly or bi-monthly podcast that deals with observing and history of the constellations
Skywatch - Short weekly podcast
Jodcast - Monthly or bimonthly podcast
Lets Talk Stars - Podcast hosted by David Levy
Astronomy Magazine Podcast - Short weekly podcast dealing with recent news or points of interest in the night sky
Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures - Podcasts of lectures given by professionals
Bad Astronomy: Q and BA - Question and answer show hosted by Phil Plait, available in both video and audio only versions
Stardate Radio - Two minute daily program
Planetary Radio - Weekly show of the Planetary Society
Clear Sky Clock for WCAC and The Wilderness Center Astronomy Education Building. At a glance, it shows when it will be cloudy or clear for up to the next two days. It's a prediction of when WCAC, Ohio, will have good weather for astronomical observing. The data for the above image comes from those very cool guys at the. Canadian Meteorological Center. (This really works!!!)
Weather Today - Akron, Wilmot
Real-Time Weather Data (Ohio Regional Close-up)
Optical Observatories (return to top)
Air Force Maui Optical Station
Bradford Robotic Telescope
Cambridge AstronomySolar Observatories (return to top)
Vendors and Manufacturers (return to top)
Astronomics - Lots of equipment information for begginners and advanced amateurs including how to pick a telescope, scope reviews, eyepiece specifics and immaging details.
Mel Bartels' Homepage. Mel Bartel was our guest speaker at our November 26th meeting where he is quoted as saying "you can't have too many barlows". He was referring to observing with his computerized dobsonian at 6,000 magnification!!! . Mel is no stranger to the Amateur Telescope making community. He is moderator of the ATM mailing list on the Internet. He is also well known as a telescope maker in his own right, and as the developer of a stepper motor control circuit and software for controlling Dobsonian telescopes. His designs and software are in the public domain on his website. Mel is also consulting with us on the restoration of the Keller telescope.
If you have a link you would like to suggest,
email Brian Gray with the
URL (link path) and why you like it.