Astronomy
If the Internet has as many astronomy resources as there are stars in the sky, then think of this Web guide as your map to the best and brightest. Whether you are looking for planetary data, celestial gifts, or fellow star seekers, we'll help you navigate the heavenly sphere of astronomy-related sites and tools on the Web.
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Email ThisHistorical and Modern Astronomy
Astronomy is one of the oldest, most popular branches of science. Unlike practitioners of medicine and alchemy, ancient astronomers needed little more than parchment and their eyes to examine the heavens and keep track of what they saw. For modern practitioners, gaining astronomical knowledge is essential to appreciating the universe and contributing to the study of cosmology. As Newton said, "If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." These sites can help give you a leg up.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The Internet is a great place to start astronomy research, but it is only that: a starting place. For advanced research, visit your local library, museum, or astronomy research facility.
- Beware of sites posted by novices with outdated or incorrect information. As a general rule, the quality of the site (organization, design appeal, etc.) will mirror the quality of its information.
- Educational television networks like PBS and the Discovery Channel have made many excellent documentaries and lectures available on DVD. Most can be purchased through the network's site or on Amazon.com. Some may also be available at your local library. You can often find summaries, clips, and features from these programs on channels' Web sites.
Dulcinea's Picks
For the history of astronomy ...
Microsoft Encarta's Encyclopedia
offers concise, authoritative articles that are adequate for elementary or middle school reports––or casually curious adults on a coffee break at work. The "History of Astronomy" entry is sweeping and succinct.
The American Institute of Physics
has a history of cosmology that offers ample, though not overwhelming, coverage of ideas and tools for studying the universe. Serialized links at the bottom of each topic page make it easy to navigate chronologically (i.e., Naked Eye ‡ First Telescopes). And there are enough pictures to keep younger readers engaged.
Kent State University's Physics Department
compiled this page about famous astronomers and astrophysicists. It contains biographical links to other Web sites, though some of them are broken. The main menu gives users the option of chronological or alphabetical ordering; the former is better for general browsing, while the latter is better for locating a specific name.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
in Pasadena, California, is responsible for most of America's missions into space. This page archives info about all the JPL's past, present, and future missions. The site is trustworthy and, because it is managed by a government agency, there are no ads to wade through.
For contemporary astronomy and the universe as we know it ...
DustBunny
has an "Astronomy for Kids" section that is a good pit stop for beginner sky watchers of any age. Read a little about the planets, check out what's going on in the sky this month ("Sky Maps"), and get some ideas for the tools you'll need to explore the cosmos on your own.
Solar Views
is a well-organized collection of information about objects in our solar system. Each topic has its own page with pictures, statistics and data. It's targeted at the intermediate-level hobbyist and updated regularly by a very devoted astronomy buff.
Eric Weisstein's World of Astronomy
may sound like an amateur effort, but it is quite the opposite. Weisstein, who has a Ph.D. from Caltech, has assembled definitions for the complex technicalities of astronomy. Some of the larger entries cite and link to books and other academic sites.
Astronomy Pictures
Images from outer space are among the most popular scientific artifacts today, capturing the attention and imagination of people regardless of their interest in astronomy. With the launch of major space-based telescopes in the 1990s, humans are seeing farther and clearer into the universe than ever before, and our catalog of astronomy pictures has increased exponentially. Much of this collection can be found on the Web.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The four major satellite telescopes––Hubble, Chandra, Compton, and Spitzer––"see" different electromagnetic wavelengths. The Hubble Telescope primarily measures visible light; if your eyes (or binoculars) were very powerful, they'd see what Hubble sees. The others capture images using x-ray, gamma ray, and infrared radiation.
- Online art vendors like All Posters and Art.com have large selections of professional-grade astronomy prints that may be difficult to find elsewhere.
- Widespread use of digital photography has made it much easier for amateur astronomers to snap and post their own pictures. Browsing their Web pages is a good way to find skyscapes and photography.
- If you are looking for a specific image––for example, of the Eagle Nebula––do a search for it on Google Images.
Dulcinea's Picks
HubbleSite
has an online gallery with pictures from the Hubble Telescope. It's a large, well-organized archive of the most breathtaking images humans have of outer space, with an emphasis on deep space objects (nebulae, quasars, galaxies, etc.). It includes a step-by-step tutorial to printing out your own pictures or wall mural.
The Hubble Heritage Project
brings together a beautiful, hand-chosen array of images from Hubble's massive catalogue. It has a smaller selection than HubbleSite, but the images are slightly better quality and include highly informative captions by experts.
Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
is exactly what the name implies. Run by professional astronomers since 1995 and endorsed by NASA, the site posts a dazzling new picture every day with a brief explanatory blurb. The archive is massive but lacks categories (i.e., stars, planets), a functional search feature, and is cumbersome to navigate. If you want to browse it, your best bet is to follow the Calendar link on the bottom and go month by month. It's a good bookmark for a daily check-in.
NASA Image eXchange (NIX)
is a search engine that pulls images from NASA's affiliated Web sites. Browse subject categories or search for keywords. It's a much broader range than the Hubble and other astrophotography sites, which tend to overwhelmingly focus on deep space phenomena.
Buying Telescopes, Binoculars, and Cameras
Buying the right stargazing tools can be daunting, even for seasoned experts. Telescopes, binoculars, cameras, and other accessories are big investments, and the salesperson at the optics store is hardly going to let you take something home for a night to test it out. Fortunately, the Web has plenty of resources for you to consult before taking the plunge.
Dulcinea's Insight
- There's a lot of technical jargon associated with buying a telescope. You can learn what some of it means at Space.com.
- Before you begin shopping, try attending a local "star party." At these events, astronomy buffs get together with their telescopes, gaze at the sky, and talk shop about astronomy news and equipment. Trying other people's scopes will give you an idea of what to expect from your own purchases. Check the "What groups and events are there for astronomers?" section of this guide for tips on locating a star party near you.
- Telescopes, binoculars, and cameras are precision instruments that can be bulky. Consequently, shipping can be expensive and risky, so buy from a local dealer when possible. If you buy from an online merchant, make sure it is professional. Check its site for customer service policies, years in business, and the general quality/currency of site.
- A telescope is only as good as its eyepiece and mount. Don't be fooled by online stores that boast top-drawer scopes with substandard accessories in the fine print.
- If you're considering a specific telescope, camera, or set of binoculars, type the make and model into a search engine and look for blogs where people talk about it. Hobbyists tend to be fanatical about equipment and enjoy sharing their opinions with peers. And unlike blogs about string theory, bloggers' insights about gadgets can usually be trusted.
Dulcinea's Picks
The Heretic's Guide to Choosing and Buying Your First Telescope
is a must-read for all beginners. There's lots of solid advice on what to look for and what to avoid. It's not updated often, but most of the information on here is pretty standard and timeless.
Cloudy Nights
is a well-administered and organized collection of reviews about sky-gazing equipment. It attracts a large community of sky watchers who really know their stuff. Be aware that the content on the right-hand menu is all advertising.
Catching the Light
addresses every facet of photographing the skies you'd ever want to know, especially regarding digital cameras. Site author Jerry Lodriguss's astrophotography software is also very good.
Telescopes.com
is the leading name in online telescope and binocular sales, featuring a huge selection, great customer service, a super-functional site, and no sales tax. Check in often, as pricing fluctuates.
Who knew?
Side Walk Astronomers
provides these "build your own telescope" plans for the ultimate telescope purist.
Finding Constellations, Planets and Objects in the Night Sky
So, you've bought your telescope, done a little research, and are on your way to a star party with the local astronomy club. Or maybe you're just lying in the grass at night with your sweetie. Wouldn't it be great if you could actually find something other than the Big Dipper? The Web is your personal planetarium, pointing the way toward the stars, planets, and other cosmic objects.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Most active observatories and planetariums have stargazing information on their Web sites. Find the site of the facility closest to you, as its information will pertain to your particular swath of the sky.
- If you print anything to reference in the field, make sure to put a red filter on the light you're using to illuminate it. It can take 30 minutes for your eyes to fully readjust to darkness after a white Maglite blast.
- When stargazing in cities or suburbs, be sure to use star maps that employ brighter objects as their points of reference, as dimmer objects can be rendered invisible by light pollution. Better yet, pack up the telescope and head somewhere with less luminary static. National parks, which enforce strict lighting ordinances, provide good vantage points.
Dulcinea's Picks
Google Earth 4.2
includes "Google Sky," an application that allows you to explore the cosmos the same way Google Earth lets you travel the globe. Go to the outer reaches of deep space or simply view the night sky as it appears from your back yard. Use the "Layers" function to find constellations, planets, and other celestial highlights in your own night sky. It's user-friendly and free to download.
Sky & Telescope Magazine
is a comprehensive resource for observational astronomy. Though S&T is generally for the intermediate to advanced astronomer, much of the information under the "Let's Go Stargazing" and "Stargazing Basics" links (including a free "Getting Started in Astronomy" PDF download) is accessible for a general audience.
HubbleSite
has a short Flash video called "Tonight's Sky" that highlights monthly stargazing events with clean graphics and colloquial terms. The constellation Pegasus, for example, is compared to a baseball diamond. The site is great for kids.
Astronomy Clubs and Associations
The mantra of believers in extraterrestrial life rings true about astronomy buffs the world over: we are not alone. While staying home with the Zeiss and contemplating the cosmos solo has its charm, plugging into the astro-community and joining an astronomy club is the best way to keep up with the latest news, gadgets, and gossip. Yes, there is astronomy gossip.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Most moderate-sized cities have an astronomy club, and large cities often have multiple clubs. If you can't find one using one of the sites in this section, visit your nearest college's Web site and send a brief, polite e-mail to an astronomy professor or two.
- Astronomy clubs, observatories, and other groups throw occasional "star parties" where members truck their telescopes away from city lights for optimal viewing. Larger regional parties, such as the McDonald Observatory's annual bash in Texas, are typically held in the summer and attract hundreds of people and guest speakers. Typing "(your city/state) star party" into any major search engine should yield positive results.
- If you're more interested in the theoretical/physics side of astronomy than actual sky gazing, spend some time snooping around the blogsphere. Not surprisingly, people who are interested in dark matter and the "Big Bang vs. Steady State" debate tend to spend a lot of time on their computers.
Dulcinea's Picks
For amateur hobbyists ...
AstronomyClubs.com
lists regional astronomy clubs from all over the globe (but mostly in the United States). It also has listings for planetariums, observatories, and museums. The listings are user-edited and fairly current.
Night Sky Network
, managed by Caltech, provides good resources for astronomy clubs. You can find an astronomy club, join up, then use the "Night Sky Planner" page (in the menu bar on the left) to help plan your next meeting.
Sidewalk Astronomers
was co-founded by astronomy visionary John Dobson to popularize stargazing. Instead of retreating from city lights for star parties, sidewalk astronomers set up telescopes in urban areas where passersby can see them, ask questions, and take a peek into the cosmos.
For professional astronomers ...
The International Astronomical Union
is the largest and most prestigious organization for professional astronomers. It arranges meetings of astronomy experts from around the world to discuss the world of astronomy. It was at one of these meetings that Pluto got demoted to "dwarf planet" status. If you are seriously considering a career in astronomy, peruse the topics of their meetings and publications.
American Astronomical Society
is North America's largest association of professional astronomers. So, if you just got your Ph.D. in Astrophysics from MIT, it's probably a good time to join. Find conferences, get tips on publishing scholarly articles, or look for work on the site's "Job Register."
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
was founded in 1889 to help promote the dissemination of astronomy information. It lives on as a professional association of researchers and educators. Amateur buffs are encouraged to join but may not benefit much from the perks.
Astronomy News
Developments in astronomy happen at the speed of light. While scientists scramble to make sense of the data pouring in from space missions and laboratories, journalists and bloggers are hustling to spread the word. This section will help you keep pace with new discoveries in astronomy.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Mass market science magazines like Discover and Popular Science are geared toward readers with a passing interest in science. Most astronomy buffs stick to Astronomy, Astronomy Now, and Sky & Telescope.
- There are enough professional journalists covering astronomy news that it is unnecessary and potentially foolish to rely on blogs, many of which are run by under-informed amateurs. If you do read astronomy blogs, be sure to note the education level of the writer.
- For information about scholarly and open-access journals, see the findingDulcinea Science Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For passive observers ...
Astronomy Magazine
features news and columns from the largest-circulating astronomy magazine in the world. Its site has pictures, video and sky-watching tips. Some of the content requires a free registration.
Popular Science
's "Aviation and Space" newsroom is slightly sensationalist ("Killer Space Rocks" titles an article about asteroids), but a good Web destination for the scientifically disinclined who daydream about space travel. You'll find lots of cool, computer-generated pictures here.
Space.com
, like Popular Science, is geared toward a commercial audience. Although not an engaging spot for hardcore science buffs, the "Space News" business report is arguably the best on the Web for updates in the industry of space exploration. You can also see where private and government astronomy dollars are being spent.
For intermediate-level connoisseurs ...
Science Daily
brings readers breaking, unedited news directly from universities and research facilities. Articles are highly thorough and assume a large amount of science familiarity on the part of the reader. There are lots of ads, including sneakily placed ones within the news feed, but they're worth wading through for serious astro-addicts. And if casual browsing doesn't satisfy your astronomy appetite, you can subscribe to the RSS feed or daily newsletter for free.
Astronomy Now
is the United Kingdom's best-selling astronomy magazine, and the news stories on its Web site are great browsing material for intermediate-level enthusiasts. It has a good mixture of space travel, physics research, and observational information.
Bad Astronomy
is a blog written by a professional, Ph.D.-holding astronomer. He reports stories in astronomy news and offers his commentary in an engaging, entertaining, and informative manner.
Volunteers and Careers in Astronomy
In 1995, the comet Hale-Bopp was concurrently discovered by two men: Alan Hale, a Ph.D.-holding astronomer, and Thomas Bopp, a factory manager who did not even own a telescope. This section is for both Bopps and aspiring Hales.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Museums, observatories, libraries, and schools are always looking for enthusiastic, curious volunteers. Their Web sites will often have volunteer information, and if they don't, you can find their contact information and drop them a line.
- The biggest way to contribute to the field, of course, is to pursue a career in astronomy. This doesn't necessarily mean becoming an astronaut or peering through a telescope all day. Perusing NASA's job page can give you some ideas of what's out there.
- If you are a college student considering majoring in astronomy, you'd better have a good head for numbers. In academic terms, "astronomy" has become synonymous with "astrophysics," and pro astronomers spend more time with big math equations than big telescopes.
Dulcinea's Picks
Galaxy Zoo
enables Internet volunteers to help scientists classify a million galaxies. Just sign up, do a few practice galaxies in the tutorial, and you're on your way! It's an easy, fun way to contribute to actual astronomy research and see parts of the universe nobody has ever seen before.
The Planetary Society
was co-founded by astro-heavyweight Carl Sagan, and offers members the chance to directly contribute (mostly financially) to space technology, exploration, and government policy. If you're willing to part with some greenbacks to help build solar sails and petition Congress for NASA funding, this is the place to do it.
Google's Lunar X Prize
was announced by the X Prize Foundation in September 2007. The goal: be the first to put a robot on the surface of the moon that can roam 500 meters and broadcast a "Mooncast" back to Earth. The grand prize: $20 million. Even if you're not building a prototype yourself, check in to the site periodically to keep tabs on the world's new space race.
The International Dark-Sky Association
is dedicated to decreasing light pollution worldwide. Over 10,000 dues-paying members support dark-sky legislation, public dialogue, and coordinate "Lights Out" (people turn off nonessential lighting) events. Members get a newsletter and voting privileges in electing board members.
Astronomy Gifts
For years, friends and family of astronomy buffs were limited to museum emporia and shopping mall novelty stores for celestial gift ideas. Thanks to the Internet, a great deal of merchandise from space is just a click away.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Astronomers at all levels tend to be very picky about their stargazing equipment: telescopes, cameras, etc. Make sure you do some research before buying them any sky-watching tools.
- Mega marketplaces like eBay and Amazon are good places to find astronomy books, DVDs, and other media. Keep in mind whether your astronomy buff has a preference for "theoretical" (i.e., astrophysics) or "observational" (i.e., stargazing) astronomy. For the latter, a sky atlas might be a better choice than a NOVA documentary.
- Most observatories and museums have gift shops on their Web sites, but the merchandise is nearly always overpriced. As a general rule, only browse here to get ideas, but make your purchase elsewhere.
Dulcinea's Picks
Café Press
offers more than 7,000 astronomy designs that can be put on shirts, clocks, mouse pads, and other assorted sundry on this user-friendly site with a great customer service reputation. Looking for a coffee mug with a corny astronomy joke on it? This is the place.
Starry Night
is widely considered among the best planetarium software around and offers a wider variety of programs than other manufacturers. Each program is slightly different––from kids to professionals––so pick the one that's right for you. These make excellent gifts for people who have equally strong passions for astronomy and computers.
MWT Associates
is a vendor of global astronomy tours. Travel packages typically include travel fare, lodging, and informational lectures from professional astronomers and academics. Trips are expensive, but the brochures and attendant daydreaming are free.
The International Star Registry
lets you name your very own star––sort of. The names are not recognized by any scientific body, but you do get a spiffy certificate and map to find "your star." Other registries exist, but these folks are the oldest and biggest. There is some disdain for these "unscientific" registries among hardcore astronomers, so the gift is probably best reserved for someone who will appreciate the sentiment.
Starry Night Lights
is nominally a retailer of lighting that helps reduce light pollution and preserve the clarity of the night sky. Most of the products are not cheap, and the majority of "Indoor Lighting" products don't have any apparent night sky-friendly function. It's best used as a place to get ideas for responsible outdoor lighting that you'll probably find cheaper at your local hardware or home furnishing store.
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