Are you interested in stargazing?

Are you interested in stargazing?

If you are keenly interested in stargazing or have some previous knowledge about astronomy, so let me tell you about a myth, on which we have believed since our childhood.

Do you really think that the sun rises from the east and set towards the west?

You might have some serious misunderstanding regarding heavenly bodies. Since we all had been told this, but this is not actually the case. You haven’t focused yet because of your daily busy lives. If you observe thy sky throughout the year, you will find some interesting facts about it.

First of all, the sun not rises exactly from the east neither set in the west.

 Get up in the morning and take observation of the sun, mark the date and position of the sun.

Suppose you start observing this from December, take a compass and turn towards the sunrise, you will find that the position of the sunrise is not actually from the east. It is nearly from the southeast and the setting position of the sun is southwest, day by day you will notice this shift towards south east/west till 21st December. Which is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, it is called winter solstice.

Mark the date and position and now observe this after 3 or 4 weeks, you will find the change in position of the sunrise which is shifting day by day towards east and change in the setting position too, till the 21st March. Okay, this is the day on which the sun actually “rises from the east and sets in the west”, and the day is called “vernal equinox”. Mark this day too!

Can you guess what happens after this?

You might have guessed right! after 21st March the sun starts rising nearly from the northeast and set nearly towards the northwest, this shift continues till 21st June which is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and it is called summer solstice. On this day you will notice the sun is shifted towards the northeast, day by day. And then again from 21st June to 21st September, the sun appears to shift from northeast/northwest, towards exactly east/west on 21st September. And again on this day, the “sun rises from east and sets in the west”, and the day is called “autumnal equinox”

(1st December to 21st December)

Still, have some confusion so look at this image. In this, I have set my position and took observations daily at the same time but on different days (from 1st December to 21st December). You can identify clearly this shift and you can do this observation by yourself, collect you astrography and tell it to others, your friends will really impress from you!

Stargazing is not about the collection of huge data and has detailed knowledge about astronomy, anyone who has an interest in the heaven and all the things above us can enjoy the journey of heavens in their leisure time. All you need is binocular, telescope and camera. You might really observe some serious wonders of the sky when you look closely towards it!  So, grab yours and start the journey of the heavens.

Stay tuned for more interesting facts about astronomy!