Now think about all the moons that orbit the planets, and the comets, and the asteroids, and everything else in the universe. The number of facts and amount of data is staggering. Not every piece of information will be presented here. But these are some of the interesting facts. Click over here for more info on barska binoculars.

Looking at it simply from the point of view of the brightest stars we can see from earth is one way to approach it. That’s discounting the Sun which is about 250,000 times closer than the next nearest star. We get so much light from the sun that when it shines none of the other stars can be seen. {The sun is so bright that it washes out all of the other stars in the daylight sky Keep in mind that in the scale for the magnitudes given, lower numbers are brighter. The sun would be about -26.73, while the full moon is -12.6. OK then, here’s the top five list.

#1 goes to Vega, Arabic for vulture. This star has a magnitude of .03, and is 25 light-years from Earth. Just because a star looks brighter from Earth doesn’t mean it’s really brighter. The Sun is not the largest or brightest star in the universe or even the galaxy, yet it appears so bright because it is so near compared to other stars.

#2 is the Arabic foot of the centaur, Rigel Kentaurus. It’s about four light years from Earth with a magnitude of -.01.

At #3, by the known information about astronomy is Arcturus. In Greek that means guardian of the bear. This star is 37 light years from us.

Number 4 is Canopus. In reality it’s the brightest of all of these top five stars. However, it’s 313 light-years away from Earth, so it looks second brightest as seen from this planet. -. its magnitude is 62 as seen from the earth.

#5 is the Greek word for scorching, Sirius. Sirius is also known as the Dog Star because it’s the brightest star in the constellation of Big Dog. Only 9 light-years separate Sirius and the earth, that’s the second nearest in this top five list. It’s appears to be the brightest star in the sky, with a magnitude of -1.44.

This information doesn’t even scratch the surface of information about astronomy. But it’s something to consider next time you look into the sky. You can gain extra info on barska binoculars here.

That is not to say that astrology is a dead art today. It is easy to find astrology advocates in every town, advertising in the newspaper and on television trying to convince us that they can tell our fortune, our future and help cure our ills by exploring the mysteries of astrology.

When you are a lover of astronomy, the confusion between astronomy and astrology by those who don’t really understand the differences can get pretty aggravating. And in early civilizations, the two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just the religious side of the science of astronomy. So what changed?

The most significant shift that set in motion the separation of the two lines of thought began in the first century when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to suggest that astronomy should be considered a separate science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary book because it also was the first scientific document to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly on the observation and recording of events in the cosmos.

Over the next 2000 years, we have come a long way. Not only has science and religion completely gone their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of astronomy makes tremendous strides every year that are so phenomenal, Ptolemy would be truly astounded.

Probably the biggest point of diversion between a student of astrology and astronomy is the belief that the position of the stars has meaning over the events on our lives. Of course, we do know that the weather and tides and other important aspects of our lives are affected by the stars, planets and heavenly bodies, particularly the moon. But these things are happening because of completely explainable scientific laws in motion, not because of mystical forces at work.

What can we, as devotees of astronomy conclude about the close relationship between astrology and astronomy? Well, for sure we want to be able to explain to anyone who is confused by the similarity in the words what the differences are. We do not want to see the two approaches to the stars and planets to become confused again. But we should do all we can do keep that distinction clear without becoming skeptical or demeaning towards those who may still hold to the teachings of astrology.

It is important to remember that what is part of a person’s religious life has a level of sacred belief to the one holding it. And it is not respectful to scoff at such things. If for no other reason than out of respect for the ancient origins of astronomy, we should give courtesy who still are exploring whether astrology has any validity for them.

If we can treat each discipline with respect but maintain the separation that must exist between astrology and astronomy, there is no reason both approaches to our admiration of the galaxies cannot coexist in peace and harmony. And for our purposes as astronomers, that harmony will allow us plenty of freedom to enjoy our quest for knowledge for many more centuries to come. And who knows, you might still like to read the horoscope on Sunday morning every so often.

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