A Tour of the Solar System
As we've seen in other parts of this web site, interstellar gas and dust condense to form a star (or stars) and it is probable that planets (a "solar...
Astro Information
This page will take you to a number pages which will allow you to obtain answers to a number of questions about astronomy, such as how to choose a telescope and how to get started in CCD imaging. You can also obtain up to date information about how stars live and die and discover the location of some of our most distant spacecraft.
Basic CCD Imaging
Introduction One of the most important advances which has been made in astronomy in recent times has been the ability of the amateur, for a relat...
Celestial Coordinates
People always seem to have great difficulty understanding celestial coordinates. So this section is dedicated to giving you an understanding of how as...
Could There Be a Deep Impact
We've all been to the cinema and lots of people have seen movies like "Deep Impact" where a huge meteor slams into the Earth and devastates civilizati...
Definition of Astronomical Objects
What is a "Messier"? Charles Messier was a French astronomer who, back in the 1800's was using his telescope to observe comets. Other observers s...
How Do Telescopes Work
The Refractor !Image 1(/images/uploads/how-do-telescopes-work-1.jpg) The first, and most simple type of telescope is called the REFRACTOR. This...
How Do We Measure Distances in Space
As you stand and look at the sky and you see the multitude of twinkling lights, maybe you wonder just how do we know how far away they are from us? W...
How Do We Measure Magnitude
People sometimes ask us why some stars and planets have minus signs in front of their magnitudes, and what was the magnitude system which astronomers...
How Old is the Universe
Most astronomers would agree that the age of the Universe - the time elapsed since the "Big Bang" - is one of the "holy grails of cosmology". Despite...
How Stars Live and Die
We all think of stars as being "permanent" don't we? They were there when we were born, and most of them will likely be there when we die, so it is ea...
How To Choose a Telescope
We are often asked by people, "Which telescope should I buy?" Well, that's a tough question to answer, because choosing a telescope is like choosing...
What Is A Black Hole
Before you start to read this section be warned - it's going to get complicated! If you can handle that, then read on. From reading the notes on stel...
Where Are The Voyagers
-Quite a long time ago two spacecraft called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, weighing one ton each were launched on interplanetary expeditions. These two spa...
Where Do We Come From
Ever wondered where you came from? We are made of a complex mixture of elements, with a lot of carbon and water, some iron and other trace elements,...
Which Way is Up
Have you ever wondered, when you are looking in a telescope at a planet, or at an astronomical image of one, which is the north pole and which the sou...