There are thousands of hobbies, aren’t there? Some appear pointless, others offer a chance for self-improvement and others offer the chance to create some money, but what is the most amazing hobby of them all?
It is so amazing that the overwhelming majority of individuals on the planet have taken part in it and do on a ordinary basis. It fascinates millions of individuals every day.
Or ought I to say each night, because I am referring to amateur astronomy or, more basically, star gazing. Every sighted person in the world throughout the history of mankind, has looked up at the planets and the stars in the night sky and wondered something. Individuals ask themselves different questions, but everyone has thought about something whilst gazing at the stars.
Astronomy is a fantastic hobby that surely everybody is interested in. It is there to do, free of charge most nights of the week if the sky is clear. If you would like to see more, you can buy a pair of binoculars and if you would like to study items even further away, you can get a telescope.
Neither of these optical aids is highly costly at the entry stage, but the difference they can make to your degree of enjoyment of the hobby is, well, amazing.
Books on astronomy are not expensive and they will point the greenhorn in the right direction for seeing all types of amazing sights: constellations, planets, meteor storms, visiting comets etc..
There is also a wealth of free knowledge on line. Join Jodrell Bank (the British Observatory) on Twitter to be kept informed about what is happening in the night sky in the near future in your region.
This is a different fascinating aspect of this hobby, visiting observatories, where you get the opportunity to observe the universe from as close as we can get and still be on terra firma. If you have never looked at the night sky through a huge telescope (or even any telescope), you have a colossal pleasure in store for yourself.
Children adore astronomy and I have heard many well-known astronomers say that their love of astronomy started when a relative pointed to the night sky and explained something to them. This led to taking out library books on astronomy and asking for a telescope for Christmas. Twenty years later they are on television explaining some astronomical fact to the nation.
That is amazing. Not many chess players or stamp collectors or football fans can say the same. And there is still such a lot to learn about the solar system. Everyone has a opportunity to try to explain something. Even though most of the ‘easy stuff’ has already been discovered, it has not all been explained to the satisfaction of all astronomers.
If you are not so interested in astronomy yourself or do not have the time, why not give the chance to some child you know? Instead of the usual Christmas or birthday gifts, give a book on astronomy, binoculars or a telescope, you could be encouraging the next Patrick Moore, but at least you will be introducing someone to the most amazing hobby in the world or even in the universe.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a variety of subjects, but is now involved with the kids building set. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Smart Toys for Kids.