Astronomy Tools
Astronomers use a hand full of tools to make sure that you will be able to see what you want to find. These include weather forecasting tools and digital planetariums. Below are links to some of our favorite tools to help us observe the stars and other celestial bodies.
Weather
Astronomers look at two types of weather. Your standard earth weather such as clouds and rain, and space weather for events like solar flares and auroras .
NOAA space weather
ClearDarkSky (Weather forecasting)
ClearDarkSky (CWU Observatory)
Observation tools
These tools are more scientific in nature. But they will give you very precise data to find very niche objects in space. Fair warning some of these tools are not very user friendly but if you know what you are doing they will give you the best data available.
Heavens Above (solar system and satellite tracking) (User friendly)
Heavens Above (CWU observatory)Â (User friendly)
IAU Minor Planet Center (Asteroid & Comet hunting)
JPL Horizons (Ephemeris Generator)
NASA Exoplanet Archive
Software
If you want to attempt to branch out from simple observing then software is the next step. This is where you will start to branch out into astrophotography, data collecting, and other activities if you so choose. It is also recommended that every astronomer picks up a good star chart/ digital planetarium to help you find objects in the sky. Listed below is some software that is used by the club on a common basis.
(none of the products listed below are sponsored by outside entities)
Stellarium (Digital planetarium) (Free)
Backyard (camera controller)
WorldWide Telescope (Digital planetarium) (Free)
Other
Other tools that are useful or just fun to use that don't fit into another category.