Starting Astronomy

Astronomy is now such an enormous subject that you would find it difficult to become an 'expert' in all areas. The constellations and observing with telescopes are the easy bits, while some areas, like black holes or gamma ray bursts (don't ask!), you can study for your entire life alone without fully understanding the nature of the thing; and then you may find you've got it all wrong anyway! Where's the fun in that? Watching the phases of the Moon on its orbit around the Earth is pleasant, happy and rewarding, while Quantum Mechanics can leave your calculator steaming, not to mention your brain!

The Horsehead Nebula in Orion, the Hunter

Astronomy is fun! Don't be fooled otherwise by the men in tank-tops! I hope I've conveyed some of that enthusiasm in my books. They're full of incredible space information for you to throw around at parties.

What you will find is that many established astronomers have their own particular space preference - the Planets, the Moon, the Sun, Meteor Showers, Asteroids (although you can buy cream for that), Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, the Universe...it's endless! There can even be some rivalry, take for example a deep-sky observer who has to cope with the Moon drowning out the sky, whilst the lunar observer looks on in glee. Telescopes at dawn!

Whatever, for most of us everything starts from an initial interest in the night sky; maybe by viewing a bright evening 'star', a shooting star, or news of a comet such as Halley's or Hale Bopp, any of which sparks the imagination on a quest for knowledge.

Here are my pointers for Astronomical Success - Make it Happen!

1. Try to learn a few stars and constellations before you do any crazy thing such as buying a telescope. As you find your way around the heavens, you begin to understand the objects that are out there, what they are, what time of year to see them, etc. A basic understanding of all this will help you no end. If you have a pair of binoculars around, then try them out on the Moon - you'll be amazed. However, do buy a telescope if you really have to!

2. Join or start an astronomy club. Yes, why not get a group of friends together and form a society - you could call it after yourself then. Most clubs have rather ordinary abbreviated names like the Blackwell Tunnel Astronomical Society (BTAS), but you could go for the more amusing one, like the Space And Universe Society All Gravitationally Excited, or SAUSAGE for short. If this does not suit your taste, then the local library will have full details of your nearest Astronomy Society. Here you should get the chance to have a look through some telescopes, and maybe get the feel for them, before you choose which one to buy.

3. Watch the skies whenever you can. There is always something happening up there: satellites, including space stations, fly over, as do shooting stars; there may be a comet in the sky, or you may see the zodiacal light, or anything. The list goes on and on. It is well worth keeping a notebook with dates, times and directions of what you have seen.

4. When a space or astronomy news story appears on the TV or in the newspapers find out a little more than they tell you. The internet is now a great place to find out anything astronomical, so there's no excuse!

© Anton Vamplew 2008