Learning the Night Sky

At its heart, EAA is like any other skill. All the equipment in all the world still doesn’t make a person into an effective pilot. A would-be pilot needs to practice take-offs, landings, and everything in between So it is with electronically-assisted astronomy. There are “muscle memories” that need to be developed. Depending on the person and the opportunities to observe, this could take anywhere from a few months to a year or more. But at the end of the day, acquiring the skills will reap a huge reward to anyone willing to invest the effort.

The Sky: The Consummate Treasure Hunt

The amazing thing about astronomy is that there are hundreds of objects waiting to be admired. They move across your night sky, silently, humbly, waiting for rediscovery. Electronically-assisted astronomy is all about observing, savoring the brilliance of each and every object – for the enjoyment of the moment. As a result, EAA-ers, perhaps more than any other practitioner of astronomy, will do well to learn the night sky itself.