Astronomy | Observations in Astronomy

How to Watch a Meteor Shower

People who love to stargaze should think about watching meteor showers. They are beautiful sky shows, and they happen throughout the year. Scheduling a night to go out and watch a meteor shower makes for a memorable evening.

Like stars, meteors are best observed on a clear, dark night without any interfering light. Try to find a flat area to lie down on, such as a field. Sitting up will probably hurt your neck, especially since you could spend a long time waiting for the meteor shower to actually happen. You can use binoculars or a telescope if you prefer, but you would likely miss some of the meteor shower. The beauty of a meteor shower is in the total effect, and zooming in on one area will cause you to miss the bigger picture. Using a sky map can help you determine where the meteor shower will be coming from and what direction it will travel in.

Meteor showers happen throughout the year. In early January, Quadrantids occurs. Typically, the main dates are in the first four days of January. There is a three month break, and then Lyrids is visible in late April. Then there is a full summer of meteor showers! In early May, Eta Aquarids has its peak days. Lyrids, the same one as in April, has another peak period in the middle of June. Delta Aquarids can be seen in late July, and Capricornids is visible immediately afterwards. Summer meteor showers wrap up with Perseids, which can be seen in mid-August. Draconids and Orionids are visible in early and late October. The year ends with Leonids in November and Geminids in the middle of December.

If you’re an avid stargazer, try watching a meteor shower for a change of pace. They are time-sensitive, so look at all the showers that occur throughout the year and try to catch one of them.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Geminid, Meteor shower

Tips for Teaching Astronomy to Children

Whether you are a teacher or a homeschooling parent, you know that it’s important for children to learn astronomy. However, it seems like an impossible task. Children work well with concrete ideas, and astronomy is made up almost entirely of hypothetical, theoretical, and otherwise confusing situations. You need to approach the subject carefully to make sure that kids learn what they need to be learning.

Since children learn so well with concrete examples, let them do as much as they can to physically see and manipulate astronomical concepts. A trip to a stargazing area is a good way of accomplishing this. Many museums also have astronomy exhibits with different things from space that you can touch; such an exhibit would be great for children, because it gives them a clear visual image of what you are teaching them.

When you are dealing with abstract concepts or ideas, try to tie it into their real life as much as possible. While talking about light-years and other huge units of measurement, don’t talk about how many times a certain distance stretches around Earth; talk about it in terms that kids understand. Although breaking the distance down to trips across the country or world may seem silly, they will understand that much better than any explanation that uses an abstract concept to teach an abstract concept.

Teach kids about NASA and other careers in space. Space may not be interesting to them until they can grasp the concept, but seeing people who go to space and explore it for a living can trigger a deeper interest within children.

Teaching astronomy is not always easy. However, by incorporating games, books, and children’s real lives, it quickly becomes a manageable topic. You can even make it interesting enough that they are begging to learn more.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy

How to Learn Constellations

Although just gazing up at the night sky can certainly be fun and relaxing, it doesn’t always seem very entertaining. Luckily, stargazers can find constellations to keep their mind engaged and have a little bit of fun while relaxing. If you haven’t located constellations before, it can be difficult to find and name them.

If you know an experienced stargazer, ask them for help identifying stars. Once you know how to look for one star and use it to find the rest of the constellation, you can just use a star map. Until then, you may need a little bit of help. A green laser pointer is a good solution; while red laser pointers disappear amongst the night sky, the beam from a green laser pointer will show up on the night sky. Ask a close stargazing friend to use the laser pointer to show you different stars and constellations.

For those who are willing to spend a little bit more to get a great stargazing education, handheld star finding devices can educate a new amateur astronomer. The two most popular handheld star locators are Sky Scout by Celestron and MySky by Meade. These small devices have GPS technology in them; the technology uses the stargazer’s location to determine what stars and constellations are in their viewable area of the sky. You can compare what the handheld is showing you to the stars you see; a few tries with it and you will be able to pick out constellations easily. These devices are equally useful when you are traveling and stargazing. Going to new places means that you may see unfamiliar stars, and these devices can help you find them.

While both of these pieces of technology seem like large investments, they are great tools for people who want to learn how to identify constellations.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Constellation, Night sky

A Beginner’s Guide to Telescope Usage

Purchasing a telescope is a big step for someone who is planning on making a long-term hobby out of astronomy. There’s something special about using your own astronomy equipment, but it can be a fairly daunting task to learn how to use your first telescope. Use these tips to get on the fast track to using your telescope and becoming an astronomy pro.

Most telescopes available for hobbyist use and purchase are small or mid-size, so you have to be careful about where you go to look. Light pollution is a serious problem for stargazers and you definitely want to avoid it; it refers to the light left over from city lights, streetlights, and even a moon that’s too bright. Ideally, you should go out on a night when the moon is just a sliver, preparing to start or end a new moon cycle.

Bring some additional equipment with you to stargaze. Star charts are an invaluable tool for finding constellations, naming stars, and learning something from your experience. You can’t enjoy the stars if you are uncomfortable, so be sure to bring blankets and sweatshirts in case the temperature drops too far. If you want to keep track of your stargazing progress, bring log sheets and something to write with. You can keep track of the stars and constellations you find, which is a good way to observe your growth as an amateur astronomer.

Set your equipment up early and be prepared. You do not want to be fumbling at the last minute for your telescope! This is especially true if you need to read the instructions; figure out ahead of time how to set the telescope up so you don’t waste any valuable time.

Stargazing with your own telescope is a very rewarding endeavor. As long as you prepare correctly and use your telescope properly, you will have lots of fun.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy, Telescope

Stargazing at Home

Sometimes you want to look at the stars without having to drive twenty minutes away from the city and all of its modern lights. If you have kids in bed, your only option is to stargaze at home! A few simple tricks make stargazing at home a fun and relaxing experience.

First, make sure that you are done with everything you need to do for the night. If the kids are awake, put them to bed. Nothing ruins a relaxing night more than having to interrupt your stargazing to take care of kids’ requests.

Since the majority of cities and suburbs have bright streetlights fairly close together, stargazing in your front yard is not a good idea; your view of the stars will be obstructed by pollution light. Instead, take a blanket or lawn chair to your backyard and stretch out.

Try to minimize extra lights from your house and your neighbors’ homes. If you have security lights on the back of your house, turn them off. If you don’t, you are going to get a bright light in your face every time you move. Hopefully, the neighbors don’t leave their lights on. If they do have lights on and they are distracting, move your chair to a location where the fence blocks the view of the neighbors’ homes.

Lastly, treat the stargazing experience just like you would if you had made a trip out for it. Stay quiet and enjoy the night. Just because you are at home does not mean you need to be accessible, so turn the phone off and head on outside.

These tips can help you change a boring night into a fun night full of stargazing. Just take every step you can to make your backyard a quiet, dark, and relaxing place and you’ll be on your way to relaxation.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Light pollution, Lights

Ideal Places for Stargazing

Stargazing is a fun and relaxing way to let go of stress and unwind. However, if you live in the city or near a lot of lights, it can be just about impossible to find a good stargazing location. There are some places to go stargazing when the city lights are just too much.

Suburban parks are often a great place for stargazing. They are not as lit as city parks, so it’s possible to see the sky without interference. Suburban parks are also very quiet; since they are surrounded by homes and not businesses, they are a great place to have a quiet night of stargazing.

National parks and wilderness reserves are another good stargazing location. National parks are often required to have few lights, since too much lighting can disturb the animals and ruin their simulated habitat. The only downside is that these parks may often close before it’s dark, preventing any stargazing. There are those that allow visitors in at night, and it’s one of the most peaceful places for stargazing.

Deserts, while not easily accessible for most of the population, are the perfect spot for stargazing. They are flat, free of pollution light from streetlights or light-up signs, and very quiet. If you stargaze in the desert, you’ll have a clear, unobstructed view of the sky.

Islands are also good stargazing locations. Hawaii has a dedicated area just for stargazing. In that area, there are no lights and the view of the sky is completely uninterrupted.

Even if you live in the city, there are obviously lots of places you can go to get away from it all and enjoy the night sky. Bring a blanket, a good friend, and try one of these locations next time you want to go stargazing. You’ll feel more relaxed immediately.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Hawaii, Night sky

Why Pluto Isn’t a Planet

In 2005, the solar system lost its smallest and newest planet. People who had grown up learning about the nine planets of the solar system as well as a host of memory devices for remembering them were shocked to learn that Pluto had dropped from its planet status. In 2006, Pluto officially became a dwarf planet rather than its own planet.

Pluto is the most recently discovered planet in the solar system. In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. It did not come as much of a surprise; for many years prior, scientists referred to a mystery “Planet X” that they believed would turn up.

Pluto and its moons are located in the Kuiper Belt. It was previously believed that Pluto was the only planet in that area, and the moons simply orbited it. However, the belief is now that Pluto and its moons are several of many astronomical objects floating around in the Kuiper Belt.

The International Astronomical Union has several criteria in place for determining whether a body is a planet. The first requirement is that the object orbits around the sun. Pluto does this. The second requirement is that the object has substantial gravity for turning into a sphere. The third requirement is what trips Pluto up. In order to be a planet, the body must have cleared the area of its orbit.

To do so, the planets must become the main gravity body in their particular orbit around the solar system. Upon encountering other objects, they either absorb them or throw them far away due to the gravitational pull. However, Pluto does not have enough mass to be the main gravitational body in its orbit. As a result of this finding, Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet. Eventually, Pluto may collide with another celestial object and gain enough mass to become a planet.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Pluto

How Christianity Changed Astronomy

Nowadays, astronomy is known as a hard science. It has definite laws and theories that have been tested and demonstrated to be true. However, this exciting science has not always had such a scientific base. In medieval times, astronomy was primarily a Christian topic.

In medieval times, the Bible was read and interpreted literally. Although the Bible made note of God creating heaven and Earth, there’s no mention of any of the other planets. Ancient astronomers noted that other planets certainly existed, since they were visible both with the naked eye and with rudimentary astronomy tools.

However, that is where they diverged from previous classical thought. The Catholic Church abandoned the astronomical findings of ancient scientists, findings that are still true today. They were remarkably advanced for their time, so it’s very unfortunate that they were so easily dismissed. The Catholic Church moved forward in astronomy by declaring that since man was created in God’s image, man was clearly the center of the Earth. Rather than the Earth revolving around the sun, which is what we now know to be true, they claimed that everything revolved around the Earth.

Although Christianity did significant damage to the growth of astronomy during the Dark Ages, Islamic astronomers continued to make great strides during this time. They based their work off of Greek and Roman astronomy findings, and they continued to perfect them. Additionally, they took European findings and refined them. These findings eventually advanced European astronomy again.

As Europe entered the Renaissance, the veil of the Dark Ages was lifted from the continent. Once again, astronomy began making massive strides. As the power of the church dissipated, people became curious about astronomy and made their own findings. It is the findings from the Renaissance that created part of the base of what we now know about astronomy.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy, Renaissance

What is the Milky Way?

Although we all live in it, there’s a lot of confusion about what the Milky Way is and how far it extends. Known more formally as the Milky Way Galaxy, the Milky Way is a disk that has a diameter of about 120,000 light years. It bulges in the middle, since it has been distorted by Magellanic clouds that lie on either side of the galaxy. The large and small Magellanic clouds continue to pull at the Milky Way, and so it continues changing and stretching.

90% of the mass of the Milky Way lies in a dark matter halo that it has. The halo of dark matter can’t be seen by the human eye, so the beauty of the Milky Way that we are able to see is really less than 10% of the entire galaxy. It is a fairly formidable galaxy; it’s considered a middleweight, so while it is far from being the largest known galaxy it’s also pretty large. Scientists estimate that the Milky Way has 200 billion stars. At any given point, about 2,500 stars are visible from any given point on the Earth.

The Milky Way didn’t get to be a middleweight by chance. Rather, the Milky Way is constantly expanding because it is absorbing other galaxies. Far back in the galaxy’s history, it took in the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy. Even now, the Milky Way is in the process of consuming the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy. It is still technically its own galaxy, although it is the closest one to the Milky Way. This is due to the Milky Way taking Canis Major Dwarf’s stars. Since it is almost 14 billion years old, the Milky Way has consumed many galaxies.

One of the most exciting parts of astronomy is the constant change; our galaxy is a perfect example of the unstable nature of space.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Dark matter, Milky Way

Comparing Binoculars and Telescopes for Astronomy

Although most people use a telescope when they want to go stargazing, there is another viable alternative. Binoculars can be used to look at the stars, and there are advantages to both tools.

To start, binoculars are more lightweight and portable than telescopes. Even lightweight telescopes can be a heavy strain after a while, but it is rare to find a pair of binoculars that are heavy enough to be noticeable. This makes them a particularly good alternative for nights when you may be traveling between several different stargazing locations.

Binoculars also tend to be much more affordable than telescopes. A beginner’s pair of binoculars is very inexpensive, typically less than $100. However, finding a telescope that is worth toting around can cost several hundred dollars. If you aren’t sure whether or not you want to take up astronomy as a serious hobby, trying it out with an inexpensive set of binoculars is much more cost-effective than trying it out with a telescope.

However, there are also advantages to using a telescope for astronomy. Telescopes are known for their magnification levels. While binoculars can zoom in quite a bit, it doesn’t even compare to what a telescope can do. Binoculars that are made for astronomy use tend to have 20x zoom; however, telescopes may have more than 100x magnification.

Telescopes are also more flexible for stargazing. Although they are known for having high magnification levels, they can also be used with lower magnification lenses. It’s much easier to get a telescope with several different lenses than it is to find a pair of binoculars that has all the varying magnification levels you need for stargazing.

Clearly, there are benefits to both options for stargazing tools. Both are excellent choices; the right choice depends entirely on your preferences, budget, and long-term astronomy goals.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Telescopes Tagged With: Astronomy, Telescope