Starry, Starry Night--A Map of Taiwan's Night Sky

1. So you want to be a stargazer

It's not hard to look at the stars; anybody can do it. But if you really want to get down to the nitty-gritty-explore nebulae, understand the motions of heavenly bodies, delve into the movements of the constellations and the relationships between them, and learn about celestial phenomena in general, you've got to fulfill what Chen Cheng-peng, director of the Wenshan Observatory, refers to as the "three prerequisites for beginners." First, look at the stars when the weather permits, or read books on the stars when it doesn't. Novice astronomers need to stock up on the basics of stargazing so that they can understand newspaper articles on meteor showers, comets, and the like. One or two introductory books are the bare minimum.

Second, what with all the light and pollution blocking our view, a pair of 7x50 binoculars (7x magnification, lens diameter 50 mm) is indispensable for the wannabe stargazer. After you've been at astronomy for a while, you'll want to go out and buy a small astronomical telescope with a lens diameter of 60 to 80 mm. Chen Cheng-peng points out that this far surpasses what Galileo had at his disposal, and will make observing the silver shroud of Venus, sunspots, Jupiter's four major moons, Saturn's rings, and craters on the moon a piece of cake.

With a rotating star chart to help you locate constellations at any time of the night throughout the year, and a small flashlight covered with some red cellophane, you're fully equipped to go out and stargaze. (The red cellophane stops your eyes having to readjust to the low level of light in the binoculars after looking at the chart.)

Third, you'll need an astronomical calendar. The movement of celestial bodies is more accurate than a Swiss watch. Available on the market are astronomical calendars listing a given year's astronomical phenomena-the times and positions of heavenly bodies as they rise over the horizon, stellar magnitudes, as well as the schedules of comets, meteor showers, solar and lunar eclipses and other remarkable sights. An astronomical calendar keeps you on top of celestial events.

2. Stellar stargazing spots (see map)

When choosing a place for stargazing, look for a spot with no artificial light, clear atmospheric conditions and a wide field of vision. And, to avoid having your view obstructed, you'll want to do your viewing on moonless nights as far away from artificial lights and tall structures as possible. Ideal locations can be found in the countryside as well as at the seaside and on outlying islands. The island climate of Taiwan is changeable, but the vast expanse of stars viewed from a mountaintop on a clear night will leave you breathless.

Chingtienkang and Hsiaoyoukeng in the Yangming Mountains in northern Taiwan afford excellent windows on the heavens. Glare from the nearby metropolitan areas bleaches out the smaller stars, leaving only the major stars visible-making it a great place to begin dabbling in astronomy.

Stargazing locations abound in Taoyuan and Hsinchu just south of Taipei. Standing on top of Mt. Lala upstream from the Shihmen Reservoir, the stars seem so close that you could almost reach out and pluck the Big Dipper out of the sky. The sheer multitude of stars in Chiehshih Rural Township inspire awe. Stargazers and astronomy clubs have made Hsinle Elementary School their stargazing base camp. And, says Taiwan Astronomy Club president Yang Te-liang, whose book Stargazing Maps of Taiwan was published a few years ago, visitors to Kuanwu and Leshan (elevation 2000 meters plus) in Sheipa National Park will find new meaning in the words "starlight, star bright. . . ."

To get to Nantou's Chingjing Farm, another stargazing paradise, enter the mountains at Puli in central Taiwan and go past Wushe. Astronomy enthusiasts claim that Nantou County is the best place in Taiwan to view the stars. You'll also find superb spots all along the Central Cross-Island Highway, including Lishan, Tungshih Forest Recreation Area, Yushan National Park's Tataca Tourist Center, the Tanta Farm on Mt. Tanta, and Mt. Ali.

In the northeast, Ilan's Mt. Taiping is a popular place for star viewing. Heading south through the East Rift Valley in eastern Taiwan, you'll come to Chulu Farm, Taitung's best spot for star watching. Pingtung's Hengchun Peninsula, located on the southern tip of Taiwan, has always been the most popular place in Taiwan for star viewing. Many well-known scenic spots in Hengchun are excellent places for stargazing. In recent years, the Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake comets and Leonid meteor storms have drawn tens of thousands of visitors to Hengchun.

Yang Te-liang points out that as Kenting is located in the southernmost part of Taiwan, astronomical phenomena viewed from there are seen from a relatively southern angle. There are slight differences in the positions of all heavenly bodies as seen from there, including a lower angle of elevation for the North Star. The Southern Cross and the Keyhole Nebula are examples of constellations visible from southern Taiwan that cannot be seen further north.

The fine viewing offered on Green and Orchid Islands is a plus to visitors to these outlying islands. Chen Te-liang says that "southern hemisphere constellations" are visible from Fuhsing Farm on the southern tip of Orchid Island to Lungtou Rock. If you find yourself on Orchid Island, be sure not to miss this opportunity to put another notch in your telescope.

3. Identifying constellations

Cultures throughout history have given stars and constellations their own culturally specific names. Current international practice places the stars into 88 constellations. Major stars of a given constellation are labeled with the Greek letter a, less important stars with b, g, and so forth. In Taiwan, constellations are categorized in accordance with international practice, but the historical Chinese names of individual stars are still used. Stars are categorized into different "magnitudes" according to their brightness; magnitude zero stars are the brightest, magnitude one the next brightest, and so on. Individuals with 20/20 vision can see magnitude six stars with the naked eye.

As the earth revolves, stars rise in the east and their positions shift by 15 degrees each hour; they also shift with the seasons. From our northern-hemisphere vantage point in Taiwan, 82 out of the 88 internationally recognized constellations are visible over the course of a year.

In much the same way that drivers need only recognize major roads to keep from getting lost, you only need to know the location and special characteristics of major constellations to have a grasp of the essentials of astronomy.

Beginning in spring, at a typical viewing of 8-10 p.m. the "handle" of the Big Dipper points east. First, find the North Star, then, on your rotating star chart, find the major star in each of the constellations-Bootes (the Herdsman), Virgo, and Leo. Now, play "connect the dots" to create the Spring Triangle. With a little help from your imagination, you can make out the shapes of people and animals, including lions and ravens, scattered throughout the night sky.

In summer, at the same time of night, the Big Dipper's handle points south. In the same way, you will see the 3 bright stars which make up the points of the Summer Triangle, the brightest being Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, the second brightest Altair in Aquila the Eagle, and the third Deneb in Cygnus the Swan. From there, you can go about identifying neighboring constellations. Located in the neck of the Swan is a black hole. In the mid-August night sky, brilliant jewel-like stars can be seen spilling forth from the Milky Way.

In autumn, the Big Dipper lies on the horizon. In fact, the drawing near of the North Star to the horizon is a sure sign that fall will soon be here. The major stars of autumn are Markab, Scheat and Algenib in Pegasus the Winged Horse along with Alpheratz in Andromeda the Chained Maiden, which together make up the Great Square of Pegasus or Autumn Square. At "only" 2.3 million light years away, the Andromeda galaxy, in the constellation Andromeda, is our closest galactic neighbor. Make sure to take a good look at our beautiful neighbor this fall.

In winter, the stars are dazzling and Taurus the Bull lowers his head to rush Orion the Hunter. Chen Cheng-peng says that Orion ranks first among all the constellations. Its distinctive shape makes it readily identifiable, and the Great Orion Nebula, which lies within it, is also unmistakable. Sirius, the brightest star in the sky throughout the night, is the stargazer's best point of reference.

4. Other "must sees"

In addition to the celestial regulars, be sure to watch for occasional "special guest appearances." Chen Cheng-peng maintains that there are three astronomical phenomena, that, if given the opportunity, you should definitely not miss.

First, meteor showers, which are cast-off comet debris. Meteor showers are relatively common; 50 of them erupt in the skies each year. The difference lies in their intensities. Showers over the last few years haven't been anything to write home about, but it's expected to rain cats and dogs over Taiwan with the November 18th Leonids. "Take time to really take in a meteor shower. It'll give new meaning to your life," says star fanatic Chen Cheng-peng.

Second, comets are wonderful sights to behold, especially those with long tails. Often, when a comet passes by the earth it remains visible in the sky for several months, so it is not hard to catch a glimpse of it. The problem with these relatively common visitors is that the orbits of different comets vary a great deal in size. Halley's Comet, for example, has an orbit of 76 years. The Hale-Bopp Comet, on the other hand, has an orbit of over 4,000 years. If you missed it when it last skirted the earth in 1995, you'll have to wait another 4,000 years. So, with comets, you really have to "carpe diem."

Third, you really have to see a full eclipse of the sun. The diameter of the sun is 400 times greater than that of the moon. But the moon is approximately 400 times closer to the earth than is the sun. So when the moon slips in front of the sun, it's as if the Creator were performing celestial sleight-of-hand. Color bleeds out of the heavens and earth. Day becomes night. Stars come into view. A total solar eclipse lasts a mere three to six minutes, but dyed-in-the-wool star enthusiasts consider it the crowning experience of a lifetime. Once you've seen all three of the above celestial sights, says Chen Cheng-peng, "You can die happy."

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and watch some stars!