Deep Sky Objects

Deep sky objects, or DSO, is a term that is used by amateur astronomers. Deep sky objects and deep space objects are two different terms that relate to two different things, and the terms are not interchangeable.

Deep sky objects are objects outside of our solar system that are very faintly seen, such as star clusters (both open clusters and globular clusters), nebulae (bright, dark, and planetary), galaxies, and quasars, all of which are billions of light years away from Earth.

Finding and viewing deep sky objects through a telescope, especially through a small telescope, is not a whole lot different than learning to play a sport like tennis, basketball, or soccer. Before you can actually play the game, you must first learn how to play. You have to learn the language of a sport, and you have to learn the language of astronomy. You have to learn the basic rules of any game, and astronomy has a set of basic rules that you must also master.

You don't need to rush right out and buy a $300 telescope either. Just like you don't need a $300 tennis racket to learn to play tennis. You can view deep sky objects with a telescope that is a 2.4" (60mm) refractor. Honest! Remember that is much easier to find deep sky objects when they are directly overhead. It is a good idea to use one of the monthly charts that are provided in the astronomy magazines to determine when your best viewing times are, but I wouldn't wait for the perfect time to start. Rain and clouds can stop you totally!

The best way to start is to first find objects that you can already identify and then, using the charts in the astronomy magazines, find the deep sky objects as they relate to constellations and planets that you are familiar with.

Important Questions Before Buying a Telescope

Galileo probably knew more about telescopes that you do, but if you have decided to invest in a telescope to enhance your stargazing, then you need to know just a little bit about telescopes before you buy one. Here are some important questions that you need to ask yourself before you even start shopping for a telescope.

First Question: Why do you want a telescope? If you want a telescope because you are going camping and want to show your kids the stars, or only for the purpose of determining if your kid really is interested in astronomy, or just to scratch your own curiosity itch, you should stick to a simple, lightweight telescope that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. On the other hand, if you or your child has already demonstrated a burning interest in astronomy, spend a few more bucks and buy a better model.

Second Question: What are your financial constraints? Unless you were born rich, you have financial constraints just like everybody else. You have to determine how much you are willing (or able) to spend on a telescope before you start shopping for one. The more you pay for a telescope, the more bells and whistles you'll get, but remember that money spent does not always translate to enjoyment experienced.

Third Question: How do you intend to use a telescope? Not that it matters a lot…looking celestial objects with one telescope is pretty much the same as looking at celestial objects with another telescope. However, you do need to realize that the magnification is not the most important factor to consider. Aperture is far more important. When it comes to a choice, you will always be better off choosing less magnification and higher aperture no matter how you intend to use the telescope.

The SUN

There is nothing remarkable about our sun in the scheme of things. It is very similar to millions of other stars (and our sun is a star) in the universe. You might even call our sun an "average" star.

The energy source for our sun is nuclear fusion. If the total energy output of the sun for just one second could be captured, it would provide the United States with enough energy at the current level of usage for nine million years.

There is a hard core at the center of the sun. The core is so dense and the sun is so large that energy released in the center of the sun takes 50 million years to reach the surface. That means that if the sun suddenly stopped producing any energy at all at the core today, it would be another 50 million years before we noticed it here on earth.

Our sun has been producing radiant and thermal energy for the last four or five billion years. There is enough hydrogen for it to continue producing energy for at least another hundred billion years. In about 10-20 billion years, the sun will begin to expand. It will engulf the closest planets (including Earth), and then it will be a giant red star. In another few billion years after that, our sun will become what is known as a dwarf star.

Most people think of the sun as this large (huge), constant featureless fireball in the sky. The large part is right, but the constant (or steady) and the featureless parts are all wrong. Sunspots are a feature of the sun that was first noted by Theophrastus about 325 BC. A moderate-size sunspot is about the size of Earth. Sunspots come and go over a period of days or weeks.

Binoculars for Astronomy

All amateur astronomers don't own telescopes. Many use binoculars for observing the wonders of the sky. Even those little toy binoculars that cost $1.99 will make distant objects appear closer, but they aren't powerful enough to use for astronomical observation. If you are going to use binoculars for astronomy, there is some information about binoculars that you need to know before you choose.

The same kind of prism binoculars has been sold for more than a hundred years, and they are still sold today. So you can be sure that "improvements" have been made. You will see "advantages" for each model when you shop for binoculars. You need to remember, however, that each "advantage" has a corresponding "disadvantage" in performance, ease of use, or price. You need to know what "advantages" are to your own best advantage.

1. Power: The power of binoculars is rated by two numbers; 6 x 30, 8 x 50, for example. The first number represents the magnifying power, and the second number represents the diameter of the front lens in millimeters.

2. Aperture: The larger the objective lenses are, the brighter the stars will appear. The 7 x 35s are somewhat all-purpose binoculars, but 7 x 50s will make things brighter.

3. Focusing: Most binoculars have center focus; that is, focus for both eyes is accomplished by turning one central knob. Then the right hand eyepiece can be individually adjusted to account for difference in vision of the eyes. This is a particularly important feature for birdwatchers because birds move. Binoculars for astronomy do not need this feature. All of the bodies that will be observed are at a fixed distance. They aren't going to get closer or further away.

It all comes down to quality vs. price, like always. The best advice is to buy the highest-quality model of the make you have chosen that you can afford.

Astronomy for Kids

Kids are like thirsty little sponges that soak up information. Their minds are clear, and they don't suffer from any preconceived notions like adults. Teaching astronomy to kids can be one of the most rewarding tasks that a teacher or a parent ever undertakes.

One of the most wonderful things about teaching astronomy to kids is that all kinds of other topics must be included in any astrology learning experience; science, math, history, reading, art, photography, chemistry, etc. Astronomy, while it fascinates the kid, can also act as a portal to other learning experiences.

Almost all of the great astronomers of history became fascinated by the night sky as children. Expose your children to astronomy from an early age. Encourage their natural curiosity by giving them toys that are related to astrology. There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of "space toys" available both online and off. There are posters, prints, and calendars about space as well. The Internet is packed with websites that are devoted to teaching kids about astronomy. You can find them easily by using your favorite search engine and typing the words, "astronomy for kids" into the search box.

Additionally, a wide array of astronomy software is designed for children of all age levels. There is astronomy software even for very young children like Sesame Street Ernie's Adventures in Space and Zoom Astronomy--Enchanted Learning Software. If you really want to find games, toys, software, calendars, posters, or prints that are related to astronomy for your kids, you won't have any problem at all locating it. The problem might be in choosing which to purchase.

Many little boys and girls become fascinated with space. They want to grow up to be astronomers and astronauts…and some of them will.

The Stars

Our sun is a star. It is one of the billions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. On a clear night, when you look up at the sky, you can see thousands of stars with your naked eye. If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, you can see more stars than you could ever hope to count.

Each star is unique, but they all share things in common as well. Stars are born from interstellar gas clouds, nuclear fusion causes them to shine and stars die. Sometimes the death of a star is a very dramatic event.

Cold interstellar clouds or nebula, like the Orion Nebula and the Eagle Nebula, are the incubators and nurseries from which stars are born. An extremely simplified description is that gravitational collapse happens and forms a rotating gas globule. The resulting globule spins faster and faster. The central core becomes a star while the other material becomes planets or asteroids.

The life of a star begins and ends with a battle between two forces: gravity and pressure. It takes energy for a star to live, and this energy comes almost entirely from nuclear fusion of lighter elements into heavier elements. This is the energy through which a star can shine for millions or billions of years.

Stars fuse hydrogen to helium for most of their lifetime. This is referred to as the "main sequence" of a star's life. Our sun, Vega, Sirius, and Spica are all stars that are in their main sequence. Once the hydrogen in the core of a star has been used up, the star becomes a red giant like Betelguese, Arcturus, Aldebaran and Antares.

A star's life is limited because the hydrogen at the core is not self-replenishing and will eventually be used up. A star cannot depend upon thermal energy to resist the pull of gravity forever, and a star's final fate depends on whether something other than thermal pressure manages to halt the relentless crush of gravity.

Different Types of Telescopes

Basically, there are three types of telescopes that are available for amateur astrologers to purchase:

1. Refractors that use a lens that is the primary device for gathering light.
2. Reflectors that use a mirror that is the primary device for gathering light.
3. Compound telescopes that use a combination of lenses and mirrors to gather light.

The type that one needs is based upon at least three factors:

1. The type of observations the user wants to make 
2. The area in which the user will use the telescope 
3. The financial resources of the user

First, let's talk about the location where you will be using your telescope.

1. If you will be using your telescope in a well-lighted urban area, you should probably go with a compound telescope, because they tend to do better than either refractors or reflectors in urban conditions.

2. If you will be using your telescope in the suburbs that are not as well lit as a densely populated urban area, you can choose the type telescope you want based entirely upon the type of observations you intend to make, because all types work equally well.

3. If you will be using your telescope in a very rural setting, you should consider compound telescopes and reflectors because they do seem to work better in very low-light situations.

The power of the telescope that you buy will depend upon what you want to observe. A small 2-4" ACH or APO refractor will work well for observing the moon and the planets, but not for observing the deep sky.

A > 6" compound will work the best for general use, but a 6"-25" reflector will work best for deep sky and faint deep sky observations.

Our Solar System

Our solar system consists of our sun, eight planets, the 166 known moons that orbit these eight planets, 3 dwarf planets and the four known moons that orbit them. Our solar system also includes billions of other small bodies such as asteroids, Kuiper belt objects, comets, meteoroids, and interplanetary dust.

In short, our solar system is made up of our sun and all the celestial objects that are gravitationally bound to it.

The general outline of our solar system is (from the center outward): 1. The sun 2. Four terrestrial inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) 3. An asteroid belt (made up of rocky objects) 4. Four outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus) 5. The Kuiper belt (made up of icy objects) 6. Scattered disc (poorly understood region) 7. Heliopause (where the sun's solar wind is stopped by the interstellar medium) 8. And finally, a hypothetical Oort Cloud (there is a lot of ongoing debate about the Oort Cloud).

Yes, there was another planet called Pluto, but it is no longer considered a planet. Back in August 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in Prague decided that Pluto did not meet the requirements to be designated a planet, and it is now classified as one of many dwarf planets.

In the dim and dusty past, it was believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and that everything else revolved around it, including the sun. That theory changed as knowledge was gained. The telescope was invented, and men could see farther and farther.

The formation of our solar system remains a basis of contention between some religious leaders and some scientists. There are some of each who believe that God created the universe in six days, just the way creation is described in the book of Genesis in the Bible. There are others who subscribe to the "Big Bang" theory. The debate has been raging for decades and shows no signs of abating. But however our solar system came into being, it is magnificent!

Some of the most famous meteorites

Meteorites might all be considered somewhat "famous" in that they are extraterrestrial bodies that have fallen to earth. Most of the time, meteors burn up once they come into contact with the earth's atmosphere; but sometimes these meteors reach earth still somewhat intact, and then we call them meteorites. Some meteorites are more famous than others simply because of their size, their composition, or the force with which they strike the earth.

Some of the most famous meteorites are:

The Hoba meteorite: The Hoba meteorite is the largest meteorite that has ever been found on earth. The interesting thing about the Hoba is that it didn't create a crater. It is believed that it entered the earth's atmosphere at such a shallow angle that it was slowed down by atmospheric drag. The Hoba meteorite is located at Hoba Farm, near Grootfontein in Namibia in the same place where it was discovered in 1920. It is an iron meteorite that weighs more than 60 tons.

The Anighito meteorite: The Anighito meteorite is the second-largest meteorite ever discovered and it weighs a mere 34 tons. It was found by Admiral Peary in 1892 at Cape York in Greenland.

The Willamette meteorite: The Willamette meteorite is the largest meteorite ever discovered in the United States. It was found in Oregon and it is now at The American Museum of Natural History in New York.

The Sikhote-Alin meteorite: The Sikhote-Alin meteorite made a dramatic entry on February 27, 1947, in the Sikhote-Alin Mountains in Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais, Russia. A great many astrologers (both professional and amateur) spotted the huge fireball headed for earth. When the Sikhote-Alin meteorite hit the earth's atmosphere, it began to break apart but a the total mass of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite is estimated at between 70 and 90 tons.