Next Level Hobby: What You Need to Know About Astronomy

Since the beginning of time, mankind has been fascinated by the stars. Over time, this yearning towards the night sky has taken different paths, both mystical and scientific, finally leading to the birth of astronomy. The study of celestial objects can be traced far back into human history to when the Ancient Egyptians and the Mayans used astronomical alignments to create solar calendars. We’re almost certain that the prehistoric man shared the same fascination with the stars as well.

If you often find yourself gazing at the sky, trying to make sense of the dots and lines of light up there, then you might want to consider taking up astronomy as a hobby.

Here’s everything you need to know before you get started: 

Where To Begin

The most experienced amateur astronomers are often the ones who started not with equipment, but rather by fine-tuning their observation skills. So before you go buying a ton of complex and expensive gear, you must first be able to identify the planets, stars, and constellations with your naked eye. All you have to do is head to a place far from light pollution and just look up.

Yes, it’s that simple! Let your curious nature run free and look through sky charts, astronomy apps, and guidebooks to learn about the celestial objects you’re seeking and how to recognize them without the fancy equipment. The skills you develop using only your bare eyes and the knowledge you acquire reading reference books and maps are exactly the ones you’ll need to put a telescope to good use.

Even if you’re in a place with lots of light, you can start by observing the moon and its cycles since it remains visible regardless of light pollution. This would be a perfect place to start learning about the marvelous patterns of the sky. Alternatively, if you know there is an eclipse coming up, you could get yourself some of these solar eclipse glasses in preparation and find a good spot to observe this phenomenon. 

What Gear Do You Need

Once you’ve mastered the basic skills, you’ll want to start with quality gear that is easy to use before you can move on to the more sophisticated ones. As a general rule, binoculars are considered the perfect “first telescope” for most amateur stargazers. A quality pair with good magnification and crystal-clear glass will give you an excellent, wide view, significantly enhancing your vision at a fairly inexpensive cost.

By now, you should be able to tell whether or not you’re truly committed to this hobby. If you are, then you should invest in a quality telescope for improved clarity and magnification. As the lifelong astronomy enthusiasts at https://www.astronomyforbeginners.com/ explain, the best telescope for beginners is one that you can easily use anywhere and one that you can carry around easily. This means that it has to have a solid and steady mount, and it also needs to offer impressive performance, all while being easily portable at the same time. Computerized telescopes typically make finding certain objects a whole lot easier, but if you’re not a tech-savvy person, you will do just fine with a non-computerized one.

Where To Go

When looking for the optimal stargazing location that will allow you to discover the hidden realms of the night sky above you, there are a couple of basic rules you should follow. As we’ve mentioned previously, you need to try and stay away from artificial light sources. Ideally, the location you choose would be around 20 miles away from the nearest town or city.

A high elevation can also help you out. You should pick a spot high up, like a nearby hill or the roof of a particularly tall building where the air is thinner and would interfere less with the starlight. This way, even if you can’t get away from the city lights, you can still get a relatively clear and vivid view of the night sky, which, at the very least, will allow you to spot some major constellations.

It goes without saying that you also need to take the horizon into consideration. Heading to a remote, elevated location won’t be enough because seeing a starry night sky through a canopy or a bunch of overlapping branches is less than impressive. So, when it comes to finding the perfect spot for practicing your newfound passion, look for a place with a broad and open horizon to get a clear, unobstructed view.

If there’s one thing that astronomy signifies, it’s human curiosity and our desire to understand the universe around us. Taking up astronomy as a hobby will not only teach you about the wonders of the sky, but it can also push you to re-examine what it means to be human. After all, we use stars in our common language as symbols of our goals and idols so it should come as no surprise that marveling at the night sky will have you wondering about your hopes and dreams as well.