Author: dayat

Astronomy Telescopes to Get Started in Astronomy

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Astronomy is a fascinating hobby. With astronomy telescopes, not only do you partake in science, but you also have a fun time also. Astronomy is truly a life long passion, and a good astronomy telescope can help you get many happy years in astronomy. As you read this article, you will discover more about what you need to get started in astronomy on the right foot.

What you need to get started in astronomy:
* Star atlas
* An astronomy telescope
* Practical astronomy book (recommended)
* Notebook (optional)

* Star atlas
A star atlas is a map. And to go anywhere you need a map. The heavens are too big, to simply point and hope! It requires knowing some things, where things are, etc. And a star atlas allows you to find where they are in the heavens.

Though a star atlas is not absolutely essential, I have to say, that without it, finding objects is so much more difficult. One way or another you need some form of a star atlas, though this can always be conducted with certain astronomy software, and even on some websites.

* An astronomy telescope
Astronomy telescopes are the biggest part of astronomy. Astronomy telescopes are scientific instruments. As a scientific instrument, telescopes work by gathering light. You see, your eyes can only gather so much light. A telescope works by gathering more light, and focusing it in such a way, that you can see a much bigger image!

Getting started in astronomy begins with buying your first telescope. To buy your first telescope, you will need to find telescopes for sale. There are not that many telescopes stores, so you may have to travel to buy a telescope. It is a good idea to look online, as big savings can be made online, and finding what you need is possible.

Budgeting $200-$500 can result in a good Meade telescope, Orion telescope, or Celestron telescope, all equally great manufacturers of telescopes. This telescope also could last many years, so it is more of an investment.

* Practical astronomy book (recommended)
When I got started in astronomy, I purchased my first proper telescope, and didn’t invest in a good practical astronomy book. Now I highly recommend books such as Turn Left At Orion. It is recommended by all astronomers, and is a great way to learn how to use telescopes to navigate the heavens.

* Notebook (optional)
I strongly suggest getting a notebook just for your astronomy findings. This can be a great place to draw what you find through your telescope, and also any other information about astronomy. The result is that you can look back and see Jupiter’s changes, Saturn’s inclination, etc.

Here are some telescope resources that can help you find and buy a telescope:

Astronomy Laser Pointers – Cutting Edge Lasers Improve Astronomy Pointers Science

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The scientific community which has benefited the greatest from improvements in laser light and laser pointer technology is the field of astronomy. It seems there are no more perfect applications for high power laser pointers than to be used for research in the physics based world of astronomy. But how practical is the use of astronomy laser pointers? Does it provide legitimate scientific value, or is it merely a tool used to make research “cool” or “hip”? There has been much debate regarding laser use for astronomy based research in observatories throughout the globe.

If you are a laser hobbyist, or an astronomy enthusiast, you may be familiar with practical laser pointer functions that are ideal for night time studies. But what is it that a person should be looking for to determine if a specific laser pointer will be ideal for their astronomy needs? There are a few things to ponder before applying a laser to astronomy research, points which anyone considering using a handheld astronomy laser must contemplate.

First, where are you going to be using the lasers? If you are in an area that is relatively high in population, you may have to combat light pollution in order to see the night sky’s constellations. If this is the case, you will need to obtain a high power pointer so that you can actually see the laser beam clearly despite the adverse conditions. We can take this a step further, if you know that you will require a bit higher power for your laser, then you may also want to consider utilizing a 532nm green laser pointer. Green astronomy lasers are the most commonly used laser pointer because of how bright the green laser beam appears to observers. The green beam is the brightest light frequency in the visible light spectrum, which means there is no laser beam that can appear brighter. Accordingly, green lasers are the most popular color wavelength for this type of use.

Green lasers have a long history of use in space frontier organizations such as NASA, and continue to gain popularity amongst astronomers across the planet. The problem currently is that many scientific professionals are not properly trained in laser usage for astronomy applications, and this is cause for potential disaster. Now, if someone is using a 5mw green astronomy laser, there is very little danger to worry about. The beams output power is relatively low and that keeps everyone around safe.

If a high power unit is to be used, there is a bit more room for concern and precaution. The higher the output power of the laser beam, the brighter and stronger the beam will appear. This may be ideal for night based astronomy research, but if the beam becomes dispersed or used improperly it can spell disaster for the astronomy enthusiast or simply people who are present. There has been horror stories of astronomy laser pointers gone wrong which lead to large research grants being canceled.

So if pointers are your forte, be sure that you know what you are doing before you engage the powerful lasers. The use of a straight line of green laser light is unmatched by all other astronomers tools, and when a laser is attached to a telescope, astronomy becomes that much more exciting as well as educational. Some of the worlds largest and powerful observatories attach simple astronomy laser pointers to their scope’s casing, allowing for consistent and solid beam output. Lasers are opening

Astronomy for Children – Teaching Children through Astronomy

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Astronomy is perhaps the best science for teaching children. Astronomy-themed learning projects can help teach children not only astronomy but many subjects–reading, writing, math, history, geometry, chemistry, art, photography, etc. Almost any area of knowledge can be integrated into a children’s astronomy class or workshop. Children are not only learning the fascinating subject of astronomy that has engaged children of all ages for centuries–the solar system, the planets, the stars, the nebula, the comets, the galaxies, the spaceships and space marvels, the telescopes–but astronomy can be the coordinating art and science.

There are many children’s astronomy websites online and also books that include experimental projects, data research projects, telescope projects (including “make your own telescope”). Astronomy can also teach children how to think and analyze. Writing can be taught via keeping astronomy journals.

Recommended websites for children online are:

Kids Astronomy

http://www.kidsastronomy.com

StarChild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html

Other children’s astronomy websites can be easily found via your favorite search engine. Astronomy-oriented toys, “space toys” and science kits are available. Also calendars, posters, prints. Children can be encouraged to design their own posters and art prints, their own “astrographics.” Astronomy books and software may be found at Amazon.com and The Astronomy Store, http://www.astronomystore.zoomshare.com. There are also telescope stores that have novice telescopes for young astronomers.

As for astronomy software, there are a wide range of astronomy software which can be educational. Some of this software is especially designed for children, such as Sesame Street Ernie’s Adventures in Space and Zoom Astronomy–Enchanted Learning Software. Astronomy news can also be found online.

Dover Publisher sells solar system stickers, sun, moon, and stars stickers and easy to do experiments, including “science for children” coloring books. Again, children can be encouraged to create their own stickers, coloring books, and computer graphics and astronomy and space clip art.

So when teaching children art, writing, math or any subject, think astronomy, which has engaged children of all ages for ages.

Susan Shaw is a freelance writer of web content on the subjects of film, business, and science. She is an affiliate of The Book Store/The Science Library & The Astronomy Library, [http://thebookstore.vstoremarket.com/index.htm] (For The Science Library, put “Science” in their search engine. For The Astronomy Library, put “Astronomy” in t