Astronomy – Important Pre-Christian Dates

There is no uncertainty that astronomy is the oldest science and there is also no hesitation that astronomy was being studied by everyone, not only the wise men, thousands and thousands of years ago.

We do not understand exactly why they did it, but we can surmise that early man noticed a correlation between the weather and the stars, which were themselves not fully understood, of course.

Early man, almost certainly even as far back as Neanderthal man, noticed the connection between the weather and herd movements and crop growth, or at least fruit and nuts on local trees, if they did not have planted crops.

This means that people could see a connection between the stars and food availability. This relationship was probably ritualized into some sort of religion like early Wicca. Therefore, the stars became a very important part of the lives of every single person and it is likely that astrology and astronomy were widely intermixed by the average person.

However, there were also people who did not only use the stars as some enormous celestial clock and who tried to make sense of the whole shebang. I am going to narrate below, eight of the most important dates or years in the history of astronomy before Christ walked on the Earth. Never forget that they had nothing but an abacus to do there calculations and no telescopes, which came about two thousand years later.

585 BC: Thales of Miletus (c. 625- c. 547), a Greek, predicted a solar eclipse in Asia Minor purely on the basis of his observations and calculations. It was not a lucky guess!

c. 400 BC: the astronomer Oenopedes (5th. century). also a Greek, announces that the Earth is tilted on its axis with respect to the Sun.

352 BC: the Chinese report what they called a ‘guest star’, a supernova, which was the earliest reported sighting.

340 BC: The astronomer, Kidinnu (b. Babylon c. 379 BC) discovers the precession of the Equinoxes, ie the apparent change in the position of the stars caused by the Earth’s wobbling on its axis.

c. 300 BC: a ‘committee’ of Chinese astronomers compile star maps of the visible universe.

c. 240 BC: Chinese astronomers observe and make notes about Halley’s Comet. Also Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 – c.194 BC), a Greek, correctly calculate the Earth’s dimensions.

165 BC: Chinese astronomers notice sunspots for the first time.

c. 130 BC: the astronomer Hipparchus of Nicea (b. 147 BC), a Greek, correctly calculates the distance to the Earth’s Moon and also rediscovers the precession of the Equinoxes.

You will see from the dates above that clearly not everyone let nature and the stars govern their lives, as the common farmer or hunter did. Some men actually put pen to paper, but before pen and paper even existed, and tried to work out ‘why these manifestations took place?’.

These individuals must have been remarkable men to have worked these measurements out by calculation, observation by the naked eye and rationalization alone.

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The Chinese Lunar Calendar

Previous to their implementation of the Western solar calendar scheme, the Chinese almost exclusively followed their own lunar calendar for determining the times of planting and harvesting and festival days. Although people in China today use the Western calendar for almost all business, governmental and practical matters of daily life, the old system still serves as the basis for working out numerous recurring holidays. This coexistence of two calendar schemes has long been acknowledged by the people of China.

However, this does not only apply to China, it also occurs in most other Eastern countries, like Thailand, and most Arabic countries.

A lunar month is determined by measuring the period of time needed for the moon to complete its full cycle of 29 and a half days, a standard that makes the lunar year a full eleven days shorter than its solar counterpart. This difference is corrected every 19 years by the addition of seven lunar months.

The 12 lunar months are further divided into 24 solar divisions characterized by the four seasons and times of heat and cold, all of which bear a close relationship to the annual cycle of agricultural work.

The Chinese calendar – very much like the Hebrew calendar- is a combination of the solar and lunar calendars in that it strives to have its years coincide with the tropical year and its months coincide with the synodic months. It is not surprising that a few similarities exist between the Chinese and the Hebrew calendar.

For example, an ordinary year has 12 months, a leap year has 13 months. An ordinary year has 353, 354, or 355 days, a leap year has 383, 384, or 385 days. When determining what a Chinese year will be like, one needs to make a number of astronomical calculations.

First of all, you have to work out the dates for the new moons. In these instances, a new Moon is the completely black Moon (that is to say, when the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun), not the first visible crescent, as is used by the Islamic and Hebrew calendars. The date of a new moon is then the first day of a new month.

The reason why the majority of countries which had their own calendars had to dump them in favour of the Western, Julian calendar that we use today, is business. First the British and then the Americans ran international business and they used the Julian calendar.Anyone who sought to work with them had to follow suit. This is why national policy often differs from local custom in Third World countries.

The government desires to trade on the International markets, but the normal family in the country can not. So, the government adopted the Julian calendar but the people only pay lip service to it. I live in Thailand and people here do not even use the 24 hour day divided into two halves. Their day has four sections of six hours each and the first part starts at 6AM, not midnight. Therefore, they have four 4 o’clocks a day, for example and no 7 o’clocks. They are also 543 years ahead of us, although this is more common, for instance in Muslim countries.

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Astronomy A Guide To The Stars

Many science experts agree that astronomy is all about a love for learning. Did you also know that astronomy is also one of the oldest subject’s of study for man kind? In fact, astronomy is one of the earliest sciences that humanity has ever pursued. No matter how long people have studied the universe you need to remember that astronomy and the study of the stars is a science. A science for the masses. The funny thing is that astronomy is something that everyone has heard of but what they know very little about.

While astronomy is a science, it has become more of a hobby than anything else. International boundaries blur when it comes to the study of astronomy.. Astronomy is more of an exact science than any other science that people study. When people study the stars it takes precise calculations in there observations, particularly when recording the positions of the constellations. The study of astronomy is defiantly bigger than all of us together.

Most of modern astronomical research involves a substantial amount of physics and can be considered astrophysics. So what are the differences between astrophysics and astronomy? How stars form is one of the central unknowns of astrophysics. Astronomy is more about the positioning of the planets in space.

The telescope is undoubtedly a very important investigative tool in astronomy. Did you know that Galileo was the first human to use a telescope for astronomy? If you decide to start the study of astronomy, buying a telescope will be the first thing you will need to do.

If you want to buy you a telescope, but it all looks confusing to you, be sure to do some analysis. Buying a telescope is almost the same as buying a car or clothing, no two people are looking for the same thing due to the fact that all people have different tastes. While you will want to get the best telescope you can find you must understand that they can cost anywhere from a hundred to a few thousand dollars so make an affordable choice for your needs.

After you purchase your telescope you will find that you can also purchase many accessories that will improve your star gazing experience. Now remember if you are just starting out, or if you just want to give astronomy a try you should purchase a telescope that is not to expensive, you can always upgrade later.

You might even ask friends if any of them have a telescope for sale. But the aim is to take advantage of the latest developments in telescope technology to make the next giant leap forward in observing. Once you get your new telescope you will find that you will use it often, as most people use there telescopes quite often for star parties or just for gazing at the stars.

Your friends and family will also be very curious. Astronomy is our tool for unlocking the knowledge of the heavens. As mentioned above, it may be a science, but it also is an outdoor nature hobby. And while it is a science, you don’t need to think about what other people think of you, because everyone thinks that it is really cool. And if you are looking for a way to spend more time with your family, astronomy could be exactly what you are looking for, due to everyone’s curious nature.

Do you read your horoscope? Did you know that your horoscope is created by the stars.

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Astronomy And The Stars

Many science experts agree that astronomy is all about a love for learning. Did you know that astronomy is one of humanity’s oldest sciences? In fact, astronomy is one of the earliest sciences that humanity has ever pursued. The study of our solar system and all the other stars is not a new science, but it is a science non the less. This is a science for everyone. Strangely, though everyone you talk to can tell you there zodiac sign, but they know very little about astronomy.

Astronomy has become a huge night time hobby. Astronomy is also a place where international boundaries blur. It is as pure a science as one can find as it studies the Universe and what is in it. When people study the stars it takes precise calculations in there observations, particularly when recording the positions of the constellations. The study of astronomy is defiantly bigger than all of us together.

This is not just about recording where the stars are but also deals with physics and astrophysics. So what are the differences between astrophysics and astronomy? The study of astrophysics is more the study of how the stars and universe formed to begin with. Astronomy is more a matter of making observations.

The invention of the telescope was the most important invention for the study of astronomy. The first person to use the telescope to study and chart the stars was Galileo. If you opt to pursue the science of astronomy one of your first purchases should be a telescope as you will need it nightly.

If you want to buy you a telescope, but it all looks confusing to you, be sure to do some analysis. Due to the fact that every person on the planet have different tastes and needs, one telescope is not the same as another and different people want different things. But your choice of a telescope is critical as the telescope is focused on space and astronomy access for all of us.

Telescope parts and accessories can be a very useful addition to your astronomy experience. If you are just going to be using your telescope for simple observations and you are not going to be taking it too seriously, you can get away with a one or two hundred dollar telescope.

You might even ask friends if any of them have a telescope for sale. Of course if you want the best telescope with all the latest features and technology, your not going to find them packed away anywhere, you will need to buy a new telescope. Many people use the telescope regularly for star parties, astronomy workshops, and casual observing.

Public curiosity in astronomy is unlimited. A Telescope is a tool for learning all the knowledge that the heavens can provide. We said it before astronomy is not just a science, but it is also becoming a very popular hobby. This is one of the coolest hobbies around, and you will find that many other people are also interested in astronomy. Looking at the stars is also a great way to get the whole family together for some quality time, don’t forget that everyone is curious about astronomy and our universe.

Your daily horoscope is also created by the study of astronomy, without astronomy there would be no horoscopes.

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Astronomy – An Introduction

Although astronomy is the oldest science, it continues to be at the forefront of not only scientific thought, but that of the public at large too. Who has not looked up at the galaxy while walking home late at night and wondered? Having said that though, the ancient people of certainly the northern hemisphere, but probably both, knew the movements of the stars and planets better than most of us do nowadays.

They knew even then, thousands of years ago, that the majority of stars seem to appear in the Eastern skies at night and travel on circular paths. They also noticed that some ’stars’ were ‘wanderers’ (we call them planets) and that sometimes they went ‘against the flow’.

They also named groups of stars that we now call constellations or even galaxies and knew that those visible in the winter were not the same as those seen in the summer.and that others were visible all year round. The average common man of 5,000 – 10,000 years ago almost certainly knew more about the movement of the heavenly bodies than the average common man of our times. (I mean men and women here, of course).

They learned how to calculate or at least locate the extremities of the sunrise and went to extraordinary lengths to mark those positions with huge stone structures, such as Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, probably to facilitate the location of certain positions of the sun or other planets or stars, which may have been important to their religious beliefs or crop cycles.

In 1609, Galileo invented the first artificial device for looking at the stars and planets. It was the first astronomical telescope and through it he was able to see objects millions of miles away that no one had ever seen before. Because of the deductions he drew from his observations, he clashed with the Roman Catholic Church and was often in serious danger for his life, so radical were his discoveries.

But humankind was not to be intimidated, and since then we have gone on to construct ever bigger and ever better astronomical telescopes through which we can even detect radio waves, microwaves, X-rays, infrared waves and gamma waves from outer space. Forty years ago, we even travelled to our Moon. and we have sent probes to eight of the nine planets in our Solar System, as well as to quite a few comets and asteroids.

Where are we going next? That decision was always up to the government of the United States and the old Soviet Union, but now there are other players in the field. What will China or India want to explore with their possibly slightly different outlook on life? Or will it be just a question of financial benefit?

The world may be in a state of flux and power may be moving from its traditional seats in the West, but it has not diminished interest in questions that scientists think can only be answered in space. These are exciting times for the science of astronomy, but then man has always found astronomy enthralling .

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Getting Started In Astronomy

Astronomy and space is all about lust for learning. Astronomy is also one of the oldest things that have been studied by man? To be straight about it, astronomy is one of the oldest sciences that has ever been studied. The study of our solar system and all the other stars is not a new science, but it is a science non the less. A science for humanity. And, astronomy is a field about which most of the world knows very little.

Astronomy has become a huge night time hobby. It is also something where international boarders blur.. Astronomy is more of an exact science than any other science that people study. It is also an observational science that requires observations and precise calculations, particularly of positions of celestial objects. The study of the sky’s is truly bigger than anything else.

The use of physics and astrophysics is extremely important when researching the stars. So what are the differences between astrophysics and astronomy? How stars form is one of the central unknowns of astrophysics. Astronomy is more about the positioning of the planets in space.

The largest breakthrough for all astrologer’s was the invention of the telescope. Did you know that Galileo was the first human to use a telescope for astronomy? If you decide to start the study of astronomy, buying a telescope will be the first thing you will need to do.

Now when you are ready to purchase your first telescope, make sure to research the different types and styles of telescope’s to choose the best one for your needs. Due to the fact that every person on the planet have different tastes and needs, one telescope is not the same as another and different people want different things. Now when deciding on a telescope is important as this will be the way you see the stars and star either your hobby or new career, you want the best telescope you can afford.

There are also many different types of accessories that you can buy to complement your telescope, which can make things easier on you when trying to locate a specific star or constellation. If you’re just starting out, look for a quality, affordable telescope for beginning astronomy students and casual observers.

You might even ask friends if any of them have a telescope for sale. You also need to understand that if you acquire a older telescope the lens’s and technology will not be up to date with todays telescopes. Many people use the telescope regularly for star parties, astronomy workshops, and casual observing.

You will find that the passer’s by will also be curious. The study of the sky’s is the key to unlocking the secrets of the stars. As mentioned above, it may be a science, but it also is an outdoor nature hobby. But don’t worry, you’ll see that astronomy is more than just a branch of science, it’s cool too. Looking at the stars is also a great way to get the whole family together for some quality time, don’t forget that everyone is curious about astronomy and our universe.

Not only is astronomy cool, but it is also how people get to read there daily horoscopes everyday.

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Astronomy For Teens.

Astronomy is a very exact branch of science, although a lot of people get involved with it when they are very young. Astronomy is inspiring pursuit that can show children about the other sciences in general. Certain astronomical subjects inspire kids and movies like Star Wars and they only increase this interest.

Our only natural satellite is called the moon. Its orbit around the Earth takes just over twenty seven days to complete. Man’s knowledge being what it is and because the moon is so close, it is the only space object that mankind has ever set foot on, except for the Earth of course. The effects of gravity between the moon and Earth causes the seas’ tides. The moon is one of the first objects that sparks a child’s interest in astronomy because it can be clearly seen with the naked eye.

Let’s move on to the sun. Earth is quite far from the sun, although the distance actually fluctuates between about 91 million miles and about 94 million miles. The reason for this variance is because of Earth’s elliptical orbit. Life on Earth is only possible because of the sun, which is our source of important elements such as light and heat. A little-known fact is that the sun contains about 98% of the mass of the whole solar system! Just think about how small a person is compared to that.

Our planet is in the galaxy called the Milky Way. Like all other galaxies it’s a very large collection of gas, dust, stars and planets. Most of the area in a galaxy is filled with nothing, only empty space. That means that most of its volume, 3,000 light years high by 100,000 light years diameter, the volume of our galaxy, is nothingness.

Our Earth is located somewhere in the neighbourhood of 30,000 light years from the very centre of our galaxy. The emptiness is broken up by over 100 billion stars. In fact, the galaxy was named for the thick group of stars in the main portion of it.

It looks like a pool of liquid, which is why it was called the Milky Way. There are four kinds of galaxies: elliptical, lenticular, irregular and, like the Milky Way, spiral.

There is a great deal of information on astronomy on the Internet that is suitable for children: it ranges from dictionaries and encyclopaedic references to programs that show the orbits of the different planets, solar systems and objects right on the computer’s monitor! In fact, there’s more information out there than a child could ever get through.

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The Benefits Of Zoom Binoculars

Zoom binoculars can be used to bring things closer than could ever be hoped for using certainly the naked eye, and also less advanced optical apparatus. With many types now available, they are able to help almost anyone; from sports fans to nature enthusiasts.

Imagine being sat some way from the field at a football match, when that all important play is being discussed. You haven’t really got much of an idea what is going on of course. Using zoom binoculars however, brings you up close with the action; able to read the lips and see the gestures from those calling the shots. For the bird lovers out there, you can get close to those rare creatures that pay only fleeting visits to our shores.

Indeed, for any fans of nature these “bins” are ideal; bringing you closer to the beauty of nature than you could ever wish to imagine. The delicate detailing on a butterfly’s wings can be seen in all its glory, whilst the beautiful designs that nature gives us through all sorts of flora and fauna can be witnessed without causing damage to the environment, or risking injury to yourself.

If you enjoy walking they can be great too; allowing you to plot your paths through tricky terrain effectively. And of course, you can plan your entire trip better and work out when you need to head back home as the weather starts to roll in from the distance!

The only thing you do need to remember is that the viewing area is reduced considerably when zooming in to a subject; so it is important to ensure you have switched off the facility when using your binoculars for regular viewing.

There a host of ways to control the zoom binoculars these days too; varying from buttons and digital controls. This allows them to be worked into a host of shapes and sizes too; with many being perfectly possible to fit into bags and pockets even.

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The Pros And Cons Of Powerful Binoculars

There are many factors that need to be taken into account before you go out and buy the most powerful binoculars that you can find. Bigger is not necessarily better as there are many features that are important to the quality of binoculars.

When someone speaks about powerful binoculars then they are referring to the magnification of the binoculars. The greater the magnification the more powerful the binocular. Along with being able to see objects that are very far away the more powerful the binoculars the more details you will be able to make out.

But with the greater magnification more light is needed to see. The objective lens of the binoculars gathers light and the more powerful the binocular the larger the objective lens. This can make powerful binoculars very large and bulky. The image quality will be fantastic but you will be using large, heavy binoculars.

Many times powerful binoculars tend to be very big and you should think about size. If you don’t want to carry around a large set of binoculars then you may want to look for something with lower magnification. Higher magnification binoculars also will exaggerate any slight movements you make. With very high magnification you want binoculars that incorporate slight movements or you may want to bring along a tripod.

Many people look for the most powerful binoculars that they can find but if you don’t need to use super powerful binoculars then you should look into other options. Powerful binoculars provide great magnification but they are also bulky and may need accessories such as a tripod.

Powerful binoculars are also very expensive and if you only plan on using your binoculars once in a while then you may not want to make such a large investment. However they will be of excellent quality and will last a lifetime with the proper care. If you feel that powerful binoculars will benefit your situations then enjoy the wonderful detail you can see using them.

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Stargazing With High Power Binoculars

High power binoculars are at the top end of available binoculars. These binoculars are not recommended for all binocular needs as they are really for special circumstances. To determine if high powered binoculars are for your needs you need to understand how the binocular work sand the different sections of the binocular. A binocular includes an objective lens, eye piece, focal point, exit pupil and more.

No matter what type of binoculars you need you want to make sure that you use high quality binoculars. The viewing will be excellent with good quality binoculars and they will be worth the price as they will last a very long time. Lower quality binoculars can have many problems and can easily break.

High powered binoculars are referring to the magnification power. The more magnification the more detail you can see and the farther away you can see. With very high powered binoculars you may be able to see details of the nearby planets or the moon. There are also binoculars that have variable magnification though the range of magnification is not always the best.

Very high powered binoculars tend to be used for astronomy and it is recommended that you use a tripod or other type of mounting. This is because along with a large magnification this magnification will also magnify the slight movements your hand will make as it holds the binoculars.

Along with have stability issues the higher the magnification the more light you will need and to compensate for these high powered binoculars will have very large objective lenses, so that they can gather more light. This can make the high powered binoculars very large and heavy so think of were you will be using them as they are bulky.

While high powered binoculars can be large and expensive if you are going to use them frequently for astronomical viewing then they can be a great purchase. It is recommended that you find binoculars that meet your needs rather than purchasing the highest powered binoculars that you can.

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