|
Home / Technology
Moon Gazing - Is It Right For You?
By:Gary Nugent
Like a lot of kids, my folks gave me a 60mm telescope for Christmas one year. The scope was a typical department-store brand - not very good - but to a 12-year old kid it opened up the universe.
Through it I got to see the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus and the rings of Saturn. But above all these eye-openers, there was the moon. There in the eyepiece stood craggy mountains - spires casting long shadows across crater lowlands, dark maria and (painfully) bright highlands, a surface pockmarked with craters of all sizes, some with bright ejecta rays and some funny squiggle type features. I soon learned that the greatest amount of detail was seen along the terminator, that line splitting light from dark, where shadows played across features showing them in stark contrast. And to cap it all, each night different features could be seen in detail.
They say that as you get older, your memory plays tricks on you - you remember good things more than the bad. I remember lots of clear, frosty winter nights when I could point my 'scope at the moon and scan its disk for some feature I had not seen in relief before. These days, the skies seem to be cloudy much more frequently and the frosty winter nights are few and far between. I guess that's global warming for you!
Time moved on and I moved in and out of committee positions in astronomy societies, editing some magazines along the way (I now put my own ezine, called Photon - http://www.photonezine.com), together every couple of months). Astronomy became more about the bureaucracy of running clubs than about looking through a telescope. Then, in the late '90s, wanting to get back to my astronomical "roots", I bought a 'real' telescope, an 8" reflector which I readily turned towards the moon. Stunning views once again assailed my eyes (prompting memories of halcyon nights as a 12 year old looking through my old 60mm scope).
I'm a software writer (or should that be "engineer"?) by profession, so I wrote a bit of software which would help me in planning my moon observations. It told me when the moon would rise and set, what phase it was and other stuff. When people who'd seen it said they wanted a copy, I polished it up and released it as Shareware under the title LunarPhase (http://www.nightskyobserver.com/LunarPhase). It's now evolved into a more comprehensive application called LunarPhase Pro (http://www.nightskyobserver.com/LunarPhaseCD). I'm pleased that's it's been receiving very good reviews - I feel like I've done something to make other people more aware of my old friend in the sky.
With the encroachment of light pollution across the globe, the pristine skies of my youth have been gradually fading behind the yellow-orange glow of ever more street lamps. Where stars once twinkled on a velvet background, only a few hardy garnets of light now poke through the misty haze and background neon glow. But the Moon is always there, outshining any murk and pollution we cough up into the sky.
It's a shame we don't treat the sky with the same respect we give our national parks. After all, the sky belongs to all of us. How many of us really appreciate people throwing garbage into our back yards or littering our parks. Why should we allow others to pollute our natural resources?
These days, I'm getting into lunar photography with digital cameras and more sophisticated CCD cameras. I've posted a few of my images on my website if you'd like to see them. I still find a night under the stars with a partially lit Moon high in the sky a relaxing and humbling pursuit. The Moon is the only object in the solar system where we can see real surface detail. I'm so passionate about it that I also wrote an ebook called Observing the Moon (http://www.nightskyobserver.com/Observing-The-Moon-eBook.htm).
Growing up during the Apollo era, I have to say that those missions played a great part in spurring on my interest in the moon. My interest is alive and well and extending in other directions (more on that another time). I hope yours is too.
Onward and upward, as they say!
About the Author
Gary Nugent has spent more years than he cares to remember pursuing astronomy as a hobby. He runs a number of astronomy based based sites:
Night Sky Observer: http://www.nightskyobserver.com
The Moon This Month: http://www.nightskyobserver.com/The-Moon-This-Month.htm
LunarPhase Pro: http://www.lunarphasepro.com
"Photon" Astronomy Ezine: http://www.photonezine.com
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
|
|
| Top Technology Articles |
- 1). Sound Proofing Techniques By : Barney Garcia
Are you frequently disturbed by different sounds entering your room while you are working or sleeping? It is then time for you to take a look into the different sound proofing techniques.
|
- 2). The Market for Used Business Phone System Equipment By : Kingston Amadan
Business phone systems and the companies who sell them exist in a world all their own. The competition is stiff, with several different retailers and wholesalers carrying the same brands. The competition for used and refurbished business phones and business phone systems is even fiercer, as many companies are searching for equipment that can be used to expand their current system.
|
|
|
- 4). Elevator Action By : James Monahan
Elevators are enclosure or platforms that are operated by cables, motors and other equipment or accessories enabling the vertical shaft to go up and down, and transport people, freight or both.
|
|
|
- 6). Pagers - How Do They Work? By : Trevor Dumbleton
How do those beeping things work that people carry around on their belts? There are several types of pagers but, basically, it’s all done by good, old- fashioned radio waves. Someone sends you a text message with a touch-tone phone – or it can also be sent by email – and the message is forwarded to the thing on your belt, which then emits a beep or vibration to tell you you’ve got a message.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New Technology Articles |
- 1). Which Online Gaming Console Is The Best? By : Gregg Hall
Computers used to be the only way to access the internet and game online, now you can hook up most gaming consoles. Access to other gamers through the internet has brought gaming to another level, making competition for the best gaming console fierce.
|
|
|
- 3). HDTV Introduction By : DavidZ
Are you looking to buy a HDTV? Take a look at our guide to find out what HDTV is about.
1. What does HDTV stand for?
High Definition Television
2. What is HTDV?
It is a new technology and way of filming that has a higher bit depth resolution and gives you a sense or realism while watching the program. Sports are one of the leading industries in high definition programming.
|
- 4). Perform Conference Calls Without Having Prior Reservations By : Amporn Saechin
Other teleconferencing services allow subscribers to perform conference calls without having prior reservations. If you're looking for conference bridgeline services or conference recording services, I highly recommend e-Teleconferencing. Unlike other automated teleconferencing services, ReadyConference gives you a permanent dial-in number and passcode you can use any time, from anywhere - 24/7.
|
- 5). Amazing Communications By : Analeese Burnabaker
As history has progressed and technology has continued to advance, life has become full of more and more good things. Without a doubt, one of the best things that our society has gained from the advances of technology is communications.
Consider for a few moments all of the amazing forms of communications that have made your life easier and more full.
|
- 6). A Look At Cordless Phones By : Angel Estrella
Cordless phones, also known as portable telephones, use a wireless handset in order to communicate with the phone’s base, which is connected to a telephone landline. In order for cordless phones to function properly, they must be used within a specified proximity to the base. Most individuals find that they can use their cordless phones throughout the house or in the yard without interruption.
|
- 7). Send Greetings For Better Communication By : CD Mohatta
Greetings are probably as old as the civilization. People always greet each other whenever they meet or talk. A good morning, hello, how are you, how are things at your end, etc are some of the common ways to begin the conversation. A greeting in everyday life connects us better with another person. One generally does not immediately come to the subject matter without a greeting in almost all meetings.
|
- 8). Pagers - How Do They Work? By : Trevor Dumbleton
How do those beeping things work that people carry around on their belts? There are several types of pagers but, basically, it’s all done by good, old- fashioned radio waves. Someone sends you a text message with a touch-tone phone – or it can also be sent by email – and the message is forwarded to the thing on your belt, which then emits a beep or vibration to tell you you’ve got a message.
|
- 9). Palm Treo: Getting Started With Your New Treo Smartphone By : Christopher Meinck
Copyright 2006 Christopher Meinck
Getting Started With a Palm Treo Smartphone
For many, adding a Palm Treo smartphone to their life is an exciting time. Most are coming from a traditional cellphone and the capabilities of a smartphone never seize to amaze. The Palm Treo features a large color LCD screen, full keyboard and software for syncing your personal data with your PC or Mac.
|
- 10). Cheap Prepaid Calling Card - Making The Work For You By : Melissa Wayan
So most prepaid calling cards are cheap prepaid calling cards. I mean when you think about it, the calling cards really are significantly cheaper than the cost of calling from a landline. My parents pay around 20 cents a minute to call me and I have found calling cards from the United States to Venezuela for a low at 3 cents a minute. I found most of these online.
|
|
|
