This year, 400 years ago Galileo Galilei first demonstrated his telescope, discovering the moons of Jupiter, and 40 years ago in 1969 the American NASA Mission Apollo 11 landed on the moon. It is now 2009 and this year has been designated the International Year of Astronomy and it couldn’t come at a better time. There are many disciplines of Astronomy that are making observations which are changing the way we understand the entire universe. Astronomers are comparing these decades to those when Einstein and Plank created a revolution in Physics in the early 1900s.
For example, In the last 10 years we have discovered more planets outside our solar system than ever before, 300 planets. This year the Kepler satellite was launched and will monitor over 100,000 stars for signs of orbiting planets, so soon we will find even more. Also this year the European Space Agency launched the Planck satellite which will let us look back to a time when Galaxies began to form. To put that in perspective – human life on Earth Started .007 billion years ago (7 million years ago) – Hershel will look back to 13.2 billion years in the past. That’s more than 8 billion years before our sun and planets even existed!
I’d like to encourage you to participate during the International Year of Astronomy because it’s a wonderful science that is rapidly changing with new observations year by year. With recent technologies we’re learning more about our whole universe per year than ever before.
I invite you to listen to some excellent podcasts which will entertain you, and help you to learn more about… well, everything!
iTunes : 365 Days of Astronomy – ( Site : http://365daysofastronomy.org/) : This podcast provides a new Astronomy segment each day for all of 2009. Each are about 15-30 min in length and the subject changes each day. Great to listen to on your way to work!
iTunes : TheJodcast – ( Site : http://www.jodcast.net/ ) : The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank (UK) provides a wonderful bi-monthly summary of the latest Astronomy news ands also information about Stargazing (looking at constellations and planets) for the month for both the northern and southern hemispheres
iTunes : Slacker Astronomy – ( Site : http://www.slackerastronomy.org/wordpress/ ) : This podcast specialises in interviews of Astronomers and gives a good lay men’s take on complex astronomy subject
While not a pod cast, make sure to check out the Bad Astronomy blog by Phil Plait. He covers many aspects of astronomy, and also subjects that scientific people can relate to.
If you want to get connected and help Astronomers checkout the American Association of Variable Star Observers : You can help Astronomers by watching stars and reporting your results with no equipment required. Just look at the stars and compare them, then report your results. It’s just that simple.
Everyone I know has as sometime looked to the sky at night and been in wonder about how and why our universe has come to be the way it is. Is other life out there. Can we reach other planets, like Mars or light years away. When I was at Bowling Green University I had a job for the Astronomy Department working for Dr. Dale Smith. I taught astronomy students about the sun, the planets, and the universe. And when I was even younger I remember being literally star struck when my father would point out constellations.
How can we not be in wonder about the universe around us?
This is your time and mine to learn more about our place in the universe. Get listening and see how you can participate in the International Year of Astronomy.
