How to develop my expertise about astronomy?
Question by art geek: How to enhance my awareness about astronomy?
I’m so interested in science, primarily in astronomy. I’m thirteen several years aged and I don’t know how can I strengthen my understanding about it.
Can you notify me a good way to memorize things and how can I know much more about astronomy.
The place i can find out elements apart from science in college.
Best reply:
Solution by Jinxari
Go to your regional library or bookstore, and get some textbooks on Astronomy. And the internet has almost limitless details.
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Query by Da90: Is it illegal to use a green laser for astronomy purposes?
I’m preparing on getting a 5mw green laser pointer to mount on my telescope. Is it illegal to use it at night time, just pointing at the sky (not waving it all around, certainly) or is it fine with the law? Should I have legal, signed documents to use for astronomy or need to I be a scientist conducting an experiment?
Very best answer:
Reply by Josh L.
green lasers aren’t illegal as significantly as i know, my teacher at a non-public college has a 50mw green laser, dont believe its illegal at all
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April 17th, 2011 at 6:33 pm
check out your local planetarium. Go often.
look for a local observatory, especially this time of year they will have open viewing nights… go… ask questions.
look for a local amateur astronomy club… join.
April 17th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
There are many ways you can learn about science, especially astronomy.
First, if you can, visit your local planetarium, join a local astronomical society, you can even start one at your own school with the help of one of the science teachers.
Next, libraries and the internet are great sources of information. Watch NOVA and NOVA Science Now on your local PBS station.
Finally, you will have to put some effort into just plain learning and memorizing some of the facts about astronomy…reading a star map and observing the sky, learning facts about the planets and the hearby stars. Save money and but a good pair of binoculars (about $ 100.00 to $ 200.00). 7 X 35 or 8 X 56 are the ones I learned with and still use.
The best place to start is to join a local astronomical society. Sky and Telescope magazine has a list of astronomical societies listed by region.
Give it a try and…
Keep watching the skies.
April 17th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
EDIT: I just came across this great web site regarding the planets:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/
What helped me the most was reading the same information over and over and over. I finally got some of the information to stick. There are so many facts to remember, I doubt anyone knows even 50% of it all.
There are wonderful web sites with tons of information and great graphics and those are so much fun to look at and also will help you to remember.
You can use memory gimmicks to remember things also. This strange sentence:
“My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas”
will help you remember the nine planets starting from Mercury all the way to Pluto.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
You see the first letter of each word in the sentence is the same as the first letter of each planet, in order going away from the sun.
Good luck, it is wonderful to have such an interest.
April 17th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
you could read a lot of books at a library and you could find every thing on the internet
April 17th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I would suggest a subscription to a magazine such as “ASTRONOMY”. I got this magazine when I was about your age, after a few years, if you still have an interest, I would then “graduate” up to “Sky & Telescope”, it is good for more advanced amateurs. They both have good web-sites too.
April 17th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
All the laws regarding lasers are referenced to their class. But I would think a 5mW laser would be perfectly legal. At least no pilot would be in any danger. Your people on the ground might not like getting hit in the eye with it, though.
April 17th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
no,no and no. they make some 5mw lasers special for astronomy. you can but them over the counter. no classes to take or papers to sign
April 17th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
depends where you are, but in general I would hope you would be fine.. if you can find one over 5mw it likely won’t be classed a pointer, … normally I think they are just illegal for minors (children) to purchase in some areas, and use may be bared in places such as Iraq, due to the US militaries use of special green laser pointers.
Also there are specific production issues in the US but OEM and research classed lasers seem to overstep the restrictions..
http://www.megalaser.com/ < --- a little pricy
http://z-bolt.com/generic27.html?gclid=CKHMvvHZ048CFRJgWAodXUNa9Q < ---- a little less costly
DIY
http://felesmagus.com/pages/lasers-howto.html
April 17th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
They are not illegal however it is very illegal to shine them into the cockpits of airplanes and hellicopters. That is a felony. DO NOT shine it in the eyes of a person or an animal. That could do permanent damage. Use it responsibly and you should be fine.
If I were you I would not mount it permanently to the scope. Make it detachable. Be careful using it at star parties. Some clubs frown on them mainly because of people who are trying to do astrophotography. Those people need to leave their shutters open for long periods of time and even a quickie green laser can ruin a nice shot. Check with the people that you go out with first before using so that you dont ruffle feathers.
Lasers are a great teaching tool but don’t abuse them.