Astronomy Today
November 21, 2009
Astronomy today is a serious science as well as a hobby enjoyed by many people. Every day something new happens in the world of astronomy to gather the attention of millions of fans worldwide. It can also be a lot of fun. So here are a few of the latest and greatest astronomy facts, figures and happenings.
Meteors may be a key element of astronomy today on any given day. The last half of 2008 was no different as meteors were certainly on the menu. In November the Taurids and Leonids were active in the night sky. Into was a full moon in December washing out the Gemenids. But people need not worry. Whereas the peak only happens for a short time meteor showers continue for as much as two weeks before and two weeks after the peak. So there’s a lot of clear time to view these falling chunks of space debris.
In 2008 a return to the moon was on people’s minds very often in astronomy today. Many countries would participate in this exciting undertaking. There has even been talk of a base or colony established on the moon. Hard to believe. Space 1999, a TV show from the 70s, may be about to become a reality.
2008 was a year of a lot of astronomy news. For much of the year many astronomy today columns were filled with news of some space garbage – a colling ammonia tank from the space station. After being thrown into orbit, it was finally about to plummet back to the planet. There was some worry that large chunks would fall, or that some parts would strike in populated areas. The good news is that it all fell into the ocean.
The good old Hubble telescope made the biggest impact in astronomy today. Bear was the saga of damage which took a month to repair. After recovery, Hubble snapped the first visible light pictures of a planet orbiting a distance sun. Talk about a hard year’s work.
Astronomy today isn’t hard to follow. The Internet is a great source for this information.
