It’s beautiful
If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary disks, galaxies, nebulae and open clusters come into view, often startling in their majesty.
Of course, the beauty of the universe is not limited to what is immediately visible to our eyes. Deep space objects, seen through the largest of telescopes, are candidates for some of the most beautiful things ever seen by human eyes. Who could not fail to be impressed by the wonderful Hubble photos of the Crab and Eagle nebulas, or the views of the outer planets and moons from space probes such as Voyager and Cassini? To see for yourself, each day NASA publishes it’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Few images ever fail to impress.
It’s extreme.
Nothing can be taken for granted about space. Most of it is unimaginably cold, interspersed occasionally by blisteringly hot stars with coronal temperatures of millions of degrees. Almost everything is racing around at breakneck speed: barreling through space at velocities of hundreds or thousands of kilometers a second relative to us. That’s enough to cause quite an impact if we were to get in their way. All around us catastrophic convulsions are taking place, with vast explosions and unconscionably high energies. This is a Universe of supernovas, neutron stars, magnetars, pulsars and Gamma Ray Bursts – beams of high energy radiation that would eliminate all life on our planet in an instant were our Earth unfortunate enough to stray too close. Black holes exist that can compress the mass of whole stars into volumes a few kilometers wide, creating gravitational fields that nothing, not even light itself, can escape from.
This is the stuff of childhood fantasies. Superpowers. Forcefields. Instantaneous death. The destruction of worlds. It is no wonder that space features so prominently in the minds of the young.
It ignites our curiosity.
Astronomy confronts us with some of the biggest and most challenging problems about the nature of ourselves and the fabric of reality. As a science, it has lead the way in overturning ancient notions of how nature should behave. At one time we believed ourselves to be at the centre of the Universe, with all objects, including the Sun, revolving around the Earth. Astronomers through the ages slowly revealed a different truth. Our star and our home planet are among countless billions in a very ancient Universe. Everything we do ultimately only affects an infinitesimally small piece of real-estate in the cosmos. This discovery, while deeply humbling, is enlightening. It tells us that we will never know everything. Our quest for knowledge is unlimited. We are ants in a cathedral, and what a cathedral it is.
The study of the stars and planets has pushed out the frontiers of knowledge in every direction. It’s contribution to science and mathematics cannot be underestimated. Without astronomy, the modern world as we know it would not exist. Astronomy continues to confound us and guide us right to this day. Gigantic accelerators are busy smashing sub-atomic particles into smithereens to gain greater insights into the nature of matter because objects in space do not always behave the way our current scientific models expect them to. Astronomy has revolutionised our understanding of nature and it will continue to do so.
It tells us about our past.
When you look into space, at any star you care to mention, you are looking into history. You are not seeing the star as it is now, but as it was when the photons of light left its photosphere many years ago. If you can find the Andromeda Galaxy in the sky, you are getting a picture of how it looked two million years ago, long before humans ever roamed our planet. The largest telescopes can see back billions of years ago, to galaxies in their infancy, still in the process of being formed.
History is about ourselves, how we got here, why things are how they are. Astronomy opens history even further by explaining the origins of our planet, our sun, our galaxy – even providing insights into our Universe and how it all started some 13 odd billion years ago.
Astronomy is fascinating even when applied to our own modest human story. We have had an intense relationship with the stars and planets for thousands of years. It guided the ancient cycles of sowing and harvesting. It provided the raw material for belief systems, rituals and religions. It contributed to our language. It assisted with navigation and discovery. In living memory, we have witnessed men walking on the Moon and robot probes being flung out of the solar system – events likely to be celebrated for millennia to come. Our relationship with the stars has shaped the culture of today.
It’s our future.
Astronomy is important to our future, from the short term to the distant long term. Over the coming decades, private companies will take over much of the heavy lifting formerly associated with government agencies such as NASA and ESA. This will create new jobs and new wealth. Bigger telescopes and better equipment will provide insights into reality that will stretch our technological capabilities. Over the coming centuries perhaps we will explore and colonise deep space for ourselves, using technologies yet undreamt of. In the end, billions of years from now, our sun will expand, frying everything on this planet before diminishing in size itself, its fuel spent, its job done.
Perhaps there is a large asteroid or comet out there in space with our name on it. Perhaps our planet will eventually turn against us, forcing us to find a new home. Perhaps we will find a way to cross the enormous gulfs separating us from other stars in our galaxy. All of these possibilities lead us to the conclusion that the stars will feature prominently in the future of the human race.
Astronomy is available to all, from the small child with his toy rocketship, to the octogenarian peering through her telescope at a crater on the Moon. Few endeavours are so wide in scope, so rich in detail, or so marvelous in implication. I invite you to join in.
137 comments
Comments feed for this article
September 10, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Christy aka Mamarazzi
The pictures I’ve seen coming from space lately, leave me amazed at the beauty in the galaxies!
September 10, 2010 at 1:46 pm
diary486
like this. learn bout astronomy is so cool =D
September 10, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Nightsouled
Your post just perfectly captures what I feel when I look through my telescope. Great work!
September 10, 2010 at 1:56 pm
kifitim2
beautiful
September 10, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Kate
What an awesome post. I didn’t want to tie myself to that math you need to do astronomy professionally, but sometimes I wish I had. Every time I see a great photo like the one you used or look at the night sky away from city lights I feel small and whole all at once.
Thank you so much for this. 🙂
September 10, 2010 at 2:01 pm
urbannight
Someone I knew years ago had some sort of widget screensaver that would show a real-time image of the sun so you could see solar flares occuring. But I could never find to add it to my desktop. I love astronomy but my math skills were insufficient to take it in college.
September 10, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Sunflowerdiva
Loved this! 🙂
September 10, 2010 at 2:11 pm
The Zen Assassin
There’s a show, up in Canada, called Hubble’s Canvas. Really opened my eyes to how utterly mystifying the universe is. Really humbles a person when you realize how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things.
Cheers!
September 10, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Phen
wow…..so beautiful….!!!
September 10, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Tom Baker
I’ve always been awe struck by the enormity of the universe. It is beautiful. It is amazing how none of the planets in our solar system are similar to any other. I think my favorite heavenly body is my wife, but next to her is the Horsehead Nebula.
September 10, 2010 at 2:26 pm
She.Is.Just.A.Rat
This is a fantastic post! I’ve always been fascinated by the night sky and recently had another opportunity to view it from a darkened ground location. Living in an urban area really makes you appreciate when you’re able to see the sky without the influence of artificial light. Beautiful…
September 10, 2010 at 2:52 pm
priscilla27
I love it ! And love everything about the Universe in its State 🙂 Amazing !
September 10, 2010 at 3:00 pm
jessbhinkle
Any topic about the universe, being a mystery in itself, has always been enlightening. But you reminded us now how important it is in our everyday life. Nice post….:)
Jess B. Hinkle
http://jesshinkle.wordpress.com/
September 10, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Dan Wade
I don’t think schools teach enough about astronomy and its place in our lives and devvelopment. As you’ve stated, astronomy has had such a huge impact on our lives and science that it deserves better.
http://danjswade.wordpress.com
September 10, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Perroquet
Ah, I wanted to be an astronomer. Then physics got in the way. Great entry.
September 10, 2010 at 3:39 pm
duckyinfo
I loved astronomy as a kid. The concept of black holes and the way planets formed was way cooler than dinosaurs. I lament the fact that light pollution has kept me from taking my boy out to see the stars. I’ll have to plan a road trip I guess. Nice piece.
September 10, 2010 at 3:44 pm
theramagic
superheroa.wordpress.com
September 10, 2010 at 3:49 pm
The Gates of Lodore
cool post. It is no wonder nearly every human culture incorporates astronomy into their culture, myths, and religion. Look at how many cultures recognized equinoxes and solstices with holidays, or payed attention to the sun, moon, and stars to tell them when to plant crops or leave on a journey. Even today one has to go no further than the prevalence of space-themes science fiction to understand that astronomy still fascinates all of us.
September 10, 2010 at 3:50 pm
sylviangirl
Astronomy is truly amazing. I love watching programmes or reading books about the universe but most of the time it just freaks me out and boggles my mind. I still find it beautifully mysterious though and always get drawn back in to wanting to find out as much as i can.
http://sylviangirl.wordpress.com/
September 10, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Ishana
Astronomy is why I regret moving to the city. I miss sitting out on warm nights and staring at the stars, basking in the light of a full moon. NASA’s images are always striking, for every reason you’ve listed here. The sheer vastness of the galaxy is enough to humble a giant.
Nothing is more fascinating than that which we cannot obtain.
Thanks for the post, and congratulations on making Freshly Pressed. A well-deserved article, indeed.
September 10, 2010 at 4:17 pm
rachelbethahrens
I’ve always loved science, particularly chemistry, physics, and astronomy. If only there was an astronomy major available at my college. My dad and I still like to check out all kinds of astronomy stuff online and looking at nebulae pictures taken with satellites. We even took pictures of the moon one night several years ago.
Terrific blog post, by the way, and I love the picture that you opened with.
September 10, 2010 at 4:21 pm
CrystalSpins
I don’t know if it counts as astronomy, but I’m obsessed with the moon. It always puts life in perspective and reminds me how amazing, beautiful and vast God (or just the Universe if you aren’t a believer) is.
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
September 10, 2010 at 4:30 pm
CommentatorandPoet
I am not an educated man at age 68. I left High School in the middle of the 11th grade as an honor student, and at the age of 17, joined the U.S. Air Force. Since those days, I have achieved a small measure of success in my life. I live a life, that my late Mother, and Father would not even been able to dream of. Two beautiful homes, a beautiful loving wife and time left in my life to become a better man.
What impressed me the most about your blog, is your love of the English word. Each sentence is beautifully done, with thoughts all ending in beautiful conclusions. Even the lay-out of the blog and the seperation of your various thoughts on the subject, placed me in awe at your mastery of the English lanquage. I know that even in my published poetry writing over the last twenty years, will I ever reach your level.
Thank you for your time in sharing this.
John
September 10, 2010 at 4:34 pm
barrycyrus
um if only schools taught astronomy more…
September 10, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Edi
Nice post! Astronomy IS cool!
September 10, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Colm
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! I just checked my blog and I’m just reading all the comments. I’m overwhelmed. Thank you all.
September 10, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Sulfonix
Astronomy is always interesting, amazing and superior to any other subject 😀 I really love star watching at night as much as I love bird watching (possibly even more!)
http://sulfonix.wordpress.com
September 10, 2010 at 5:13 pm
aromatix
Colm,
We enjoy your site… poems and photos!
September 10, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Jornal do Whisky
I love it 💡
http://jornaldowhisky.wordpress.com/
Cheers!
September 10, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Nora Weston
Hi! Super cool post. 🙂 Astronomy is a topic I love to explore, and every time I venture into virtual space to find information and photographs…I’m left in awe. This post has reminded me to look up more often and take note of the magnificence above. So great you were freshly pressed!
September 10, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Utah Movers
This is just so amazing! Such beautiful pictures from such a long way from home.
Sherri
September 10, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Romantic Asian Guy
Astronomy reminds me of how small I am and also of the possibilities out there.
September 10, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Akshaya Shivkumar
Sky-gazing in the presence of the glares and neon of modern day cities remind me of flashes of blinding sunlight when we step out on a sunny day- for we notice the beauty of shadows only when we see beyond the light we are shown…
September 10, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Akshaya Shivkumar
Sky-gazing in the presence of the glares and neon of modern day cities reminds me of flashes of blinding sunlight when we step out on a sunny day- for we notice the beauty of shadows only when we see beyond the light we are shown…
September 10, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Banner Stands
I’ve usually been awe struck by the how big the universe really is. It’s stunning. It is amazing how the planets in our solar system are all very unique in their own ways.
September 10, 2010 at 6:42 pm
John Mahony
Really great post, love it!
September 10, 2010 at 7:24 pm
kjirstencg
wonderful.
September 10, 2010 at 7:31 pm
SallyK
It’s so hard to see the stars these day – so much light polution. But Labor Day weekend I was in rural southern Ohio on a clear Sunday night, and lo and behold, the Milky Way! In a sky full of beautiful stars. Could have spent all night watching…. North Coast Muse @ http://sally1029.wordpress.com
September 10, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Neeraj Jaiswal
If you follow some pictures from NASA you will be astonished so much we know less.
Astronomy is so beautiful , but is also very lonely.
http://www.nasa.gov
September 10, 2010 at 8:14 pm
politeandparanoid
Great post! In the words of that guy on Jimmy Fallon, “Hubble Got Chu!”
September 10, 2010 at 8:21 pm
pduan
Carl Sagan put it best:
Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar”, every “supreme leader”, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
September 10, 2010 at 9:55 pm
rebelliousvanilla
I do the Andromeda thing – I was laying on my back on the grass during the night and looking at the stars and thinking that if a civilization advanced enough to see details on Earth’s surface will look this way from Andromeda in 2 million years, they will see me, laying on the grass, looking towards them. But again, I have weird interests for a girl my age – not many people fancy debating string theory. lol
September 12, 2010 at 2:17 am
Ovid Diaconescu
Can we email /chat about it? Look me up on Facebook; I’m friendly. 🙂 ❤ 808 ❤
September 10, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « Mbconsulting's Blog
[…] It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 10, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « slices of ink
[…] It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 10, 2010 at 10:27 pm
reiannawriteswords
Loved this post! Really sparked my interest in astronomy, and for that, I thank you. =]
September 10, 2010 at 10:46 pm
chemicalmarriage
Plus, IT IS HUGE! Space is a never ending hill to look over.
September 11, 2010 at 3:18 am
Spaceman's Hairdo
I like this one the best.
September 10, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Vivian Dixon Sober
It is the Creator’s Art! We should all strive to be as beautiful as God’s Art!
Vivian Dixon Sober
victoriouswomen.wordpress.com
September 10, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Rod
The sky is more beautiful seen in the countryside far from air pollution that makes a dome over metropolitan areas. You will be amazed to see stars with your naked eyes, the ones that you never saw when you were in the city. Try that.
September 10, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Rockland County Painter
Space is pretty darn amazing. Thanks for the informative post.
September 10, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Spion
Read the Holy Quran, it will open your eyes about the secrets of the universe
September 11, 2010 at 12:34 am
alessandraspeaks
Beautiful post! You never really sit back and think about it.
September 11, 2010 at 1:22 am
didta
agree!
September 11, 2010 at 3:14 am
Katharine
Totally agree with you about the wonder of astronomy. My sister is an astronomer, and imaginative images have found their way into my artwork.
Thanks for your post.
Katharine, at
http://www.templeofthecosmos.com
September 11, 2010 at 3:47 am
Imaginarium of Pau
Many people has told me that i am such a geek because i like astronomy and earth sciences – I don’t care. I enjoy the mysteries of it in a lot of ways. 🙂
September 11, 2010 at 3:56 am
gigi
Great post…
I read somewhere that Earth breathes. That it actually inhales and exhales. Is that true of outer space?
Reason # 6: It’s holy
September 11, 2010 at 4:08 am
dreaminofyou
Space is beautiful, I remember as a kid, i used to take our telescope out to the road and sit in a lawn chair just staring up at the night sky.
This post made me really think of wanting to take Astronomy next year.
September 11, 2010 at 5:05 am
walknTalk
nice post..it’s really cool
September 11, 2010 at 5:44 am
Andrew
Agreed! I’ve been an astronomy fan as long as I can recall. Everyone should carry some astronomical knowledge, and show interest in it.
September 11, 2010 at 6:38 am
mlyoby
I loved how you linked it to history
September 11, 2010 at 8:10 am
Zain Hasan
you should write books 🙂 Very impressive work.
September 11, 2010 at 8:30 am
Margarita Corazon
Cool!
September 11, 2010 at 8:36 am
hotsexyidols
I love it !
September 11, 2010 at 8:45 am
sayitinasong
There is something very romantic abour astronomy, about all those scientists who “discovered” astronomy centuries ago to the ones planning the space journeys to galaxies far away… and it’s the mystery which keeps us enthralled…. what is out there?
September 12, 2010 at 5:48 pm
augpha
I really love that is cool in silence out there and romantic too. what kind of things that living out there?
September 11, 2010 at 10:04 am
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via woodpigeon01.wordpress.com) « Znalezione w Sieci!
[…] It’s beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 11, 2010 at 10:28 am
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « Slynkycat's Blog
[…] Posted by slynkycat on September 11, 2010 · Leave a Comment It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 11, 2010 at 10:38 am
mndals
Congratulations on a very well written post. I remember as a young boy gazing up into the heavens and peering through the eyepiece of my cheap 60mm refractor telescope and being lost for words at the beauty that lay before me. It never ceases to amaze me even now that by simply looking up at the night sky we are in fact looking back in time. The universe is indeed filled with wonders and the more we learn about it the more wondrous it becomes.
Mark
September 11, 2010 at 10:46 am
e1saman
The question is, what we see out there does it really exist? And even if it exists can we reach it one day?
September 11, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Matt
Glad to see I’m not the only one that thinks that we need to understand our past in order to see where our future lies.
September 11, 2010 at 1:31 pm
eastbird
Very very lovely post. I’m into astronomy since I was kid. I like it because it’s enigma inside enigmas. It just keep me thinking, imagining, guessing, and suggesting!. Beside, when we think that we’re big in this world, we need just to look over to know how little we’re in this universe. Scientists are looking 24 hours about other lives out there. But no sings yet. Knowing that we’re alone in this whole universe is something interesting but scary at the same time !
Thanks for sharing such a special post
September 11, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Summer
astronomy is cool!! 😀
congrats on being freshly pressed!!
love.
summer.
September 11, 2010 at 2:46 pm
vanillamagick
My pre-teen loves space – she’s never been able to articulate to me quite why but reading this, I can now understand it.
September 11, 2010 at 3:50 pm
David Tyler
I’ve always called it: “The Greatest Show on Earth”!
September 11, 2010 at 4:02 pm
eurybe08
Great Post! I have to agree, the reasons you gave are more than enough.
September 11, 2010 at 4:27 pm
theextinctexistentialist
Amazing post! You have articulated things that I have felt for years but could not put words to.
September 11, 2010 at 5:26 pm
wolke205
Astronomy is really interesting, I wished I had it more than only 1 year in school. I totally agree with your post.
September 11, 2010 at 5:38 pm
ZZMike
Great post. Astronomy connects us with the Universe, and with our past (by which I mean millions of years past). And as you say, our future. Somebody sais, “Our future is with the stars”. You can enjoy it at any level, from “backyard astronomer” to professional.
One of the wonders of astronomy, to me, is the fact that an average-skilled craftsman can build – almost from scratch – a telescope that will let you see objects down to around 8th or 9th magnitude. The eyepiece is a little harder, but you can grind your own mirror and build your own mount.
I remember something John Dobson said: find a wide-open space, lay out on your back – and look down into the sky.
September 11, 2010 at 5:53 pm
spartan934
Wow, interesante, espero algun dia ser un astrofisico, solo que no soy muy bueno con la matematica.
pero aun asi, espero llegar a serlo.
Gran trabajo.
September 11, 2010 at 8:23 pm
nazish0151
I agree, astronomy is so cool. I wish schools taught it more than in just a few grades.
September 11, 2010 at 9:45 pm
11 September 2010 posts « blueollie
[…] This was a recommended Wodrpess post; I see why. It is called “Five Reasons Why Astronomy is So Cool”. Read […]
September 11, 2010 at 9:50 pm
blessing katiza
i think astronomy is a strong reason why everyone should believe in God. he formed the entire universe with his spoken word.
September 11, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « Front Page
[…] September 11, 2010 by joseph It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 12, 2010 at 12:23 am
Colin L Beadon
Yes, and yes, but so many people have never seen the Universe on a dark night, or seen a full moon as she slips out of the horizon’s seas lip. How then can they accept the true nature of the world they live in ? And how can they without knowing its reality, comprehend its deep magnificence or the ineffable mystery of its existence ?
September 11, 2010 at 11:33 pm
coachcarrie25
Astronomy has always been a big interest of mine.
September 12, 2010 at 12:04 am
Colin L Beadon
Stop.! I am amazed and saddened, how suddenly people have begun to appreciate there is a Universe out there. Far too many of us don’t ever see the light of the moon, let alone the light of the stars, so drenched are we by the cold brilliant dehumanizing light of our own making.
No wonder so many of us are half mad, stripped away from the natural world that first spawned us, like dogs or chickens in breeding pens, fed grain and artificial light to produce us for sale, or work, dehumanized, like slaves.
September 12, 2010 at 12:57 am
Dawne
wonderful post! i’ve always been fascinated by the universe. thanks for the link to the astronomy picture of the day, too.
September 12, 2010 at 1:40 am
schemmy888
pretty intense article….the universe is a great topic for philosophy and such things…we should link to each other…adding you to the blogroll
September 12, 2010 at 3:11 am
gabsgab
I know – isn’t the universe awesome? It is a testament to the majesty of our Creator!
September 12, 2010 at 3:57 am
susha
the universe is in many ways connected to us… the insides of our heads are universes in themselves… now, more recently, ‘storage’ space in terms of kb, mb, gb, tb and so on, are as never ending and vast as the ‘universe’
September 12, 2010 at 5:09 am
程子
I am just started taking a course about intro of astronomy, amazing pictures.
September 12, 2010 at 6:04 am
Kredo
Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His Sovereignty) for men of understanding, Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire. (Holy Quran : 3 : 190-191)
And of His portents are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Adore not the sun nor the moon; but adore to Allah Who created them, if it is in truth Him Whom ye worship. (Holy Quran : 41 : 37)
September 12, 2010 at 6:11 am
V.H.Belvadi
Hi Colm, wonderful post. Astronomy is simply great! I spend hours in the night with my telescope, gazing into the vast depths of the universe and feeling small.
If you’re interested in astronomy do read my blog (at http://www.thewriteeye.co.nr) sometime. I write a lot of the interesting stuff about astronomy (without the math!)
Cherio!
September 12, 2010 at 6:14 am
V.H.Belvadi
Oh, and nice choice of picture the ant nebula was! Its one of my favourites!
September 12, 2010 at 8:50 am
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « S4199
[…] It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 12, 2010 at 10:04 am
ritasecret
owh, that was really interesting 🙂
September 12, 2010 at 11:00 am
ridlo
nice… 😀
September 12, 2010 at 1:33 pm
wordsandwheels
it all makes you feel like a teeny-weeny insignificant little speck doesn’t it? cool post!
September 12, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Science Rules! « Bookshelf of the Mind
[…] A fellow WordPress blogger has posted Five Reasons Why Astronomy Is Cool, which reminded me that I’ve been wanting to post on this topic for ages. Check out his […]
September 12, 2010 at 2:20 pm
patie
owh, that was really interesting
and look 2 ths link is so cool
September 12, 2010 at 2:32 pm
oghex
God can make everything happen..astronomy is cool because of God ..i love this post
September 12, 2010 at 3:37 pm
thejamminjabber
(g)od has nothing to do with it.
September 12, 2010 at 3:02 pm
teknophilia
I have a Meade telescope which I use on cloudless nights. Although it’s obviously not nearly as good as larger telescopes, just being able to look at something for myself, and knowing that light has traveled for YEARS to reach my eyes; its amazing.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
September 12, 2010 at 3:37 pm
thejamminjabber
I’m fascinated by astronomy and physics, but suck at math. Cool post.
September 12, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Not Regis
I’m not Regis.
September 12, 2010 at 4:54 pm
5 Reasons Why Astronomy is Cool « My Dark Sky
[…] answers (although I had been asked this question many times). Today, I came across this article “5 reasons why astronomy is cool” that I would like to share with you all. I think at least this will help me to structure my […]
September 12, 2010 at 5:14 pm
joserinfans
not so cool. bro.. haha
September 12, 2010 at 9:56 pm
p1nkbear
Cool, I love astronomy.
September 12, 2010 at 11:24 pm
makidoo
that is just great! Space is one of the biggest today’s mystery.
Many people will see”natural catastrophs” like something bad that just “happens” !!
This is VERY wrong! Many don’t have a clue that planets “dies” like a fruit! It is – unfortunately- a natural and normal thing! So before you ask:
Yes! it will continue still for a while… a earthquake here, a flood there, volcanos here and there, big heat waves all over the place!!!
If not, how could you explain the Russia fires ? the first since at least 200 years ago !! In Russia !!! It is like having a heat stroke in the north pole !!!
September 13, 2010 at 12:17 am
sarahnsh
I love the pictures of space, they are just so beautiful. I also really like where I live because I can see the stars so easily because we don’t have that much light, so I can see the big dipper every night except for when it’s really cloudy.
September 13, 2010 at 2:00 am
Critic Monster
Love this! I’ve always loved science, especially astronomy. Like you said, everything is so beautiful and interesting and cool! Oh and love the space pics by the way 😀
-The Critic Monster
http://criticmonster.wordpress.com/
September 13, 2010 at 2:00 am
rangelfisica
Astronomy is cool !
nerd is cool !
I am a nerd astronomer ! i am very cool ! LOL
September 13, 2010 at 3:23 am
qingge
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September 13, 2010 at 3:26 am
yeou
This is awesome…!! I love astronomy~!! The cosmos is truly stunning! ^^
September 13, 2010 at 3:42 am
Norwichrocks
Great post Colm!
September 13, 2010 at 3:43 am
qingge
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September 13, 2010 at 3:59 am
zakton
Thanks for the link to Astronomy Picture of the Day. Found beautiful pictures of the night sky there. I wish I could have regular access to a good telescope so I can see them myself.
September 13, 2010 at 4:53 am
agusnuramin
thanks you for nice information, there is awesome T.T
September 13, 2010 at 8:15 am
midangmovement
astronomy is amazing. There’s so much you can learn from it. It’s always relaxing to just look up there and doze off. I need to get myself a telescope one of these days.
September 13, 2010 at 8:19 am
sinoneo magnets
It is beautiful.
September 13, 2010 at 8:30 am
blackwatertown
Very persuasive.
September 13, 2010 at 8:54 am
cowboy games
thanks for sharing
September 13, 2010 at 10:57 am
Michael Roberts
I genuinely loved this blog post, sums up science with perfect clarity and expert delivery. Awesome!
September 13, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Hotmail Free
Great, very cool !!! Thanks
September 13, 2010 at 2:38 pm
kittykatmichelle
Astronomy is so cool! I’m a senior this year so I have to take it as a class and I LOVE it!!!
September 13, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Well now, that was fun « Sunny spells and scattered showers
[…] commenters, comments, wordpress What a tremendous and wholly unexpected reaction to my “Five Reasons” post last Friday. To everyone who commented, “Liked” or shared my entry I would […]
September 14, 2010 at 11:00 am
bg
the river inn lads say congrats on great article
September 14, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Astronomy: Five reasons why astronomy is cool « And so I watch you from Afar.
[…] leave a comment » It’s beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 15, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Photographer
wow…..so beautiful….!!!
September 15, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Marcus Aurelius
Great piece! Just to let you know, I’ve added a link to this article on the Rule Hibernia Thumbs Up page at http://rulehibernia.com/rh-thumbs-up/
September 16, 2010 at 12:23 am
mct88
It’s definitely beautiful. So many different stars, planets, galaxies, etc. Extreme?! Especially when you take into account that the milky way galaxy is about the size of a quarter when placed on the North American continent?! Yeah, INSANE!
September 19, 2010 at 1:46 pm
kevin
personally, im a great fan of astronomy. i am easily amazed by the beauty it shows from the images itself. i even tried to use heavenly bodies slide show as background for my desktop. i am just completely awed and that’s it. hope you can bring more fascinating pictures dude. loved your article.
September 19, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via Sunny spells and scattered showers) « The Sky's the Limit
[…] It's beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]
September 22, 2010 at 10:01 pm
MacTingz
From the first time I spotted Orion in the sky whilst walking my dog I found myself in awe by it all. Certainly beats Astrology anyway, errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
And furthermore… *cough visit my blog for God’s sake * cough uhum…
P.S It’s funny ’cause he doesn’t exist.
October 3, 2010 at 11:44 am
pilocarpine
really an awesome post.
February 14, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via woodpigeon01.wordpress.com) | Darmowe smsy
[…] Five reasons why astronomy is cool (via woodpigeon01.wordpress.com) Posted on 14 lutego 2011 by admin It’s beautiful If you go out on a dark moonless night, you will immediately know what I mean. The Milky Way, stretching its jagged course across the heavens, is quite a sight to behold. The constellations, particularly the winter constellations, have an elegance and familiarity to them. The Moon is also an appealing object, with its ever changing phases and frequent conjunctions with other planets in the sky. Through a small telescope, planetary … Read More […]