For Spigot
Science Magazine -- 2008 May/June
Theme: Earth in the Universe
How We Learn
About the Universe
By Glenn A.
Walsh,
Past Astronomical Observatory
Coordinator,
The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of
Popular Science,
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Thousands of years ago, men and women looked up at the sky and pondered the meaning of what they saw. They quickly learned that some sky objects, such as the Sun and the rain, were vital to their lives. They wondered if the tiny lights in the nighttime sky also had meaning in their lives.
This led to complex mythologies derived from the organization of stars into constellations or star pictures. And, as more patterns were identified, astrology began as a forerunner of Astronomy, often as part of religious rituals.
Early astronomical observatories, such as the famous
Stonehenge in
The invention of
the telescope, which celebrates its 400th anniversary next year, first
used for astronomical observing by Galileo, completely transformed Astronomy,
as it allowed much more detailed observations of objects that had previously
been a mystery to mankind. Soon, telescopes became larger, and hence able to
view more distant objects with greater detail, and mankind’s knowledge of the
Universe greatly increased.
Nineteenth
century astronomer Samuel Pierpont Langley developed a New Astronomy, later known as Astrophysics, which concentrates on
measuring the celestial bodies and analyzing their physical composition,
structure, and other properties. New instruments, such as the spectroscope
which analyzes the light from stars to determine their composition, were
invented.
Another
revolution in astronomical research came 50 years ago with the launch of
unmanned space probes by
Mankind has not
settled for just sending robots into space. Since 1961, men and women have started
traveling into space for even more detailed exploration. On July 20, 1969,
astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first of twelve Americans to
explore the Moon’s surface. Current plans are for more astronauts to return to
the Moon within the next twenty years, and to Mars later on..
Scientific exploration is not the only reason for people to extensively explore outer space. As the world population continues increasing, and resources to support that population continue dwindling, we need to find new resources, out there, to help support the people on our planet.
You can learn
more about Astronomy and Space Sciences in several ways. Of course, the
Internet is a wonderful new resource, however you have to be cautious of the
source of various web sites. To ensure you are receiving reliable information,
you should always use web sites of major scientific organizations, such as
NASA, and universities. Public libraries are also a wonderful resource for
finding reliable scientific information.
If available in
or near your community, you can also visit a planetarium, science center or
museum, or an astronomical observatory (often located at a local college or
university) to learn more about Astronomy. And, you can inquire at your public
library or planetarium whether an amateur astronomers stargazing club exists in
your area.
gaw