"Wah hebatnya kau tahu nama bintang"
"Apa kau tengok tiap malam tu, aku
tengok sama je"
"Serius la kita boleh tengok planet"
It all started by coincidence when I have
to join my sister in her club trip back in form 1. With zero knowledge of what
falak is all about, I just follow the activity.
Going back home after the trip, I started
to like watching the night sky. Since then, I will look at the sky whenever I'm
outdoor, no matter day or night. In the day, I like to look at the shape of the
clouds. At night, obviously the stars and the moon. That’s how the habit of
looking at the sky started and also the first thing you have to do in becoming
an amateur astronomer.
According to NASA, amateur astronomy is a
fascinating hobby and can be an introduction to several practical and useful
technologies. So here are several suggestions on how to become an amateur
astronomer.
First and foremost, LOOK UP!
You can try search for astronomer tips,
they will say the same thing. Since you are going into this, so that is the
first thing you have to do. When 'looking up' becomes your habit, you will
eventually see that the sky is not the same every night. The most obvious is
that the moon is not in the sky at the same time and place every night. The
notion that the moon comes out at night and 'hides' in the morning is only partially
true.
Next, you can add some fun with FINDING
CONSTELLATIONS
Constellation is a group of star. If you
use a lot of imagination, the picture would look like animal or people. For example,
Orion is a group of stars that Greek thought looked like a giant hunter. Star
chart or apps can be used to find the constellations.
SEEK OUT OTHER AMATEURS
Watching the night sky by yourself can be
lonely. Make friend with other amateurs will be entertaining. You can share
your experience and changing ideas about astronomy with them. Or you can just
do a 'show and tell' of the night sky with your close friends, they will love
it.
Last but not least, BE PATIENCE and HAVE
FUN
The sky is not clear every night. Take it
as your rest day when the sky is full of clouds. And don’t forget to enjoy your
expedition in exploring the vast night sky.
Happy
stargazing :)
References
-
Nasa.gov
-
Falakonline.net
