On The Fly

In this episode, Rediscovering Galileo . . . Today, we’re turning our telescopes back in time to explore Galileo Galilei's work and how amateur astronomers today can experience his groundbreaking discoveries for themselves. If you listened to last week's podcast, Planetary Pursuit , you might have heard me say that Jupiter is “my favorite planet." Here’s why– Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, published in 1632, challenged the geocentric model of the universe—the belief that everything orbits around Earth. Instead, he advocated for the Copernican model, which places the Sun at the center of our solar system. This book was not just a scientific treatise but also a revolutionary act that put Galileo in conflict with the Catholic Church. Galileo presented his arguments as a dialogue between three characters: Salviati, who supported the heliocentric model; Simplicio, who defended the traditional geocentric view ; and Sagredo, an open-minded observer. ...

In this episode, Planetary Pursuit . . .   “We are voyagers on Earth sailing through space, like passengers on a ship, and many of us have never considered any part of the vessel beyond the cabin we occupy.” – S. P. Langley Hello, everyone, and welcome back to On the Fly! Today, we're diving deep into planetary observing with my Celestron 500mm f/5 refractor telescope. We'll cover telescope basics, different eyepieces, the planets, and how to use 40mm, 25mm, and 10mm eyepieces to reveal stunning views of our celestial neighbors. 1. Learn the Night Sky; Before standing in the dark, wondering what to do, download "The Planets” app (free) on your smartphone or tablet to locate and identify each planet and when it’s visible. Modern telescopes feature computer-aided go-to functions, but you'll pay considerably more for one with this capability. This may lead to frustration when the telescope doesn't perform as expected. However, remember you have a smartphone, and t...