More than 20 years ago, I wrote a planetarium show about a cat who went to the Moon. His name was Larry — so-called after our own Lawrence E. Katt, who lived with us for 18 years. He was born just as the space shuttle touched down at White Sands in New Mexico, and he was a faithful part of our lives all that time. The show, Larry Cat in Space, is still shown around the world, and we’re starting to run into planetarium directors who grew up watching Larry when they were kids. The idea was to use a cat to teach younger children about observations, the phases of the Moon, and what it’s like in space. By all accounts, it’s been successful in meeting those goals — and entertaining generations of kids.
Given that history with a “cat in space”, I was amused to see this ad (produced in Russia), showing a cat whose dream was to go to space. Reminds me of Larry — who’s out there somewhere, exploring the Cat’s-Eye Nebula (I’d like to think). I love the thought of cats in space, and hope that they’ll find a way out there, too. Until then… enjoy!
Venus against a starry backdrop. Courtesy CoolCosmos.
I often write on these pages about “stepping out” and checking out the stars and planets. That accessibility to the elements of astronomy is what makes this science so approachable. You really DO only have to step outside and look up, provided of course that you have a good safe place to view from and you’re not terribly plagued with light pollution. I’ve found in my experiences in many big cities that a few stars are usually visible, along with whatever bright planet there is. And, of course, it’s tough to miss the Moon.
But, what if you don’t have regular access to a safe viewing area? Where do you go if you’re into astronomy and want to learn more? I would hope that astronomy is still a subject being taught in the schools, and if so, that’s a good place to start if you’re still a student.
The Web, of course, is a good place to surf for astro-info. Sky&Telescope and Astronomy.com are good places to start online. (If you’re looking for magazines and periodicals, this site has a good list to get you started.) There are plenty of scientifically accurate sources (including this page) on the Web, many of which are listed in my blog links at left. So, if you’re stuck inside doing your astronomy research, these are good places to start.
There are also many good books — I’ve listed some here and here. You can, as I have done much of my life, cruise the cosmos through the pages of many an astronomy tome. The beauty of that approach is that you can do it anytime, and it’s ideal for those cloudy, cold nights when stepping outside isn’t much of an option.
But, there are many other good places to actually GO and learn about astronomy. If you live in (or visit) Los Angeles, there’s always the venerable Griffith Observatory. It has been bringing people to astronomy (and vice versa) for 77 years. At the other end of the U.S., there’s the Rose Center for Earth and Space, in New York City. It’s part of the American Museum of Natural History and another historically significant place to learn astronomy.
Many cities around the world have their science centers and museums and planetariums, ranging from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich (near London) in the United Kingdom to the Sydney Observatory in Australia, the Beijing Planetarium in China, and many, many other places where you can take in a planetarium show, see astronomy exhibits, and even take classes. There are, in fact, thousands of these institutions to learn astronomy in the world. Step out…or in… or wherever you can… to learn more about the cosmos through the science of astronomy.
