I was first introduced to stargazing at age 10, and it opened my eyes to science at a young age. I try to go out and observe a little at least a couple times per season. However, due to increasing light pollution and dwendling observing locations, this seems like a hobby that won't be around much longer. In the last 25 years, you just cannot see anywhere near as much with the naked eye as you once could. This will continue to get worse, not better.
Topics
Here are some topics of astronomy that I am interested in:
- Amateur Radio Astronomy
- Eyepiece Projection Astrophotography
- Light Pollution Advocacy
- Lunar, Planetary, and Deep-Sky Object Observing
- Naked Eye Astronomy
- Software for Astronomy
- Space Exploration Advocacy
- Telescope Operation
Current Conditions
Provided by ClearDarkSky.
Upcoming Events
Here are some upcoming astronomical events:
Picture of the Day
Provided by APOD.
Related Links
- Amateur Astronomy Guide: Listing of local astronomy clubs
- APOD: Picture of the day from NASA
- Astronomy Magazine: An astronomy magazine
- Celestron
- ClearDarkSky: Forecasts of astronomical observing conditions
- DarkSiteFinder.com: Light pollution maps
- ESA: The European Space Agency website
- Heavens-Above: Information on satellites
- HubbleSite: Hubble space telescope news releases
- International Dark-Sky Association: Light pollution advocacy organization
- Light Pollution Map: Light pollution maps
- NASA: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration website
- NASA's Radio JOVE Project: Radio telescope kits for solar, Jovian, and galactic observing
- Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
- PSC Planetarium and Space Theatre: Planetarium in Pensacola, FL
- Sky & Telescope: An astronomy magazine
- Space Frontier Foundation: American space advocacy group
- SpaceWeather.com: Sun-Earth environment information
- Star Gazers: Weekly 5 minute PBS television series on naked eye astronomy
- Stellarium Web: Online planetarium
- The Astronomy League: Amateur Astronomy interest organization
- The Planetary Society: Space exploration interest organization
- Universe Today: Astronomy news
Related Software
Astronomy Picture of the Day
: APOD homescreen wallpaper
Celestia: Space 3D simulator; and Add-ons- KStars: Desktop planetarium
- Lux Lite: Auto brightness solution, include red Astronomy mode
- Marble: Virtual globe, includes Earth, the Moon, Venus, Mars and other planets
Stellarium: Very realistic desktop planetarium
Also...
Visit ##astronomy on Freenode, nick bigmalletman.