Jupiter is one of the five classical planets, and appears to the naked eye as one of the brightest “stars” in the sky. So I guess you could say it was discovered by the same person who discovered the Moon, or the Sun! More seriously, Jupiter has always been known, to all cultures around the world that watched the sky. Comments? Questions? Why not mail me at uastronomer@gmail.com
Continue reading →One of the questions most dreaded by astronomers is “What’s your star sign?”. The people asking are usually only dimly aware that star signs are an actual thing based on real stars in the sky. Since time immemorial people have spotted patterns in the stars, some more distinct and obvious than others. In the western tradition, many of these patterns were named for mythological characters and themes, and came to be known as constellations. Thousands of years ago, twelve of … Continue reading →
People in the ATM (amateur telescope making) community sometimes talk about building “Robotic Telescopes”. They’re usually referring to a telescope which is permanently mounted in an observatory, and which can be operated by remote control – an important benefit on a cold winter’s night. But there is nothing new or surprising about the technology — professional telescopes at major observatories have been built this way for decades. The operator sits in front of a computer in a heated room, and … Continue reading →
Cultures around the world set aside special days every year as festivals, or times of remembrance. Modern examples (Worker’s Day, Mother’s Day, Independence Day, Valentine’s Day and others) all last 24 hours and take place on the same date every year. But the really old festivals, as observed by world religions, are often a little more flexible. Their dates can vary from year to year, sometimes differing by as much as a month. What gives? Astronomy wasn’t always the aesthetically … Continue reading →
Merry Christmas to all readers (Not just the christian ones, since Christmas long since transcended a celebration of the Christ. It’s even a huge deal in Japan, with less than 2% of the population reporting Christianity, for pete’s sake!), and a Happy New Year to you. Around this time of year, astronomers are often asked “What was the star of Bethlehem, exactly?”. It’s a difficult question, because we have so little information to go on, and what we have precludes … Continue reading →
