Astronomy Today
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’s a lot of fun too. So here are a few of the latest and greatest astronomy facts, figures and happenings.
On any day meteors are a key element of astronomy today for that 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. The Gemenids had their peak in mid December, but unfortunately during a full moon phase that would make them difficult 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. So there’s a lot of clear time to view these falling chunks of space debris.
Astronomy today in 2008 was often a matter of discussing a return to the moon by 2015. The talk is of this as a world wide effort rather something any one country or agency would endeavor to accomplish. The goal may be to establish a moon base or even a colony on the moon. Imagine that. Minus the aliens and hopefully the moon set adrift by an explosion, the TV series
