Basic Astronomy - Meade StarNavigator Series Instruction Manual

BASIC ASTRONOMY

In the early 17th century, the Italian scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your
StarNavigator model, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains.
What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind
thinks about the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first human to see
moons revolve around the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases of Venus! Because of
his observations, Galileo correctly theorized Earth's movement and position around the Sun,
and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy.Yet Galileo's telescope was so crude, he could
not clearly make out the rings of Saturn.
Galileo's discoveries laid the foundation for understanding the motion and nature of the planets,
stars, and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta Leavitt determined how to measure
the distance to stars, Edwin Hubble gave us a glimpse into the possible origin of the universe,
Albert Einstein unraveled the crucial relationship of time and light, and 21st-century
astronomers are currently discovering planets around stars outside our solar system. Almost
daily, using sophisticated successors to Galileo's telescope, such as the Hubble Space
Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are
being probed and understood. We are living in the golden age of astronomy.
Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes contributions from amateurs. Much of the
knowledge we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, variable stars, the Moon, and
our solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look
through your Meade StarNavigator telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not
merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far more—a window through which
the beating heart of the universe might be observed.
Audiostar Glossary
Be sure to make use of Audiostar's Glossary feature. The Glossary menu provides an
alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms. Access
directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in Audiostar. See
GLOSSARY MENU
Objects in Space
Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with the
StarNavigator series telescope:
The Moon
The Moon is, on average, a distance of 239,000 miles (380,000 km) from Earth and is best
observed during its crescent or half phase when sunlight strikes the Moon's surface at an angle.
It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 34). No shadows are seen during
a full Moon, causing the overly bright Moon to appear flat and rather uninteresting through the
telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it
protect your eyes from the bright glare of the Moon, but it also helps enhance contrast,
providing a more dramatic image.
Brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including hundreds of lunar craters and maria,
described below.
Fig. 34: The Moon.
Note the deep
Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most of the Moon's surface. With no
shadows in the craters.
atmosphere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive force is meteor
strikes. Under these conditions, lunar craters can last for millions of years.
Maria (plural for mare) are smooth, dark areas scattered across the lunar surface. These dark
areas are large ancient impact basins that were filled with lava from the interior of the Moon by
the depth and force of a meteor or comet impact.
Twelve Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
However, no telescope on Earth is able to see these footprints or any other artifacts. In fact, the
smallest lunar features that may be seen with the largest telescope on Earth are about one-half
mile across.
, page 24, for more information.
Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun.
Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.
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