Basis

Well. You have watched a documentary on a TV chanel, or a reportage about amateur astronomy and you might want to know more? The tutorials below will help you to that, first presenting what amateur astronomy is, and introducing you to the Universe at large, and the space conquest!

What Amateur Astronomy is. The question of the Instruments
How to Understand the Universe?
And What About the Space Conquest?

What Amateur Astronomy is. The question of the Instruments

Amateur astronomy is a hobby. Its aim is to enjoy observing and understanding celestial objects and sceneries. Amateur astronomy, like a hobby, mostly became generalized during the 20th century, with the accessibility in price and concepts of the observing instruments

Amateur astronomy is twofold. It's first about the pleasure of observing the night sky and the objects therein. And second, it's about understanding the Universe at large. As an observation practice, amateur astronomy is a peaceful and serene activity and is not limited to a sole aspect. Numerous fields are opened to the hobbyists, ranging from the pleasure to observe the celestial objects and constellations with simple tools, to the construction of one's own instrument or photographic tools, through the advanced observation of the night objects with advanced astronomical instruments. As far as understanding the Universe is concerned, it's the other face of amateur astronomy, and of interest too, with the practice mostly building upon reading books, Internet sites, or attending lectures or some planetarium session

Amateur astronomy, may be performed on one's own, or with belonging to an amateur club or association. Practising on one's own just requires to learn the basics from websites and books, as such groups like astronomy clubs or astronomical societies may help you as a place where you will meet other afficionados, get a bulletin, benefit from the possible club's amateur observatory or instruments lending, and of the synergy of such institutions

About the question of the observing instruments, at first, you may begin the hobby with your eyes only! Before considering any important purchase, just deepen your knowledge, visit websites, begin to look at the sky naked-eye, or with binoculars, or any observing instrument you might already possess, and see if you are really interested. The question of equipment should come later

You will have to know too that amateur astronomers may participate into science research, as a tradition is that some sectors of amateur astronomy has always linked amateurs and professionals, like, for example, the variable and binary stars observation. Although such fields are being gradually modified due to the new digital techniques, these same techniques are opening new fields of collaboration between pros and amateurs like photometry of exoplanets transits, of active galaxies, and of eclipsing binaries; or in the field of spectroscopy (stars, planetary nebulae, planets)

How to Understand the Universe?

note: as we might display that text here, it is updatable and we link to it instead. The text is a fine summary of what we know about the Universe! click to the text!

And What About the Space Conquest?

note: as we might display that text here, it is updatable and we link to it instead. This text is a fine description of the space age since its beginnings by the 1950's. click to the text!

->Feeling interested by the hobby? See more subjects, and detailed studies, at the site 'Amateur Astronomy'!