This page last update June 5th 1997.
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me
Watching the stars has always interested people. Even in early days the wonder of the night sky has held our imagination. Early societies explained the stars away as souls in Heaven or lights from Heaven. The planets where given special purposes and Astrology was born.
As we learned more, our position in the Heavens changed. First we learned the Earth went around the Sun. Then we learned the stars where like the sun but very far away. Then we learned that stars clump together to form Galaxies. Galaxies clump together in Groups. Each Group is moving away from every other group. Groups clump together to form the Universe.
Astronomy and Astrophysics has brought a picture of the Universe far more disturbing than the imaginings of New Age prophets and believers of Religions. The sheer power of Black Holes is beyond imagining. The concept of millions upon millions of Tonnes of matter packed into several kilometers, or indeed occupying a point smaller than an atom is beyond imagining. The forces that power Stars are far greater than anything yet achieved by us. That we can even begin to understand the complexities of the Universe is to me a testiment of our acheivements.
I feel Astronomy is trying to answer the one question that plaques everyone, why are we here? There are some who would claim that the stars rule our Destiny. If so, every thing we do has been pre-ordained and we are only moving according to the puppet strings of an unseen entity. I believe we have free will, our actions are our own and only we are to blame for mistakes. Astronomy though uses Science, rather than asking you to simply believe the words of one person. At least the answers astronomy gives has been checked for accuracy and many people agree on what has been said.
My personal speciality is in Galactic Dynamics and Cosmology. Galaxies are beautifull and strange structures that present more questions than answers. Cosmology says the Universe should be homogeneous (the same). Galaxies are evidence that it is not. Why all the different shapes, Spirals of different types and Ellipticals. Each has its own unique signature and structure.
Like many Astronomers I believe Alien Life should exist. But I do not believe in UFO's as extraterrestial Vehicles.
Palomar Observatory Sky Survey
Clementine Mission to the Moon
Voyager 1 and 2
Bruce Balicks Planetary Nebulae page
Ulysses Homepage - Views of the Sun
A Major new breakthrough in Astronomy is the discovery of Planets around other stars. To find out more follow these links.
Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia
San Francisco State University Planet Search Project
Unfortunately, being the end of the millenium Hale-Bopps arrival is seen as a harbinger of doom and change.
If you want to learn more about Solar System Astronomy The Nine Planets is an excellent resource. Learn more about the Sun, the Magnetopause and the Van Allen Belts.
Ned Wright has an excellent Cosmology tutorial. Also visit John Baez's Mathematical Finds in Physics to learn more about Cosmology. Then there are the sci.astro FAQ, sci.physics FAQ and sci.physics.relativity FAQ.
I am writing my own review and teaching aid for Cosmology and Astrophysics, for public perusal, its unfinished and rough but I would like some one to tell me how bad it is.
Other Resources
This page last update June 5th 1997.
Comments or insults me