An Introduction to Astronomy
You don't have to be a scientist to enjoy astronomy. The basics are easy to learn, and you can apply them to your own stargazing. The sun, the moon, the planets and the stars are all available for observation in your own backyard.
Features
Astronomy is the study of any body outside the Earth. This includes stars, planets, the sun, the moon, comets, asteroids and galaxies. The astronomer's most common tool is the telescope, although you can use other instruments such as binoculars, maps and cameras. Telescopes range from small, portable instruments, to giant telescopes on mountaintops, to space telescopes orbiting the Earth.
History
Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, with observations made by the Babylonians more than 3,000 years ago. Although almost every culture in the world had some astronomical study, the basis for modern astronomy appeared among Greek scholars between 700 BC and 100 AD. Astronomy developed among the Arabic scholars of the Middle East and later among European scholars of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The invention of the telescope in the early 17th century and the observations of the subsequent Scientific Revolution helped bring about the astronomy of today.
Types
Modern astronomy has several branches of study. Some astronomers focus on our solar system, observing objects close enough for detailed study. Other astronomers use physics and mathematics to learn about the structure of distant stars and galaxies. Astronomy even deals with the age and structure of the universe. Amateur astronomers study many of these same objects in space, but they typically do not use as much math or physics in the process.
Size
Modern astronomy is characterized by extreme distances and times. Space is vast, with the distances between stars nearly incomprehensible to us. Our nearest star, the sun, is 93 million miles away. But that's nothing compared to the distance to the next nearest star, Proxima Centauri. That star is about 4 light years, or 25,000,000,000,000 miles, from us. The ages of objects studied in astronomy are incredible as well, with stars living and dying over the course of billions of years (the sun is about 5 billion years old).
Identification
In order to get started in astronomy, you need to be able to identify some stars, constellations and planets. Use sky maps to find stars and constellations. Make sure your maps are accurate for your location (you will need to know your latitude) and for the time of year (stars rise and set at different times throughout the year). Planets change their positions in the sky constantly, so you need to look up a planet's location each night in order to find it. Online resources provide up-to-date information on planets.
Tags: Introduction Astronomy, nearest star, scholars Middle, stars constellations
