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Imagine that you are looking at the starry sky. Some stars twinkle and you won’t understand why. Suddenly, you notice a shooting star and a constellation forming the Big Dipper. A lunar eclipse occurs and you are curious. There are so many fun and interesting things in astronomy, and becoming an amateur astronomer is not that difficult.

Steps

Read astronomy literature. Just looking at the sky isn't enough, so check out your local library and grab a couple of books from the astronomy section. Many publications are devoted to this topic, designed for both beginners and those who already know something about the stars. On the Internet you can also find a lot of information about astronomy and many different pictures on this topic.

Visit a planetarium or observatory. Many observatories have large, expensive telescopes, and many amazing celestial phenomena can be observed in them. Check with your local science museum if they have days when anyone can use their telescope and look up at the sky. It is best to come to the observatory at night. Climb up the turret; look at the sky without magnification and through a telescope, and then compare what you see with what you read in books. In planetariums, the starry sky is projected onto the ceiling. The chairs tilt back, the room gets dark and you can start looking at the stars in the sky. This is a great way to get started in astronomy, as it will help you get expert answers to your questions and meet people with similar interests.

Buy a star atlas or star chart. Thanks to the atlas, you will begin to understand what stars and constellations you see when you look at the sky. The card can most likely be borrowed from the library, but since you will often need it in the future, it is better to buy your own. If you have little money, download the map from the Internet and print it on a printer.

Find a good observation spot away from city lights. Consider going to a large park. Find out if your city has starry sky presentations. It is possible to look at the sky without a telescope, since our eyes can see many details of the starry sky without any equipment. Looking at the sky without the help of any devices, one can understand what the ancient astronomers saw when there was no talk of any equipment. Lie on the grass and look up at the sky. In this position, the sky takes on a different form, and it will seem to you that you are alone in the universe. Find the North Star and trace the entire sky map from it. Your map should reflect the current position of the stars based on date and location. If you have already read books about astronomy, you will be able to find the Small Dipper and other constellations or clusters of stars in the sky.

Buy binoculars. If studying the starry sky fascinates you, good binoculars will allow you to see the stars up close. 10x50 binoculars are best suited for this purpose.

Get a telescope. There are several types of telescopes that differ from each other in terms of functionality and price. But for astronomical research, you do not need the most expensive binoculars - the binocular aperture (that is, the size of the light-sensitive plate) is more important. The larger the aperture, the brighter the image will be. The second important lens characteristic is the focal length of the binoculars, as this affects how much you can see. The magnification is lighter than the quality of the optics. It is best to first go to an astronomy event to ask those present to use their binoculars and see which one is best for you.

Join an astronomy club. Astronomy is very popular in many cities, so search the Internet for information on such associations or call your local planetarium. In Russia there is an astronomical circle at the Moscow Planetarium, as well as clubs at some universities and lyceums. In the club you can meet those who know more than you, as well as newcomers who, just like you, have just got to get acquainted with this science.

Attend special events. Sometimes amateur astronomers get together to observe the sky together, and many of them are members of astronomy clubs. This can be very exciting because someone might point you to an area in the sky or constellations that you might not have noticed before.

Subscribe to an astronomy magazine. There are plenty of publications for amateur astronomers to find monthly calendars, stargazing tips, stunning photographs, and the latest information on new astronomical discoveries and products.

Subscribe to astronomy podcasts. If you speak English, you will love “What” s Up in Astronomy ”,“ StarDate ”,“ SkyWatch. ”They are completely free and you can find them on iTunes or any other podcast site.

Join the league of astronomers or a similar organization. Membership in a large organization will give you the opportunity to meet many other astronomers and participate in joint activities... Many leagues provide programs for a wide variety of participants, regardless of age, equipment and knowledge level. In addition, by participating in the programs, you will acquire a huge amount of knowledge and will be able to receive certificates confirming them.

Enjoy your new hobby. Astronomy can be studied for a lifetime, as there will always be something new to consider. In addition, amateur astronomers often contribute to the development of this science - they were able to discover new stars, comets and other phenomena before they were noticed by professionals. In astronomy, you don't have to be a professional to make a discovery.

• Do not wear sun filters over your lenses - they are destroyed by the heat and are dazzling.
• Do not look at the sun with unprotected eyes, including binoculars or a telescope. This can damage your vision, and it will not be able to recover on its own.

What do you need

• Atlas of the starry sky
• Observation notepad
• Binoculars, telescope (optional)
• Compass
• Lantern with red filter or cellophane

- An amateur astronomer is a very special situation. A sports lover, for example, sits on the couch and watches others doing sports. It would be more accurate to say "amateur astronomer". In fact, people are engaged in scientific research, but in their free time from work. Their hobby, in addition to satisfaction, brings quite scientific results.

There are very few professional astronomers in the world - about 15 thousand people around the globe. Almost all of us are united in the International Astronomical Society, so we know perfectly well how many of us there are, and we are not enough to keep track of all celestial phenomena.

And there are hundreds of thousands of astronomy amateurs who are quite qualified to observe and record scientific facts. They now have excellent technique, and in this sense they sometimes are not inferior to professionals.

In our area there are quite a few unscrupulous figures, it is difficult for them to tell something on scientific topics. Public lectures are difficult. I think we need to focus on brands as products that have not let us down for many years. If a lecture on astronomy is offered by a well-known brand - "Illuminator", the Moscow Polytechnic Museum - then you can be sure that this is a quality product. So it is with online lectures from Moscow State University and other large universities, with lectures from Lectorium or Coursera, which also hold a high standard.

And there are some areas where people of a romantic nature do not talk about facts, but about what fascinates them. The alleged facts are given where and when the flying saucers were observed, without any professional analysis of what it could really be. What phenomena in the atmosphere, in near space, in the head of a person could seem like alien ships? These people sincerely want to meet brothers in mind. But often they have a hypertrophied curiosity, and there is not enough knowledge either in meteorology or in astronomy. In such cases, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will be told a fairy tale for adults, and not scientific facts.

When a person does not have enough time or knowledge to do something in science, he wants to join it in an easier way, although the most appropriate word here is “fantasy”. And statements that allegedly official science does not recognize flying saucers and somehow infringes on UFO lovers warm their souls.

Well, let it be, this is more harmless than fictions, for example, on the topic of medicine, which do not work, or astrology, under which there is nothing.

The point is that not every listener is satisfied even by highly qualified lecturers. Every professional - my colleagues and I - have their own preferences. Astronomy is an international science. It makes no difference to us which of our colleagues is working today in which part of the world, at which telescope. We have one subject of research - the sky. Very often, especially in those cases when the audience is expecting a story about astronautics, they expect patriotic moments in the lecture. From experience I can say that an objective story about cosmonautics, without demonstrating a national identity, does not satisfy everyone. Here it is no longer possible to talk about the lecturer's professionalism - rather, it is a matter of the preferences of the public, but this has nothing to do with science.

Igor Tirsky, amateur astronomer, popularizer of astronomy and cosmonautics, community leaderLifestyleastronomy, a graduate of the Aerospace Faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute:

- Stargazing is best when you know what you are looking at. And to find out, you need a good book on astronomy. I once read the encyclopedia “Astronomy. Avanta + ”,“ A handbook of an amateur astronomy ”by Pyotr Kulikovsky and especially loved the books by Yakov Perelman“ Entertaining astronomy ”and“ Entertaining geometry ”. After reading at least two or three books on astronomy, you will understand it better than 99% of the inhabitants of the planet Earth - this helps a lot in mastering the difficult, but wonderful science.

I grew up in Yakutia, the starry night sky is beautiful there. No flare, so it was often possible to observe the stars. In big cities, the sky is lit up by street lighting, advertisements, and so on - here comes in handy a light map (with the markings of the least and most exposed places. - RT). You will have to drive 80 kilometers from the metropolis, preferably to the south.

• globallookpress.com
• Markus Obländer

You need to prepare the telescope, go to the observation site, take food, get comfortable and start observing, while recording what is happening in a notebook or on a camera. If the traveler, in order not to get lost, needs a map of the area, then the lover of astronomy should use an atlas of the starry sky, a moving map of the starry sky, or a school astronomical calendar, which can be found in any bookstore, in online stores or in the local planetarium. Although now you can get by with a smartphone application.

In high school, I was allowed to take a school refractor telescope with a 60mm lens to watch the starry sky in the evenings and nights. Our entire small town knew me: everyone who passed by strove to look into the eyepiece and see the stunning beauty of space, was surprised and went on about his business. Today, you can also join those who already have experience in observing. For example, to the "sidewalkers" - amateurs who often take their telescopes out into the street. With them, you can observe the starry sky, the Moon and the planets, and sometimes, if you're lucky, even a rare astronomical phenomenon. By the way, flickering stars are planets. Five are visible in the sky at different times: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. And someone was lucky to see Uranus with the naked eye - they say that this is possible.

If you have binoculars or a reflex camera, then you need to buy a tripod to observe the starry sky. A telephoto lens with a focal length of 200 mm or more can be attached to the camera, and then it will turn into a full-fledged telescope. If you still want a telescope, then it is better to choose an inexpensive one, in the region of 10-15 thousand rubles, with a lens diameter (or aperture) of about 80-100 mm, a refractor telescope is better suited. This will be enough for a start.

Stanislav Korotkiy, scientific director of the Ka-Dar observatory, creator of projectsScience & Travel and AstroAlert, discoverer of asteroids, novae and supernovae, astrophotographer:

- For me it all started at the age of 12 - this is 1995. I went to circles, took part in observations outside the city, participated and won Olympiads. Later he tried to enter the astronomy department at Moscow State University, but did not have enough points. I went to a pedagogical institute and led an astronomical circle at the Palace of Pioneers. He taught astronomy and at the same time was engaged in scientific observations. Then I was noticed and invited to work at the observatory.

Having received the first experience of observing the simplest objects and having studied the map of the starry sky, you can start going out of town and take pictures - modern digital devices allow you to get decent material. Then everything depends on specific interests: you can simply observe, follow the news of astronomy, or make discoveries on your own.

In astronomy, there are entire areas in which it is amateurs, not professionals, who are engaged, for example, the study of variable stars. This is a very broad subject, and professional astronomers will not be enough to study millions (if not billions) of such stars.

You can also use the work of professionals. That is, not to make observations, but, sitting at home at a computer, use data, for example, from the Kepler space telescope and, on their basis, try to discover exoplanets. This is done quite successfully by many amateur astronomers. With a telescope about 40-50 centimeters in diameter, you can search for comets and asteroids. Another possible task is to register the fall of meteors and asteroids on other planets and the Moon.

• globallookpress.com
• Goddard / Lunar Recon.

- At school I was asked to write a report on the study of the moon - that is how it all began. Then I read Shklovsky, "The Universe, Life, Reason." Something was unclear, but I still understood something. In general, astronomy is real, but it is difficult to study from home. There is a concept of "balcony astronomy", but in the city you can only observe bright enough objects, for example, the Sun. With special filters, you can see large, complex spots. There are also filters, the so-called ash-alpha, through which interesting images of the Sun with prominences and complex structures on it are obtained.

You can also observe the confrontation from the city. Next year there will be a confrontation with Mars (on July 27, 2018, the distance from Mars to Earth will be less than 60 million km. - RT). Jupiter and Galilean moons are visible (the four largest moons of Jupiter. - RT) and, of course, bright stars. Many, probably, would like to see nebulae or something else interesting, but this is unlikely to work in the city.

New information about space exploration is constantly emerging. For example, NASA recently recalled the Surveyor - American spacecraft of the 1960s (sent to the moon. - RT). Now they lifted the films and carefully rescanned them. As for the Moon, from 1957 to 1976 - the year of completion of all projects - we learned many times more than in the entire history of its study. Then the foundation of the entire rocket and space industry was actually created both in the USSR (later Russia) and the United States. Of course, it was a race, the devices were launched so often that sometimes they did not have time to process the information. As a result, we can note the problems with the historical evidence of both Russia and the United States.

In my opinion, the existing books lack a large, coherent picture. In Russian, there are no complete descriptions of the American interplanetary stations, which then flew to the Moon. These are either specific scientific reports of those times, or brief descriptions on Wikipedia, from which it is not clear what was hidden behind these flights, what the relationship looked like, what the devices gave and what they didn’t. I want to try to make a picture of this competition from both sides.

As for Venus, in 1961 any normal astronomer would agree that there could be life on the planet. That it is a cloudy twin of the Earth, dinosaurs can walk there, a tropical paradise and so on. And even if there are no dinosaurs there, then there will be life. In the late 1960s, astronomers no longer thought so.

• Venus is reflected in the waters of the Pacific Ocean
• Brocken inaglory

The question arises: who proved that there is no life there, that other theories are true? There was no direct answer in the literature I read. It became interesting to me, and I began to study this topic. So I found out what Venera-4 received, what Mariner-2 brought, then Mariner-5.

Vitaly Egorov, organizer of the project to create a private microsatellite, employee of the private space company Dauria Aerospace, popular science blogger:

- If a space lover is 12-15 years old or even less, then he can diligently prepare to connect his life with space: lean on algebra, geometry, physics, biology, foreign languages, physical education (in this sequence), and after getting higher education in natural sciences or engineering, one can become an astrophysicist, designer of spaceships and satellites, or even an astronaut. If space is love, but not so much, then you can, of course, start by buying a telescope.

To me, it's better to study than to spy. Sometimes you can find news that amateur astronomers are discovering asteroids or comets, but if you find out the details, it turns out that these amateurs are no worse or better prepared than the professionals. Therefore, most often the telescope on the balcony, like full bookshelves, is an indicator of the owner's broad outlook. This is the answer to the question of what to do with your astronomical knowledge if you are not an astronomer. Make an impression on others!

Welcome to the main page of the astronomical part of our site, which is completely devoted to amateur astronomy and is focused on observing celestial bodies and phenomena. Since we focus on the beginner astronomy lovers who are taking the first steps in the study of the mysteries of the starry sky, we have restored our old slogan - "Open the sky for yourself!", because on the pages of our site we are still trying to help beginners understand star patterns, master the basic skills of astronomical observations.

Where to start mastering astronomy? Of course, from an acquaintance with the starry sky! And you can get acquainted with the main constellations in ours. On the very first clear evening, look at the sky and find the Big Dipper's bucket on it. It was he for many who was, is and will be the starting point for the search for other constellations. First, find the circumpolar constellations, such as the already mentioned Ursa Major, then Ursa Minor with the Pole Star, Dragon, Cassiopeia, Cepheus. Then, depending on the time of year and the position in the sky of the "big bucket", get acquainted with other constellations, descending further south and south. The "visiting card" of the winter sky is the constellation Orion, which attracts the attention of even people far from astronomy, in the spring - the constellation Bootes with the bright orange star Arcturus, in summer and autumn - the summer-autumn triangle formed by bright stars - Vega, Deneb and Altair. And with all the constellations visible in your area, you can get acquainted (and begin to navigate freely among them) in about one year (or even less - depending on how much time you plan to devote to your new hobby and whether you are ready to sacrifice hours of sleep from time to time for the sake of meeting the stars). It is a good knowledge of the constellations that will allow you in the future, when you get binoculars and a telescope, to find nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, faint objects of the solar system in the sky, such as Uranus, Neptune, asteroids and comets.

When and which telescope to buy? Definitely, when you get involved in a hobby and explore the constellations. But it is best to start with binoculars, because it allows you to find many different objects in the sky that are inaccessible to the observation with the naked eye, and it is also easy to take it with you on vacation outside the city, abroad, thereby expanding your observing skills and replenishing the piggy bank of successful observations.

Also you can familiarize yourself with the amazing world of astronomical observations. Perhaps it will be not only interesting to some of you, but also useful.

Space - airless space - has neither beginning nor end. In the endless cosmic void, here and there, singly and in groups, the stars are located. Small groups of tens, hundreds, or thousands of stars are called star clusters. They are part of giant (of millions and billions of stars) superclusters of stars called galaxies. There are about 200 billion stars in our Galaxy. Galaxies are tiny star islands in the vast ocean of space called the Universe.

The entire starry sky is conventionally divided by astronomers into 88 sections - constellations that have certain boundaries. All cosmic bodies visible within the boundaries of a given constellation are included in this constellation. In fact, the stars in the constellations are not connected in any way either with each other, or with the Earth, and even less so with people on Earth. We just see them in this area of ​​the sky. There are constellations named after animals, objects and people. You need to know the outlines and be able to find the constellations in the sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Orion, Lyra, Eagle, Swan, Leo. The brightest star in the starry sky is Sirius.

All phenomena in nature occur in space. The space visible around us on the surface of the Earth is called the horizon. The border of the visible space, where the sky, as it were, touches the surface of the earth, is called the horizon line. If you climb a tower or mountain, the horizon will expand. If we move forward, the horizon line will move away from us. It is impossible to reach the horizon line. On an even place, open on all sides, the horizon line has the shape of a circle. There are 4 main sides of the horizon: north, south, east and west. Between them are the intermediate sides of the horizon: northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest. In the diagrams, it is customary to designate north at the top. The number that shows how many times the real distances in the drawing are reduced (increased) is called a scale. The scale is used when building a plan and a map. The plan of the area is made on a large scale, and the maps are on a small scale.

To orientate means to know your location in relation to known objects, to be able to determine the direction of the path along the known sides of the horizon. At noon, the Sun is above the south point, and the midday shadow from objects is directed to the north. You can navigate by the Sun only in clear weather. A compass is a device for determining the sides of the horizon. The compass can be used to determine the sides of the horizon in any weather, day and night. The main part of the compass is a magnetized needle. When not supported by a fuse, the arrow is always positioned along the north-south line. The sides of the horizon can also be determined by local features: by detached trees, anthills, stumps. To get your bearings correctly, it is imperative to use several local features.

It is easy to find the North Star along the constellation Ursa Major. Polaris is a dim star. It is always above the north side of the horizon and never goes beyond the horizon. By the North Star at night, you can determine the sides of the horizon: if you stand facing the North Star, then there will be north in front, south behind, east on the right, and west on the left.

Stars are huge red-hot balls of gas. On a clear moonless night, 3,000 stars are available for observation with the naked eye. These are the closest, hottest and biggest stars. They are similar to the Sun, but they are millions and billions of times farther from us than the Sun. Therefore, we see them as luminous points. We can say that the stars are distant suns. A modern rocket launched from Earth can reach the nearest star only after hundreds of thousands of years. Other stars are even further away from us. In astronomical instruments - telescopes - millions of stars can be observed. The telescope collects light from cosmic bodies and increases their apparent dimensions. Through a telescope, you can see faint stars invisible to the naked eye, but even in the most powerful telescope, any stars look like luminous points, only brighter.

Stars are not the same in size: some are tens of times larger than the Sun, others are hundreds of times smaller than it. And the temperature of the stars is also different. The color of the star depends on the temperature of the outer layers of the star. The coldest are red stars, the hottest are blue. The hotter and larger the star, the brighter it shines.

The sun is a huge red-hot ball of gas. The sun is 109 times the diameter of the Earth and 333,000 times the mass of the Earth. More than 1 million earths could fit inside the sun. The Sun is the closest star to us, it has an average size and average temperature. The sun is a yellow star. The sun shines because atomic reactions take place inside it. Temperature at the surface of the Sun 6000° C. At this temperature, all substances are in a special gaseous state. With depth, the temperature rises and in the center of the Sun, where atomic reactions take place, reaches 15,000,000 ° C. Astronomers and physicists are studying the Sun and other stars so that people on Earth can build nuclear reactors that can provide energy to all the energy needs of mankind.

An incandescent substance emits light and heat. Light travels at a speed of about 300,000 km / s. From the Sun to the Earth, light flies for 8 minutes 19 seconds. Light propagates in a straight line from any luminous object. Most of the surrounding bodies do not emit their own light. We see them because the light from the luminous bodies falls on them. Therefore, they are said to shine with reflected light.

The sun is essential for life on earth. The sun illuminates and warms the Earth and other planets in the same way as a fire illuminates and warms people sitting around it. If the Sun went out, the Earth would plunge into darkness. Plants and animals would have died from the extreme cold. The sun's rays heat the earth's surface unevenly. The higher the Sun is above the horizon, the more the surface heats up, the higher the air temperature. The highest position of the Sun is observed at the equator. From the equator to the poles, the height of the Sun decreases, and the supply of heat also decreases. Ice never melts around the poles of the Earth, there is permafrost.

The earth we live on is a huge ball, but it's hard to notice. Therefore, for a long time it was believed that the Earth is flat, and from above it is covered, like a cap, with a solid and transparent firmament. In the future, people received a lot of evidence of the sphericity of the Earth. The scaled-down model of the Earth is called a globe. The globe depicts the shape of the Earth and its surface. If you transfer the image of the Earth's surface from a globe to a map and conditionally divide it into two hemispheres, you get a map of the hemispheres.

The Earth is many times smaller than the Sun. The diameter of the Earth is about 12,750 km. The Earth revolves around the Sun at a distance of about 150,000,000 km. Each turnover is called a year. There are 12 months in a year: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Each month for 30 or 31 days (in February 28 or 29 days). In total, there are 365 whole days a year and a few more hours.

It used to be thought that a small sun was moving around the earth. Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus argued that the earth moves around the sun. Giordano Bruno is an Italian scientist who supported the idea of ​​Copernicus, for which he was burned by the inquisitors.

The earth rotates from west to east around an imaginary line - the axis, and from the surface it seems to us that the sun, moon and stars move across the sky from east to west. The starry sky rotates as a whole, while the stars maintain their position relative to each other. The starry sky completes 1 revolution in the same time as the Earth completes 1 revolution around its axis.

Day is on the side illuminated by the Sun, and night is on the side that is in the shade. Rotating, the Earth exposes the sun's rays to one side, then the other. This is how day and night change. The Earth makes 1 revolution around its axis in 1 day. The day lasts 24 hours. The hour is divided into 60 minutes. A minute is divided into 60 seconds. Day - daylight hours, night - dark hours of the day. Day and night make up a day ("day and night - day away").

The points at which the axis comes out on the surface of the Earth are called poles. There are two of them - north and south. The equator is an imaginary line that runs equidistant from the poles and divides the globe into northern and southern hemispheres. The equator is 40,000 km long.

The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted to Earth's orbit. Because of this, the height of the Sun above the horizon and the length of day and night in the same area of ​​the Earth change throughout the year. The higher the sun is above the horizon, the longer the day lasts. From December 22 to June 22, the height of the Sun at noon increases, the length of the day increases, then the height of the Sun decreases, and the day becomes shorter. Therefore, 4 seasons (seasons) were singled out in the year: summer is hot, with short nights and long days, and the Sun rising high above the horizon; winter - cold, with short days and long nights, with the Sun rising low above the horizon; spring is a transitional season from winter to summer; autumn is a transitional season from summer to winter. Each season has 3 months: summer - June, July, August; autumn - September, October, November; winter - December, January, February; spring - March, April, May. When it is summer in the northern hemisphere of the Earth, it is winter in the southern hemisphere. And vice versa.

Eight huge spherical bodies move around the Sun in orbits. Some of them are larger than the Earth, others are smaller. But they are all much smaller than the Sun and do not emit their own light. They are planets. Earth is one of the planets. The planets shine with reflected sunlight, so we can see them in the sky. The planets move at different distances from the Sun. The planets are located from the Sun in this order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The largest planet, Jupiter, is 11 times the diameter of the Earth and 318 times its mass. The smallest of the major planets, Mercury, is 3 times smaller in diameter than the Earth.

The closer a planet is to the Sun, the hotter it is, and the farther from the Sun, the colder it is on it. At noon, the surface of Mercury heats up to +400 ° C. The most distant of the major planets - Neptune - is cooled down to -200 ° С.

The closer a planet is to the Sun, the shorter its orbit, the faster the planet goes around the Sun. The Earth makes 1 revolution around the Sun in 1 year or 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds. For the convenience of the calendar, every 3 "simple" years of 365 days, 1 "leap" year of 366 days is included. On Mercury, a year lasts only 88 Earth days. On Neptune, 1 year lasts 165 years. All planets revolve around their axes, some faster, others slower.

Their satellites revolve around the major planets. Satellites are similar to planets, but much smaller in mass and size.

The Earth has only 1 satellite - the Moon. In the sky, the sizes of the Moon and the Sun are about the same, although the Sun is 400 times the diameter of the Moon. This is because the moon is 400 times closer to the earth than the sun. The moon does not emit its own light. We see it because it shines with reflected sunlight. If the sun were extinguished, the moon would also be extinguished. The moon revolves around the earth in the same way that the earth revolves around the sun. The moon participates in the diurnal movement of the starry sky, while slowly moving from one constellation to another. The moon changes its appearance in the sky (phases) from one new moon to another new moon in 29.5 days, depending on how the sun illuminates it. The moon rotates on its axis, so the moon also changes day and night. However, a day on the Moon does not last 24 hours, as on Earth, but 29.5 Earth days. Two weeks on the moon lasts a day, and two weeks lasts a night. A stone moon ball from the sunny side heats up to +170 ° С.

From the Earth to the Moon 384,000 km. The moon is the closest cosmic body to the Earth. The Moon is 4 times smaller than the Earth in diameter and 81 times smaller in mass. The moon makes 1 revolution around the Earth in 27 Earth days. The moon is always facing the earth with the same side. We never see the other side from Earth. But with the help of automatic stations, it was possible to photograph the far side of the moon. Lunar rovers rode on the moon. The first person to set foot on the lunar surface is American Neil Armstrong (in 1969).

The moon is a natural satellite of the earth. Natural means created by nature. In 1957, the first artificial Earth satellite was launched in our country. "Artificial" means made by people. Today, several thousand artificial satellites fly around the Earth. They move in orbits at different distances from the Earth. Satellites are needed to predict the weather, draw up accurate geographic maps, control the movement of ice in the oceans, for military intelligence, for the transmission of television programs, they carry out cellular communication of mobile phones.

Through a telescope, mountains are visible on the moon, plains - the so-called. lunar seas and craters. Craters are pits that form when large and small meteorites fall on the moon. There is no water or air on the moon. Therefore, there is no life either.

Mars has two tiny moons. Jupiter has the largest number of satellites - 63. Mercury and Venus have no satellites.

17. Several hundred thousand asteroids, iron-stone blocks, move around the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The diameter of the largest asteroid is about 1,000 km, and the smallest known - about 500 meters.

From far away from the very borders of the solar system, from time to time, huge comets (tailed luminaries) approach the sun. Comet nuclei are ice blocks of solidified gases, into which solid particles and stones are frozen. The closer to the Sun, the warmer. Therefore, when a comet approaches the Sun, its core begins to evaporate. The tail of a comet is a stream of gases and dust particles. A comet's tail increases as the comet approaches the Sun and decreases as the comet moves away from the Sun. Comets decay over time. A lot of comet and asteroid debris is floating in space. Sometimes they fall to Earth. Debris of asteroids and comets that fell on Earth or another planet are called meteorites.

Inside the solar system, many small pebbles and dust particles the size of a pinhead - meteoric bodies - revolve around the Sun. Bursting into the Earth's atmosphere at high speed, they heat up from friction against the air and burn high in the sky, and it seems to people that a star has fallen from the sky. This phenomenon is called a meteor.

The sun and all cosmic bodies revolving around it - planets with their satellites, asteroids, comets, meteoric bodies - form the solar system. Other stars are not part of the solar system.

The sun, earth, moon and stars are cosmic bodies. Cosmic bodies are very diverse: from a small grain of sand to a huge sun. Astronomy is the science of cosmic bodies. To study them, they build large telescopes, organize flights of astronauts around the Earth and to the Moon, and send automatic devices into space.

The science of space flight and space exploration using spacecraft is called cosmonautics. Yuri Gagarin is the first cosmonaut of the planet Earth. He was the first to fly around the globe (in 108 minutes) on the Vostok spacecraft (April 12, 1961). Alexei Leonov is the first person to walk out of a spacecraft into outer space in a spacesuit (1965). Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman in space (1963). But before a man flew into space, scientists launched animals - monkeys and dogs. The first living creature in space is Laika the dog (1961).

Astronomy is the science of space objects and celestial phenomena, in short, the study of the sky. This is the study of the nature of the universe in which we live. Astronomers conduct their research by looking through telescopes and "listening" (when it comes to radio telescopes). They have small telescopes, huge observatories and satellites that revolve around the Earth and study the types of radiation (such as ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays) that the atmosphere blocks the way to Earth. Telescopes are launched on rockets for studying the upper atmosphere (these are rockets equipped with instruments for conducting scientific observations at high altitudes) and on unmanned balloons. Several instruments are also launched aboard spacecraft for deep space exploration.

There is professional and amateur astronomy. Currently, there are about 13 thousand professional astronomers and hundreds of thousands of amateurs in the world, of which about 300 thousand live in the United States alone.

Professional astronomers conduct research on the Sun and Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy (which contains our solar system) and the Universe beyond our galaxy. They teach students at universities, design satellites in laboratories, and work in planetariums. They also write books, such as the one you are currently holding in your hands. Most of them have a Ph.D. degree. It should be noted that today many astronomers are engaged in theoretical physics, work with robotic telescopes, and therefore are very far from direct observation of the night sky. Sometimes they don't even know where to look for a particular constellation in the sky.

Amateur astronomers usually know the constellations. Astronomy is an exciting hobby for them. Some are engaged in research on their own, while others unite in astronomical clubs and organizations. Clubs usually hold meetings where experienced professionals advise beginners on the technique and equipment to use; scientists are sometimes invited to club meetings to lecture, talk about the latest scientific advances, and show photographs and slides.

In addition, the clubs organize joint observations when everyone brings telescopes with them (or looks through others' telescopes). These events take place regularly (for example, every first Saturday of the month) or on special occasions (the return of a large meteor shower in August every year, or the appearance of a bright comet such as comet Hale-Bopp or Hyakutake). Similar events are also held in connection with really important events, such as a total eclipse of the Sun. And then thousands of amateur astronomers and dozens of professionals travel to that point in the world where they can witness one of the greatest spectacles of nature - a total solar eclipse.

In this book you will find everything you need to take up astronomy, join this hobby of hundreds of thousands of people and make it your hobby. You will get the basics of astronomical knowledge - about the solar system, our galaxy and the universe. The meaning of modern space exploration will become clearer to you. You will understand why a space probe has been launched to Saturn and its huge moon Titan, why scientists are hoping to collect some dust from the comet's tail using spacecraft, and why they look into the distance of the Hubble telescope. And when newspapers or television report on the latest astronomical discoveries made with spacecraft, large telescopes in Arizona, Hawaii, Chile and California, or other observatories scattered around the world, you will understand what is at stake. and you will be able to appreciate the importance of discovery.

Perhaps you are reading this book because you want to know what is happening in the sky or what scientists are researching when conducting space programs. Or maybe you have heard that astronomy is a wonderful hobby and you want to understand if it is right for you and what equipment you need.

You are not a scientist. You just enjoy watching the night sky; you are seized with a thirst for knowledge and you want to see and understand the inexpressible beauty of the Universe.

You want to observe the stars, but you are also interested in what you see. You might even want to make your own discovery. You don't need to be an astronomer to find a new comet. You can help scientists hear the signal from aliens. Whatever your goal, this book will help you achieve it.

Astronomy fascinates and captivates. So keep reading, you are on the right track. Before you even have time to look back, you will find the famous constellations, stars and planets. The neighbors will call you "astrologer". Perhaps law enforcement officers will ask you what you are doing in the park at night or why you climbed onto the roof with these large binoculars. Tell them that you are an astronomer and hopefully they will lag behind.

If you have already looked at the table of contents, then you know that the book is in six parts. Below is a brief description of what you will find in each of these parts.

You watch the stars night after night (well, not every night, of course, but still ...). You are fascinated by the cosmos just like all people at all times. You look, wonder and want to know more. What are these lights in the sky? Why do they look and move like this and not otherwise? Are any of them dangerous to us? Should we signal to our cosmic fellows?

In this part, I give tips on how to observe celestial objects with and without optical instruments, how to choose binoculars and a telescope, and how to find the best observation site. I will introduce you to the delightful guests from space and help you continue your exploration of the mysteries of the universe.

The desire to get to know the neighbors is quite natural. Earth's neighbors are planets, satellites and planetary debris moving around the sun. Like all neighbors, they have some common characteristics, but at the same time they are all very different.

This part focuses on observing the planets so you can recognize them. But we will also try to find an answer to an important question: does life exist somewhere other than Earth? Alas, we cannot yet answer this question. But scientists keep looking. And who knows, maybe one day someone will find the right answer.

Want to learn about distant galaxies? In this part, we will start with the Sun and other stars, and then we will get acquainted with red giants and white dwarfs, look into distant galaxies and exotic celestial objects, and end with black holes.

But as the great astronomer and romantic Carl Sagan said, we are all made of stellar matter. Therefore, knowing about the stars and their diversity will allow us to strengthen our connection with the entire universe.

This part talks about the brightest celestial objects, observing which you can get a lot of pleasure. We will also look at the stages of the life cycle of stars, so that you can appreciate these sources of energy in the universe, which are of unrelenting interest.

Read this part when you get tired of everyday life, want to be distracted and inspired by ideas that excite the mind and whip up the imagination. Sipping juice through a straw, read about SETI, that is, the program for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Indeed, do scientists have any evidence that these little green men are somewhere near us? Read about dark matter and antimatter (yes, antimatter exists in the real world, not just science fiction books). And then embrace the entire Universe in your mind's eye and reflect on how she was born, what she is now and what will happen to her next.

Have you ever been at a party in despair to think: what would be so unusual and interesting to say? You have strained your brain in search of clever thoughts to capture the attention of the audience and make everyone believe in your extraordinary intellectual abilities. Well, after reading this part, you will be ready at the next opportunity to insert a couple of smart phrases and show off your erudition. Here are ten amazing facts about space that will guarantee everyone's interest and attention. And then I'll introduce you to ten major mistakes that humanity in general and the media in particular have made and continue to make when they talk about astronomy.

Here is information useful for observing the sky in the years to come. Here are the maps of the starry sky, which will help you navigate and find the constellations and stars you need. Also included is a dictionary of astronomical terms.

Throughout the book, cute little pictograms are used to draw your attention to particularly important and interesting information. What do these symbols mean?

This target indicates useful information to help you when observing the sky.

Observation is the key to astronomy, and I hope my advice will help you become a pro.

Sometimes you have to say something to impress your friends. This man in a spacesuit will tell you what to say.

How much trouble is in store for you when you just watch the stars? Not much if you are careful. But there are times when extra caution will not hurt. This bomb shows: you need to be careful not to "burn out".

Don't be fooled. This pictogram warns of what is actually hiding behind official messages and assumptions regarding astronomy.

This freaky guy appears where he lays out material that you probably won't need if you just want to know the basics and watch the sky for fun. Of course, it would be nice to have fundamental scientific knowledge. But many people successfully contemplate the stars and get a lot of pleasure from it, knowing almost nothing about the physics of supernovae, the mathematics of searching for galaxies and what dark energy is. So it's up to you whether to delve into science or not.

There are many resources on the World Wide Web devoted to astronomy and space. As you travel through these sites, you will be kept abreast of current affairs in astronomy. Unfortunately, website addresses change frequently. The book contains addresses valid at the time of publication of the book. Don't be surprised if some of them change over time.

Some astronomical methods and instruments seem to be more efficient and convenient. My favorite ones are marked with this icon.

You can start wherever you want. Are you worried about the fate of the universe? Start with the Big Bang. But, most likely, as you become more and more interested in astronomy, you will want to learn more, and this book will help you here.

Wherever you start, I hope that you will continue your space exploration and will be as fascinated and bewitched by the starry sky as all people at all times.