The Wonders of Astronomy
By Joseph Stutzman
Astronomy, the study of the celestial bodies and the universe, has long been the stuff of dreamers. Who hasn’t looked up at a sky filled with stars to wonder how they are millions or billions of light years away but are still able to shed their light on earth? How many times have you looked up at the night sky to wonder if a loved one or special friend miles away isn’t looking at the same stars that you are? If you have not had the chance to see the night sky, away from the scene-stealing lights of the city, you are missing a truly amazing testament to the wonder of the universe and to God himself.
Vow to take a trek. Pile the spouse or your significant other, along with all the kids and the dog, if you want, and go on a field trip. Take blankets, either to sit on or to wrap up in. Take folding chairs, take snacks and pack a telescope if you have one or can borrow one. To make it especially fun and even educational, take a book that has pictures of the constellations so that you can identify some of the same formations that the ancient Greeks and Romans spied. The truth is that their view was probably much more enhanced, as they had few lights to dim the light show in the sky, but if you travel far enough from the city lights, out from any neighborhoods or highway intersections or businesses from which artificial light emanates, you will find why the ancients, your ancestors, spent so much time looking spaceward. If taking a book, take a small flashlight or book light in order to be able to see it, but not one that is so bright it will take your eyes a long time to adjust. And go on a night when the moon is not full. The less moon, the better, because the light of the moon will also fade the beauty of the stars, even causing you to miss whole groups of them.
You will also find that making these treks at different times of the year will result in the recognizable constellations being in different parts of the sky. Now, most people can recognize the big and little dipper on sight, but can you recognize Orion or Cassiopeia or Draco? There are close to 200 constellations in the night sky, though all of them won’t be visible at any one time, or from any one location. A good source of information to find what to look for in your local night sky is to contact the closest college or high school. What are called ‘Star Parties’ are often part of the curriculum and include treks into wilderness areas for the sole purpose of learning more about the stars and the universe. Most schools will not hesitate to supply you with a copy of the type of material they are teaching, or at the least, to point you in the right direction.
Do you home school your children? As this is a growing trend, parents have amazing opportunities to expand their children’s knowledge base and to include rewarding field trips combined with learning. Even the very young child will enjoy being involved in activities of this kind. And, if you are lucky enough to have one close by, visit an observatory near you. They can bring the objects in the night sky almost close enough to touch.
At the least, a field trip to see the stars can be a quality family experience, and at the most….the sky is the limit!
Joseph has been writing articles online for nearly 5 years now. He enjoys writing articles about families and gardening, check out one of his favorite web sites Garden Harvest Supply which offers vegetable plants for sale, including a good selection of heirloom tomato plants.
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