How to Make and Use Star Charts

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Star charts have been in use since antiquity. Usually, they are drawn as circles, with the pole in the middle and the equator near the edge.

Steps

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    You will need:
    • A large piece of paper.
    • A set of giant compasses.
    • A 30 cm (or larger) ruler.
    • A protractor.
    • A pencil and an eraser.
    • The co-ordinates of the stars that you want on your chart - available online.
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    If your paper is large enough (and I'm assuming it is) draw a circle with a radius of one foot.
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    The circles should have radii of 1 inch, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 inches, and the centres should be in the same place as the centre of the big circle.
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    From the centre of the circle, draw six radii, at 0 degrees, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 degrees.
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    Draw six radii from the edge of the 1 inch circle to the edge of the one foot circle, at 30 degrees, 90, 150, 210, 270 and 330 degrees.
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    Draw twelve radii from the edge of the 2 inch circle to the edge of the one foot circle, at 15 degrees, 45, 75, 105, 135, 165, 195, 225, 255, 285, 315 and 345 degrees.
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    Where the 0 degree radius meets the one foot circle, write 0h. Going clockwise (anticlockwise if you are mapping the southern hemisphere), the other radius-circle meeting points are 1h, 2h, 3h, and so on, up to 23h. These are now the names of the radii, e.g. the 15h radius. At the point where the radii meet, in the middle, write 90. If you're mapping the northern hemisphere, write +90, southern hemisphere: -90. Moving outwards, label the circles as +80, +70, +60, +50, +40, +30, +20, +10, 0, -10, -20, and the outer circle should be -30. If you're mapping the southern hemisphere, change + to - and - to +.
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    You can find the co-ordinates on the internet. To plot a star, start at the middle. Move outwards, along the 0h radius, until you are at the correct declination. Then, move clockwise until you are at the correct right ascension. Draw a dot to mark the star. You may wish to connect the stars in each constellation so that you can see the patterns.
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    If you can, write the star's magnitude (how bright it is), name and designation.
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    Firstly, you need to find some stars that you know, so you can find them on your chart. For northerners, I'd recommend the big dipper or Cassiopeia. For southerners, I'd recommend Carina or Centaurus. Once you've found where you are on the chart, it will show you where other stars are, in relation to the ones you've found.
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  • Question
    I'm a little confused. Starting from the outside, is it 1 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, and 6 inches? Or is it 1 inch, 2 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches?
    TomPN
    Top Answerer
    The people who did the pictures got it wrong. You draw the lines starting from the center, not the edge, so it would be starting from the middle, not the outside.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    I'm a little confused. Are all of the concentric circles 1 in between and that's just the distance they are from the center?
    TomPN
    Top Answerer
    Yes, exactly. There should be a 1 inch gap in between each circle, and the distances given are how far each circle should be from the center.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • If you want to plot both hemispheres, draw a separate chart for each one. If your paper is big enough, you can fit both charts on one piece of paper.
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      Warnings

      • Don't draw planets on your map! Planets move around, so if you plot them on your chart, they'll be in the wrong place after a couple of weeks.
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