suggestions for us neophytes

samueltownend · Post by **samueltownend** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 6:29 pm

Being new to many of the topics of astronomy, I have a suggestion that would help me understand what I am viewing daily on APOD. If there was a data box under each photograph that simply stated the degree(s) of arc subtended by the image from camera view it would help me get a perspective (literally) of our spatial relationship to the area of sky or image represented. For instance, does yesterdays photo of a Orion Nebula subtend 1 degree or arc, or .001 degree of arc? 1500 light years tells me not much, but 1 degree tells me it would subtend about the same angle of view as our moon.
Of course, the data "box" could also include other refernce info such as location in the sky, etc.

Thanks for your consideration.

craterchains · Post by **craterchains** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 1:54 pm

Good suggestions.

Norval

ckam · Post by **ckam** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:23 pm

yes they are, but we all know where they end up