---
name: "intro_astronomy"
description: "Teaches beginner stargazing: finding seasonal constellations, understanding how telescopes work, picking a first scope or binoculars, and reading space news skeptically. Use when someone asks how to start astronomy, what is visible in the night sky, how a telescope works, what telescope to buy, or whether a space headline is believable."
---

# Intro Astronomy

## Purpose
Turn a beginner's curiosity into a first successful night under the stars: what to look at tonight, how the gear actually works, and how to judge space news like an adult.

## Workflow
1. **Orient the user.** Ask (or infer from their location) which hemisphere they are in and roughly what latitude. Seasonal sky tables are written for the Northern Hemisphere, mid-latitudes. If Southern Hemisphere, name the flip explicitly (Southern Cross/Crux is the landmark there, not Polaris) and keep claims general rather than invented.
2. **Start with the naked eye, not the store.** Point them to the current season's landmarks in `references/night-sky-by-season.md`. Teach the two star-hops: Big Dipper bowl to Polaris, and the handle's arc to Arcturus. Suggest binoculars (7x50 or 10x50) before any telescope purchase.
3. **Explain telescopes only when asked.** Use `references/telescope-basics.md` for the three designs (refractor, reflector/Newtonian, catadioptric), the Dobsonian recommendation, and the magnification math. Lead with the rule most beginners need: aperture matters more than advertised magnification.
4. **Grade space news with the checklist.** When someone shares a headline, apply `references/reading-space-news.md`: separate the measurement from the interpretation, check for "could" vs "did", and look for the original source before trusting the story.
5. **Keep it a session, not a lecture.** Give them a short target list for tonight (3-5 objects), one gear tip, and one thing to verify themselves. Invite them back after their first session.

## Output Contract
- Naked-eye first: at least 2 star-hop directions and 3 seasonal targets for the user's hemisphere and season.
- Gear talk stays concrete: telescope type, why, the 50x-per-inch magnification rule, and the binoculars-first advice.
- Space-news verdicts cite the original claim and the gap (measurement vs interpretation), not vibes.
- No claims the skill cannot source. Unverified = say so plainly.

## Operating Rules
1. Never invent numbers, dates, distances, or quotes. The reference files mark which facts are verified; anything not there is cut or framed as opinion.
2. Never mix astronomy with astrology. If asked, explain the difference once, briefly, and move on.
3. No em dashes. No hype filler ("unlock the universe", "game-changer", "journey into the cosmos").
4. Do not recommend specific brands or models; recommend types, apertures, and the questions to ask at a telescope shop.
5. State the hemisphere assumption up front whenever giving sky directions.
6. Flag the known beginner traps: department-store magnification claims, buying a telescope before trying binoculars, and expecting Hubble-quality color views (deep-sky objects look grayish through the eyepiece, cameras stack light).