ASPECTS OF ASTRONOMY GADGETS

Stargazing gadgets that give you a rare view of the sky above.

id you know that you can see a galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years away without the help of a telescope? Or even see Moon craters using binoculars?

It is incredible how you could look up into the sky and ask: “Is there an afterlife?”, “ Is what we are seeing half of what we are to observe?”

These questions triggered Galileo’s invention of an astronomical instrument (the Telescope) as means of observing the sky. This greater context triggered many factors that surround Astronomy, Religion, Science, and society. Astronomy was not only a subject of a textbook it also included the making of binoculars out of bones and seeing certain stars during certain seasons. It served as the foundation of a map, calendar and a clock. With the help of man-made instruments, ancient people tracked seasons and lunar crates, as well as predicted eclipses. Astronomy was embedded in their DNA.

Today these instruments inspire us with beautiful pictures and promise answers to big questions. Security stars or should I say Astronomers practice what we may call an “exciting vigil of adventure,” using amazing astronomical instruments to help us understand more about celestial bodies. We take a look at instruments to get your gear straight up and start embarking on the mysteries of the universe, galaxies and nebulas.

There are two major categories of astronomical instruments. The first category consists of all of the instruments used to observe celestial objects. Generally known as telescopes, these instruments can be used to see, photograph, or otherwise detect objects invisible to the naked eye.

The second category pertains to instruments employed for recording or standardizing the data provided by the observational instruments.

#1 THE EYE #2 • The basic and most important instrument in astronomy is the human eye, a detector and mini telescope • A telescope is an observing instrument, but so is the human eye. Our eye’s pupil functions very similarly to a telescope’s aperture, making it the most superior and accurate telescope. The eye’s pupil is just like a telescope’s aperture. OPTICAL TELESCOPE • Distant stars and galaxies are too far away for us to reach. We cannot go to them to study them. In other words, we learn everything about distant stars and galaxies by observing the radiation they produce. For better means of analysis, astronomers use optical telescopes for best.

• Image is formed in the retina. • Optical telescopes observe visible light from space.

Small ones allow amateurs to view the night sky relatively easily.

• A picture is worth a thousand words they say, but wouldn’t it be a shame if you saw a cosmic object and not share it with the world?

•The Astrophotographer holds his camera directly up to the eyepiece of a telescope (a focal photography).

• The telescope will enlarge what you are seeing and capture it.

• It can zoom in or out on the star that you are focusing on.

#3 RED LED FLASHLIGHT • One of the common tools of amateur astronomers is a red light used to see charts and telescope settings. The idea behind the use of red light is to maintain dark adaption for night-time viewing. Which is good for pointing out objects. • By pointing a red LED flashlight at certain dual boxes or planets at night, you can make it easier for the people around you to see what you are talking about. #4 HD POCKET BINOCULARS • 12 x 25 Telescope low light night Vision High power HD Pocket Binoculars. #5• What is better than taking a spacewalk without leaving planet

Earth other than using binoculars from the comfort of your home? THE LEBOMBO BONE • The Lebombo bone is a bone that was used as a Tally stick centuries ago to record or track lunar cycles.

• Amateur astronomers can use it to observe star maps during astronomical observations, pilots during night flights to view navigation maps, and for general purposes. • Binoculars show you a wide field of view, making it easy to find your way around. A higher-power telescope magnifies only a tiny, hard-to locate bit of sky.

• They also show a view that’s right-side-up and straight in front of you, making it easy to see where you’re pointing.

• Binoculars are also relatively cheap, widely available, and a breeze to carry and store.

• A pair of binoculars designed specifically to look at the stars and block out light can transport you to the Universe. • Due to technological advancements, #6 we use solar calendars. STAR WHEEL\PLANISPHERE • A star wheel or Planisphere can be used to show you where a star is located in the sky

• This tool allows you to find out which stars and constellations are visible in the sky at a given time and date.

• An imperative tool for amateur stargazers.

• Star wheels are designed to work at a specific latitude. For example, an accurate star wheel in India would not be useful in

China.

#7 MOON GLOBE • A perfect astronomical globe for stargazers who want to embark on a celestial journey.

• The moon globe depicts all the major craters and mountains of the lunar.

In observing a celestial object through a conventional astronomical telescope, a large portion of the light collected by the object lies in the visible and near-visible spectrum. The use of astronomical telescopes has changed dramatically in the past decades. Radio telescopes are among them. #8 CHRONOGRAPH WATCH #9 • A Chronograph watch, is a watch that combines the traditional watch face with stopwatch capabilities. • In addition to being used as a stopwatch or display watch, a Chronograph watch is a device used to track astronomical objects. STAR-GAZING APP • An all-in-one stargazing and sky guide app like SkyView can be very helpful. Through its screen and sensors, SkyView lets you see what’s up in the skies in an enhanced reality experience. It is updated to provide the most accurate picture of the sky.

• Astronomical observations can be accurately recorded and permanently stored with a

Chronograph watch.

• Time-related observations, such as a star transit, may be recorded on the chronograph, and these signals may be broken up throughout the otherwise continuous record of time. • The app can display the track of an object in the sky and information on each of these objects, planets, and satellites using the AR viewfinder on

Smartphone’s and tablets.

#10 A COMPUTER

• As much as research proves that the vital tool in astronomy is a telescope, computers are also as important.

• Computer technology is crucial to the observational astronomy process, as the large modern telescopes require computer control in order to operate and acquire the data they produce.

In any case, remote control and observation of orbiting telescopes like South Africa’s

SKA Telescope are most evident.

• Computers are also essential for theoretical astronomy, where large mathematical models are constructed to try to understand the observations and these models can often only be solved using the largest computers.

“According to astronomy.com networking and sharing ideas have never been so easy. Using the internet, astronomers can share, access, and analyze data. Tools that allow this are being developed throughout the world.”