Astronomy today is a popular and enjoyable hobby as well as a vital science making new discoveries every day. From new space objects to new images, from new tools and techniques to new discoveries made with them, from new space missions to reviving and reviewing data from the old ones, keeping up with astronomy can certainly be a full time job. It can also be a lot of fun. So let’s take a look at some of the latest and greatest.
Astronomy today on any given day might have news of meteors. As 2008 came to an end meteors certainly were in the news. Taurids in Leonids were featured in November. Gemenids peaked in December, but unfortunately it was also the time of a full moon making them impossible to see. But people need not worry. Meteor shower peaks may happen during full moons, but meteors are on display for up to two weeks both before and after the peaks. People won’t miss these showers.
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. It may even result in a moon colony. 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. Its long orbit had finally decayed to the point it would fall to Earth. There was some worry that large chunks would fall, or that some parts would strike in populated areas. But thankfully that didn’t happen.
Hubble was probably the biggest news in astronomy today in 2008. Damaged in October it was finally repaired his temper. Hubble then took the first visible light images of a planet orbiting another star. Talk about a hard year’s work.
Astronomy today is an ever expanding subject. Keep up with everything on the Internet.
Posted on February 26th, 2009 by Admin
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