Expand your celestial knowledge
The Astronomical Society of SA, Durban, have devised a series of 12 mini lectures to make astronomy easily understandable.
ASK an astronomer about his subject and you usually receive a barrage of technical terms and mathematical formulae that will drive away even the keenest enquirer. Yet the heavens are freely available, making astronomy an inexpensive pastime for anyone equipped with just a simple pair of binoculars.
The Astronomical Society of SA, Durban, is on a campaign to make astronomy easily understandable. Attempting to remove the mysteries of the heavens and make astronomy readily available to everyone, they have devised a series of 12 mini lectures that are designed to be understood by everybody regardless of age or education.
The lectures, which will be held weekly on Tuesday evenings at the St Henry’s Marist College in Durban, will enable participants to find their way through the skies at night. The course will take one on a journey from the Earth through the atmosphere into the solar system and beyond; first into interstellar space to the nearest stars and on-wards to the edge of the galaxy into intergalactic space in an attempt to bring the entire universe into the realm of lay people.
All the celestial objects that one would encounter on the journey such as meteors, asteroids and comets, the moon and other satellites, neighbouring planets, nebulae, constellations and galaxies will be laid bare to unravel the seemingly mysterious universe.
Logan Govender, Media Director for the Society, said: “We teach rank amateurs a method of identifying two hundred celestial objects in just forty minutes. That is just the first step to discovering the universe. We also teach people how to make a simple home-made telescope making using materials available from a local hardware store.”
If you are interested, contact Claire Odhav at 083 395 5160.
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