The question of why stars glow is a childish one, but, nevertheless, it baffles a good half of adults who either forgot their school course in physics and astronomy or played truant a lot in childhood.
Explanation of star glow
Stars are essentially balls of gas, therefore, during their existence and the chemical processes occurring in them, they emit light. Unlike the moon, which simply reflects the light of the sun, stars, like our sun, glow themselves. If we talk about our sun, it is medium in size, as well as a star in age. As a rule, those stars that visually appear larger in the sky are closer, those that are barely visible are further away. There are still millions of those that are not visible to the naked eye at all. People became acquainted with them when the first telescope was invented.
A star, although it is not alive, has its own life cycle, therefore at its different stages it has different...
Stars are huge balls of gas that emit heat and light as a result of thermonuclear reactions. Our Sun is an average yellow star.
Stars form from large clouds of gas and dust called nebulae. The force of gravity causes these clouds to compress into a dense mass. In the center of the cloud, it compresses, the gas gradually becomes denser and heats up. When the temperature gets too high, a thermonuclear reaction, or fusion reaction, begins, in which the nuclei of hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium nuclei. This is how a new star is born.
Star Heat
In the center of the star, where the thermonuclear reaction occurs, the temperature reaches 10 million degrees. Astronomers classify stars by their temperature. Depending on the temperature, the color of the star changes: for a red dwarf it is only 3000 °C, and for a blue supergiant it is 20,000 °C. Stars also differ in brightness, which is why a more distant star may appear closer than a less distant one, but...
STARS are huge balls of gas that emit their own light, unlike the planets and their satellites, which glow with the reflected light of stars.
For example, moonlight is nothing more than sunlight reflected by the moon.
Another difference is that the stars appear to us to twinkle, while the light of the planets is steady and unblinking. The twinkling of stars is caused by the presence of various substances in the earth's atmosphere.
Since the times of ancient Greek astronomers, STARS have been divided into groups according to their size. The concept of “magnitude” here refers not to the true size of the stars, but to their brightness.
In addition, stars differ in their SPECTRA or, in other words, in the wavelengths of their radiation. By studying the spectrum of a particular star, astronomers learn a lot about its characteristics, temperature and even chemical composition.
Thus, STARS, like our SUN, illuminate the Universe around them, warm the planets around them, and give life. Why do they only glow at night?...
It's a cloudless night outside. As soon as we raise our heads to the sky, we can see a huge number of tiny luminous dust particles located somewhere very far away. These are stars, which can be many or few - it all depends on the weather and the location of the person.
In the distant past, humanity did not know what stars were, and therefore came up with various fables. For example, there was an opinion that these were nails containing the souls of dead people with which the sky was nailed. But for a long time there was no assumption that the sun is also a star. And really, how can this huge bright canvas, reminiscent of a hot frying pan, be associated with tiny dots above our heads?
It is simply impossible to calculate the exact number of stars. Meanwhile, it is known that there are a lot of them - millions or even billions. It is interesting that they are located at a huge distance from the Earth, which is sometimes impossible to travel even in a lifetime. The light from these...
Why do the stars shine?
Each of us at least once in our lives raised our heads on a quiet cloudless night and saw above our heads countless tiny fireflies that decorated the sky. Depending on the location of the observer and the weather, stars may appear larger or smaller. But what is a star and why does it shine?
In Antiquity, there were countless hypotheses about what stars are and why they glow. The stars were called the nails with which the sky was nailed, living beings, the souls of people. The list of all possible variations could take a very long time. Few people thought that our Sun is a star. Our ancestors did not in any way associate a huge ball, bursting with heat, with small silver stars.
In fact, the Sun is the most ordinary star; there are many such stars even in our galaxy. The entire starry sky is a myriad of analogues of the Sun, which are located from the Earth at unimaginable distances....
"Question Mark" 5/91
How does a time machine work?
ZIGUNENKO Stanislav Nikolaevich
Paradoxes of our days
Why do the stars glow?
N.A. Kozyrev was an astronomer. And naturally, he began to pick up the keys to world laws not on Earth, but in the Universe. In 1953, he came to a paradoxical conclusion: there is no source of energy in stars at all. Stars live by emitting heat and light due to the arrival of energies from outside.
It must be said that Nikolai Alexandrovich had his own reasons for such a judgment. Back in 1850, the German physicist R. Clasius formulated a postulate that was later called the second law of thermodynamics. This is how it sounds: “Heat cannot move by itself from a colder body to a warmer one.”
The statement seems to be self-evident: everyone has seen how, say, a switched-off iron gradually becomes more and more...
Who doesn’t love to admire the most beautiful view of the starry sky at night, to look at thousands of bright and not so bright stars. Our article will tell you why the stars shine.
Stars are cosmic objects that emit enormous amounts of heat energy. Such a large release of heat energy is, of course, accompanied by strong light radiation. We can observe the light that has reached us.
When you look at the starry sky, you may notice that most of the stars are different. Some stars shine with their former glory, others with blue light. There are also stars that shine orange. Stars are large balls made of very hot gases. Because they are heated differently, they have different glow colors. So, the hottest ones shine with blue light. Stars that are a little cooler are white. Even cooler stars shine yellow. Then there are the “orange” and “red” stars.
It seems to us as if the stars twinkle with an unstable light, and the planets shine with an unblinking and...
The amazing processes occurring on the Sun have their source in its internal energy. The same can be said about other suns - distant stars. The quiet radiance of the stars that caresses our gaze and the dazzling brilliance of the Sun have the same nature, the same origin.
To people far from modern astronomy, it may seem that the glow of stars, including the Sun, can be explained simply. All these cosmic bodies are unusually hot, so it is not surprising that they emit powerful streams of light.
The simplicity of this explanation is only apparent. It leaves the main thing unclear: what exactly makes stars be the hottest of all celestial bodies and why their temperature, as a rule, remains practically unchanged for enormous periods of time.
In search of an answer to these questions, various assumptions have been made. They first tried to assume that the glow of the Sun was caused by its combustion. This well-known word refers to the process of combining molecules of a burning substance with oxygen molecules, as a result of which heat is released and more complex molecules are formed.
It is easy to understand that the Sun cannot burn. Firstly, there is no oxygen in the airless space surrounding the Sun. Secondly, at the temperatures existing on the Sun, molecular compounds are not formed, as during combustion, but, on the contrary, decompose into atoms. Finally, thirdly, if the Sun consisted entirely of the best coal, then even in this case it would completely “burn out” in a few thousand years. Meanwhile, the age of the Earth is measured in several billion years and, as facts prove, during all this time the Sun shone almost the same as it does now. This means that the lifespan of the Sun and stars, that is, in other words, the duration of their glow, is measured in tens, and maybe hundreds of billions of years.
At one time it was thought that the Sun was continuously heated by meteorites falling on its surface. Calculations have shown that in this case only the surface layers of the Sun would be heated, and its interior would remain cold. And the energy released would be incomparably less than observed. In addition, meteorites falling on the Sun would quickly increase its mass, which, however, is not noticed.
We had to reject the hypothesis of the compression of the Sun. Its supporters argued that the ball of gas, called the Sun, is continuously compressed, and when compressed, the gases heat up. But, as calculations show, the heat released during compression is not enough to explain the lifespan of the Sun and stars. Even if the Sun was initially infinitely large, then, releasing the observed energy, it should have contracted to its present state in just twelve million years. To recognize the Sun as so young means to ignore the facts.
True, as it turned out recently, at some stages of a star’s development, compression can play the role of the main source of energy. It is in this way that very young and very old stars apparently maintain their lives.
At the end of the last century, radioactivity was discovered. It turned out that the radioactive decay of uranium, radium and other substances releases a significant amount of energy. For the first time, humanity became acquainted with the power of atomic energy and it is natural that some astrophysicists tried to explain the mystery of the glow of the Sun and stars by radioactive processes.
Atoms of uranium and radium decay extremely slowly.
It takes four and a half billion years for half a given number of uranium atoms to decay, and one thousand five hundred and ninety years for radium. Therefore, when decaying, uranium and radium release very little energy per unit time. If the Sun consisted entirely of uranium, then even in this case the “uranium” sun would shine much weaker than the real one.
There are radioactive elements that decay very quickly - within days, hours or even minutes. But these elements are not suitable as sources of energy for the Sun and stars for other reasons: they do not explain the extraordinary life span of cosmic bodies.
But still, the “radioactive” hypothesis brought benefits to science. She convinced astrophysicists that only atomic energy could be the cause of the glow of the Sun and stars.
The depths of the Sun are hidden from our eyes. Despite this, some completely reliable statements can be made about the state of the solar interior.
The temperature of a gas, as is known, is inextricably linked with its pressure. By compressing a gas, we increase its temperature, and if the compression is very high, then the temperature of the gas becomes very high.
This is exactly what happens in the depths of the Sun. The central parts of the solar globe are pressed with colossal force by its overlying layers. This force is opposed by the elasticity of the gas, expressing its desire for unlimited expansion.
At each point inside the Sun, the elasticity, or, in other words, the pressure of the internal mass of gases, is balanced by the heaviness or weight of the overlying gas layers. Each such equilibrium state corresponds to a certain gas temperature, calculated using relatively simple formulas. With their help, the undoubted conclusion was reached that the monstrous pressure in the central regions of the Sun corresponds to a temperature of 15 million degrees!
If from the depths of the sun it was possible to extract a piece of matter the size of a pinhead, then this tiny piece of the Sun would emit such heat that it would instantly incinerate all life around it within a radius of many kilometers! Perhaps this example will give the reader at least a partial sense of what a temperature of 15 million degrees is.
In the depths of the Sun there reigns an unimaginable “crush” of moving atoms. They are unable to fully preserve their electronic “clothing”. During mutual collisions, as well as when they hit powerful “portions” of light - quanta - atoms lose part of their electrons and continue to randomly “push” in a very “naked” form.
When a person takes off his clothes, his external dimensions hardly change. Something else happens during the destruction, or, as they say, ionization, of atoms. Electron shells occupy a huge amount of space compared to the atomic nucleus, and, having lost its electronic “clothing,” the atom greatly decreases in size. It is natural, therefore, that a gas consisting of ionized atoms can be compressed much more strongly than a gas made of undestroyed, neutral atoms. It follows that the gases at the center of the Sun are not only very hot, but also unusually dense.
The pressure in the central regions of the Sun reaches several billion atmospheres, and therefore a grain of matter extracted from the depths of the Sun would be five times denser than platinum!
A gas denser than steel. Doesn't this sound absurd? But unusual quantities (colossal pressures) also give rise to a quality unusual in earthly conditions.
The substance of the solar interior, with all its extraordinary density, still remains a gas. The difference between solids and gases is not density at all, but something else. Gas has elasticity: compressed to a certain volume, it will then strive to expand again and will certainly do this if external forces do not interfere with it. Solids behave differently. A strongly compressed solid body (for example, a piece of lead) after removing the load will remain in a deformed, altered state. This is the main difference between solids and gases.
Despite the high, seemingly fantastic, density, the gases in the depths of the Sun do not lose their elasticity. They, as studies of other stars show, can be compressed even more and, of course, freed from the pressure of the outer layers of the Sun, they would immediately expand. This means that the substance of the solar interior can be considered a gas.
The processes taking place in the depths of the Sun are unlike what we see around us on Earth. At a temperature of 15 million degrees, atomic energy is released from matter almost as easily as steam is released from water at its boiling point.
It has been established in various ways that the Sun consists of half hydrogen and 40 percent helium, with a very small “admixture” of other elements. In the depths of the Sun, hydrogen turns or, as it were, “burns out” into helium. Processes in which the composition of atomic nuclei changes are called nuclear reactions.
It is hardly worth boring the reader with a detailed examination of all those nuclear reactions as a result of which hydrogen in the depths of the Sun gradually turns into helium. For those interested in this issue, we recommend reading the book by A. G. Masevich. Let us only point out the main thing - in the process of nuclear reactions, one type of matter (substance) turns into another (light) while preserving both mass and energy.
To form the nucleus of a helium atom, four protons are needed, that is, four nuclei of a hydrogen atom. Two of these protons lose their positive charge as a result of nuclear reactions and turn into neutrons. But two protons and two neutrons taken individually weigh 4.7 x 10 -26 grams more than a helium nucleus. This excess, or “mass defect,” is converted into radiation, and the energy released in this case is equal to 4·10 -5 erg.
Don't think that this is very little. After all, we are talking about the formation, synthesis of one helium atom. If 1 gram of hydrogen is converted into helium, then the energy released is 6 × 10 18 erg. Such energy would be enough to lift a loaded freight train of fifty cars to the top of the highest mountain on earth - Chomolungma!
Every second, the Sun turns 4 million tons of its matter into radiation. This amount of substances could load four thousand trains with fifty cars each. This means that, emitting light, the Sun loses its mass and decreases in weight. While you read this phrase, the Sun will “lose weight” by 12 million tons, and within a day its mass will decrease by a third of a billion tons.
And yet this “mass leak” is practically imperceptible for the Sun. Even if the Sun always radiates light and heat as intensely as in the present era, then over its entire life (that is, over tens of billions of years) its weight will decrease by an insignificant fraction of its current mass.
The conclusion is clear: nuclear reactions converting hydrogen into helium fully explain why the Sun shines.
In addition to the transformation of hydrogen into helium, there is another nuclear reaction that may play an equal, if not greater, role in the interior of the Sun. We are talking about the formation of heavy hydrogen (deuterium) from ordinary hydrogen atoms.
As is known, unlike the hydrogen atom, in which the nucleus is a proton, the deuterium atom has a nucleus consisting of a proton and a neutron. When a deuterium nucleus is synthesized from two protons (one of which turns into a neutron), the excess mass, as in the previous case, turns into radiation. Recent studies have proven that this so-called proton-proton reaction releases no less energy than the conversion of hydrogen into helium. The distribution of roles between the described nuclear reactions depends on the properties of the star and mainly on the temperature of its interior. In some stars the proton-proton reaction predominates, in others - the hydrogen-helium reaction.
Thus, the Sun lives from its own depths, as if “digesting” their contents. The energy that supports life on Earth originates in the depths of the Sun. However, one should not think that the dazzlingly bright sunlight that we admire on a fine day is the light energy that originates in the depths of the sun.
The light, or more precisely, electromagnetic radiation resulting from nuclear reactions, has much higher energy and a shorter wavelength than the sun's rays that we see. But when portions of electromagnetic radiation, called quanta, make their way from the central regions of the Sun to its surface, they are absorbed many times and then re-emitted by atoms in all sorts of directions. Therefore, the path of the ray from the center of the Sun to its surface is very complex and resembles an intricate zigzag curve.
This wandering can continue for hundreds and thousands of years before the beam breaks out onto the surface of the Sun. But he gets here very “exhausted” from continuous interactions with atoms. Having lost a significant share of its original energy, the beam turned from invisible radiation, reminiscent of X-rays, into a dazzlingly bright sunbeam that was perfectly perceived by the eye.
The mystery of the sun's glow has been largely solved. We are now talking only about clarifying the picture of those nuclear reactions that take place in the depths of the Sun. The same can be said about many other stars that are close in nature to the Sun. But among the great diversity of the stellar world, there are also stars whose glow cannot be explained by the reactions described above. These include, for example, white dwarfs. With a mass close to that of the Sun, some of these stars are even smaller in size than the Earth. Therefore, the density of white dwarfs is exceptionally high - some of them are much denser than the central regions of the Sun. The source of energy for such stars is, apparently, compression under the influence of the forces of their own gravity.
It is not surprising that the light of some stars is a mystery to us. Not only the extreme distance of the stars, but also their colossal lifespan makes research very difficult. Compared to the life of stars, measured in tens of billions of years, the duration of human existence on Earth seems like an instant. And yet, in this moment we have already learned a lot about the world of stars. This is amazing!
Each star is a huge glowing ball of gas, like our Sun. A star shines because it releases a colossal amount of energy. This energy is generated as a result of so-called thermonuclear reactions.
Each star is a huge glowing ball of gas, like our Sun. A star shines because it releases a colossal amount of energy. This energy is generated as a result of so-called thermonuclear reactions.Each star contains many chemical elements. For example, the presence of at least 60 elements has been discovered on the Sun. Among them are hydrogen, helium, iron, calcium, magnesium and others. 
Why do we see the Sun so small? Yes, because it is very far from us. Why do stars look so tiny? Remember how small our huge Sun seems to us - just the size of a football. This is because it is very far from us. And the stars are much, much further away! 
Stars like our Sun illuminate the Universe around them, warm the planets around them, and give life. Why do they glow only at night? No, no, during the day they also shine, you just can’t see them. In the daytime, our sun illuminates the blue atmosphere of the planet with its rays, which is why space is hidden, as if behind a curtain. At night, this curtain opens, and we see all the splendor of space - stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets and many other wonders of our Universe.
If your child has grown to the age of “why” and bombards you with questions about why the stars shine, how far is it from the sun and what is a comet, it’s time to introduce him to the basics of astronomy, help him understand the structure of the world around him, and support his research interest.
“If there was only one place on Earth from which the stars could be seen, people would flock there in droves to contemplate and admire the wonders of the sky.” (Seneca, 1st century AD) It is difficult to disagree that in this sense, little has changed on earth over thousands of years.
The bottomlessness and vastness of the starry sky still inexplicably attracts people's views,
captivates, hypnotizes, fills the soul with quiet and gentle joy, a feeling of unity with the entire Universe. And if even the adult imagination sometimes draws amazing pictures, then what can we say about our children, dreamers and inventors who live in fairy-tale worlds, fly in their sleep and dream of space travel and meetings with alien intelligence...
Where to start?
You shouldn't start getting acquainted with astronomy with the "big bang theory". Even for an adult it is sometimes difficult to realize the infinity of the Universe, and even more so for a little one, for whom even his own home is still akin to the Universe. You don't have to buy a telescope right away. This is a unit for “advanced” young astronomers. In addition, many interesting observations can be made using binoculars. And it’s better to start by buying a good book on astronomy for kids, by visiting a children’s program at a planetarium, a space museum and, of course, with interesting and intelligible stories from mom and dad about planets and stars.
Tell your child that our Earth is a huge ball on which there is a place for rivers, mountains, forests, deserts, and, of course, for all of us, its inhabitants. Our Earth and everything that surrounds it is called the Universe or space. Space is very large, and no matter how much we fly in a rocket, we will never be able to reach its edge. In addition to our Earth, there are other planets, as well as stars. Stars are huge glowing balls of fire. The sun is also a star. It is located close to the Earth, and therefore we see its light and feel its heat. There are stars many times larger and hotter than the Sun, but they shine so far from the Earth that they appear to us as just small dots in the night sky. Children often ask why the stars are not visible during the day. Together with your child, compare the light of a flashlight during the day and in the evening in the dark. During the day, in bright light, the flashlight beam is almost invisible, but it shines brightly in the evening. The light of the stars is like the light of a lantern: during the day it is eclipsed by the sun. Therefore, stars can only be seen at night.
In addition to our Earth, there are 8 more planets circling around the Sun, many small asteroids and comets. All these celestial bodies form the solar system, the center of which is the sun. Each planet has its own path, which is called an orbit. “Astronomical counting rhyme” by A. Usachev will help your baby remember the names and order of the planets:
There lived an astrologer on the moon, He kept count of the planets. Mercury - one, Venus - two, three - Earth, four - Mars. Five - Jupiter, six - Saturn, Seven - Uranus, eighth - Neptune, Nine - the furthest - Pluto. If you don't see it, get out.
Tell your child that all the planets in the solar system vary greatly in size. If you imagine that the largest of them, Jupiter, is the size of a large watermelon, then the smallest planet, Pluto, will be like a pea. All planets in the solar system, except Mercury and Venus, have satellites. Our Earth also has it...
Mysterious moon
Even a one and a half year old toddler is already looking at the Moon in the sky with delight. And for a grown-up child, this Earth satellite can become an interesting object of study. After all, the Moon is so different and constantly changes from a barely noticeable “sickle” to a round bright beauty. Tell your child, or better yet, demonstrate with the help of a globe, a small ball (this will be the Moon) and a flashlight (this will be the Sun) how the Moon revolves around the Earth and how it is illuminated by the Sun.
In order to better understand and remember the phases of the Moon, keep an observation diary with your baby, where every day you will sketch the Moon as it is visible in the sky. If on some days clouds interfere with your observations, it doesn’t matter. Still, such a diary will be an excellent visual aid. And it’s very easy to determine whether the Moon is waxing or waning in front of you. If her sickle looks like the letter "C" - she is old, if she looks like the letter "R" without a stick - she is growing.
Of course, the baby will be interested to know what is on the Moon. Tell him that the surface of the Moon is covered with crater craters caused by collisions with asteroids. If you look at the Moon through binoculars (it’s better to install them on a photo tripod), you can notice the unevenness of its relief and even craters. The Moon has no atmosphere, so it is not protected from asteroids. But the Earth is protected. If a stone fragment enters its atmosphere, it immediately burns up. Although sometimes asteroids are so fast that they still manage to reach the surface of the Earth. Such asteroids are called meteorites.
Star riddles
While relaxing with your grandmother in the village or at the dacha, devote several evenings to stargazing. There is nothing wrong if the child breaks his usual routine a little and goes to bed later. But how many unforgettable minutes will he spend with mom or dad under the huge starry sky, peering into the twinkling mysterious dots? August is the best month for such observations. The evenings are quite dark, the air is transparent and it seems that you can reach the sky with your hands. In August it is easy to see an interesting phenomenon called a “shooting star”. Of course, in reality this is not a star at all, but a burning meteor. But still very beautiful. Our distant ancestors looked at the sky in the same way, guessing various animals, objects, people, and mythological heroes in clusters of stars. Many constellations have had their names since time immemorial. Teach your child to find this or that constellation in the sky. This activity is the best way to awaken imagination and develop abstract thinking. If you yourself are not very good at navigating the constellations, it doesn’t matter. Almost all children's books on astronomy have a star map and descriptions of the constellations. In total, 88 constellations are identified on the celestial sphere, 12 of which are zodiacal. Stars in constellations are designated by letters of the Latin alphabet, and the brightest ones have their own names (such as the star Altair in the constellation Eagle). To make it easier for your child to see this or that constellation in the sky, it makes sense to first carefully look at it in the picture, and then draw it or make it out of cardboard stars. You can make constellations on the ceiling using special luminous star stickers. Once a child finds a constellation in the sky, he will never forget it.
Different peoples could have different names for the same constellation. Everything depended on what people’s imagination told them. Thus, the well-known Ursa Major was depicted both as a ladle and as a horse on a leash. Amazing legends are associated with many constellations. It would be great if mom or dad read some of them in advance, and then retold them to the baby, peering with him at the luminous points and trying to see the legendary creatures. The ancient Greeks, for example, had a legend about the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The almighty god Zeus fell in love with the beautiful nymph Callisto. Zeus's wife Hera, having learned about this, became terribly angry and turned Callisto and her friend into bears. Callisto's son Arax met two she-bears while hunting and wanted to kill them. But Zeus prevented this by throwing Callisto and her friend into the sky and turning them into bright constellations. And while throwing, Zeus held the bears by the tails. So the tails became long. And here is another beautiful legend about several constellations at once. A long time ago, King Cepheus lived in Ethiopia. His wife was the beautiful Cassiopeia. They had a daughter, the beautiful princess Andromeda. She grew up and became the most beautiful girl in Ethiopia. Cassiopeia was so proud of her daughter's beauty that she began to compare her with goddesses. The gods became angry and sent a terrible misfortune to Ethiopia. Every day a monstrous whale swam out of the sea, and the most beautiful girl was given to him to be eaten. It was the turn of the beautiful Andromeda. No matter how much Cepheus begged the gods to spare his daughter, the gods remained adamant. Andromeda was chained to a rock by the sea. But at this time the hero Perseus flew by in winged sandals. He had just accomplished a feat by killing the terrible Gorgon Medusa. Instead of hair, snakes moved on her head, and one of her glances turned all living things into stone. Perseus saw the poor girl and the terrible monster, pulled out the severed head of Medusa from his bag and showed it to the whale. The whale turned to stone, and Perseus freed Andromeda. The delighted Cepheus gave Andromeda as his wife to Perseus. And the gods liked this story so much that they turned all its heroes into bright stars and placed them in the sky. Since then, you can find Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Perseus, and Andromeda there. And the whale became an island off the coast of Ethiopia.
It’s not difficult to find the Milky Way in the sky. It is clearly visible to the naked eye. Tell your child that the Milky Way (that is the name of our galaxy) is a large cluster of stars that looks in the sky like a luminous strip of white dots and resembles a path of milk. The ancient Romans attributed the origin of the Milky Way to the sky goddess Juno. When she was breastfeeding Hercules, several drops fell and, turning into stars, formed the Milky Way in the sky...
Choosing a telescope
If a child is seriously interested in astronomy, it makes sense to purchase a telescope for him. True, a good telescope is not cheap. But inexpensive models of children's telescopes will allow the young astronomer to observe many celestial objects and make his first astronomical discoveries. Mom and dad must remember that even the simplest telescope is quite a complicated thing for a preschooler. Therefore, firstly, the child cannot do without your active help. And, secondly, the simpler the telescope, the easier it will be for the baby to operate it. If in the future the child becomes seriously interested in astronomy, it will be possible to purchase a more powerful telescope.
So, what is a telescope and what to look for when choosing one? The operating principle of a telescope is not based on magnifying an object, as many people think. It would be more correct to say that the telescope does not magnify, but brings the object closer. The main task of a telescope is to create an image of a distant object close to the observer and allow details to be discerned; not visible to the naked eye; The second task is to collect as much light as possible from a distant object and transmit it to our eye. So, the larger the lens, the more light the telescope collects and the better the detail of the objects in question will be.
All telescopes are divided into three optical classes. Refractors(refracting telescopes) use a large objective lens as a light-gathering element. IN reflex In (reflecting) telescopes, concave mirrors play the role of a lens. The most common and easiest to manufacture reflector is made using the Newtonian optical scheme (named after Isaac Newton, who first put it into practice). Often these telescopes are called “Newton”. Mirror-lens Telescopes use both lenses and mirrors. Due to this, they allow you to achieve excellent quality images with high resolution. Most children's telescopes that you will find in stores are refractors.
An important parameter to pay attention to is lens diameter(aperture). It determines the light-gathering ability of the telescope and the range of possible magnifications. Measured in millimeters, centimeters or inches (for example, 4.5 inches is 114 mm). The larger the diameter of the lens, the fainter the stars can be seen through the telescope. The second important characteristic is focal length. The aperture ratio of the telescope depends on it (as in amateur astronomy the ratio of the diameter of the lens to its focal length is called). Please also pay attention to eyepiece. If the main optics (objective lens, mirror, or system of lenses and mirrors) serves to form an image, then the purpose of the eyepiece is to magnify this image. Eyepieces come in different diameters and focal lengths. Changing the eyepiece will also change the magnification of the telescope. To calculate the magnification, you need to divide the focal length of the telescope lens (for example, 900 mm) by the focal length of the eyepiece (for example, 20 mm). We get a 45x magnification. This is quite enough for a novice young astronomer to look at the Moon, star clusters and a lot of other interesting things. The telescope may include a Barlow lens. It is installed in front of the eyepiece, thereby increasing the magnification of the telescope. Simple telescopes most often use double magnification. Barlow lens. It allows you to double the magnification of the telescope. In our case, the increase will be 90 times.
Telescopes come with many useful accessories. They can be included with the telescope or ordered separately. Thus, most telescopes are equipped viewfinders. This is a small telescope with low magnification and a large field of view, which makes it easier to find the desired objects of observation. The viewfinder and telescope are directed parallel to each other. First, the object is detected in the viewfinder, and only then in the field of the main telescope. Almost all refractors are equipped diagonal mirror or prism. This device makes observations easier if the object is directly above the astronomer's head. If, in addition to celestial objects, you are going to observe terrestrial objects, you cannot do without straightening prism. The fact is that all telescopes receive an image that is turned upside down and reflected in a mirror. When observing celestial bodies, this is not particularly important. But it is still better to see earthly objects in the correct position.
Any telescope has a mount - a mechanical device for attaching the telescope to a tripod and pointing it at an object. It can be azimuth or equatorial. An azimuth mount allows you to move the telescope horizontally (right-left) and vertically (up-down). This mount is suitable for observing both terrestrial and celestial objects and is most often installed in telescopes for novice astronomers. Another type of mount, equatorial, is designed differently. During long-term astronomical observations, objects shift due to the rotation of the earth. Thanks to a special design, the equatorial mount allows the telescope to follow the curved path of a star across the sky. Sometimes such a telescope is equipped with a special motor that controls the movement automatically. A telescope on an equatorial mount is more suitable for long-term astronomical observations and photography. And finally, this entire device is attached to tripod. Most often it is metal, less often - wooden. It is better if the legs of the tripod are not fixed, but retractable.
How to work
Seeing something through a telescope is not such an easy task for a beginner as it might seem at first glance. You need to know what to look for. This time. You need to know where to look. That's two. And, of course, know how to look. That's three. Let's start from the end and try to understand the basic rules for handling a telescope. Don't worry about the fact that you yourself are not very good at astronomy (or even at all). Finding the right literature is not a problem. But how interesting it will be for both you and your child to discover this difficult, but such an exciting science together.
So, before you start searching for any object in the sky, you need to set up your viewfinder with your telescope. This procedure requires some skills. It's better to do this during the day. Select a stationary, easily recognizable ground object at a distance of 500 meters to one kilometer. Point the telescope at it so that the object is in the center of the eyepiece. Secure the telescope so that it does not move. Now look through the viewfinder. If the selected subject is not visible, loosen the viewfinder adjustment bolt and rotate the viewfinder until the subject comes into view. Then, use the adjustment screws (viewfinder fine adjustment screws) to ensure that the object is positioned exactly in the center of the eyepiece. Now look through the telescope again. If the object is still in the center, everything is fine. The telescope is ready for use. If not, repeat the setup.
As you know, it is better to look through a telescope in a dark tower somewhere high in the mountains. Of course, we are unlikely to go to the mountains. But, undoubtedly, it is better to watch the stars outside the city (for example, at the dacha) than from the window of a city apartment. There is too much excess light and heat waves in the city, which will degrade the image. The farther you observe from city light, the more celestial objects you will be able to see. It is clear that the sky should be as clear as possible.
First, find the subject in the viewfinder. Then adjust the focus of the telescope - rotate the focusing screw until the image becomes clear. If you have multiple eyepieces, start with the lowest magnification. Due to the very fine tuning of the telescope, you need to look through it carefully, without making sudden movements and holding your breath. Otherwise, the setting can easily go wrong. Teach your child this right away. By the way, such observations will train endurance, and for overly active hustlers they will become a kind of psychotherapeutic procedure. It's hard to find a better calming remedy than watching the endless starry sky.
Depending on the telescope model, you can view several hundred different celestial objects through it. These are planets, stars, galaxies, asteroids, comets.
Asteroids(minor planets) are large pieces of rock, sometimes containing metal. Most asteroids orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
Comets- these are celestial bodies that have a core and a luminous tail. So that your child can at least imagine this “tailed wanderer” a little, tell him that she looks like a huge snowball mixed with cosmic dust. Through a telescope, comets appear as hazy spots, sometimes with a light tail. The tail is always turned away from the Sun.
Moon. Even the simplest telescope can clearly see craters, chasms, mountain ranges and dark seas. It is best to observe the moon not during the full moon, but during one of its phases. At this time, you can see much more detail, especially at the border of light and shadow.
Planets. In any telescope you can see all the planets of the Solar System, except for the most distant one - Pluto (it is visible only in powerful telescopes). Mercury and Venus, like the Moon, have phases when they are visible through a telescope. On Jupiter, you can see dark and light bands (which are cloud belts) and a giant vortex, the Great Red Spot. Due to the planet's rapid rotation, its appearance is constantly changing. The four helium satellites of Jupiter are clearly visible. On the mysterious red planet Mars, with a good telescope you can see the white ice caps at the poles. The famous ring of Saturn, which children love to look at in pictures, is also clearly visible through a telescope. This is an amazing picture. Saturn's largest satellite, Titan, is usually clearly visible. And with more powerful telescopes you can see the gap in the rings (the Cassini gap) and the shadow that the rings cast on the planet. Uranus and Neptune will be visible as small dots, and in more powerful telescopes - as disks.
Many asteroids can be observed between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Sometimes you come across comets.
Star clusters. Throughout our galaxy there are many star clusters, which are divided into open (a significant cluster of stars in a certain area of the sky) and globular (a dense group of stars shaped like a ball). For example, the constellation Pleiades (seven small stars huddled together) clearly visible to the naked eye turns into a sparkling field of hundreds of stars in the eyepiece of even the simplest telescope.
Nebulae. Clusters of gas are scattered throughout our galaxy. These are nebulae. They are usually illuminated by nearby stars and are a very beautiful sight.
Galaxies. These are huge clusters of billions of stars, separate “islands” of the Universe. The brightest galaxy in the night sky is the Andromeda Galaxy. Without a telescope, it looks like a faint, unclear spot. Through the telescope you can see a large elliptical field of light. And through a more powerful telescope, the structure of the galaxy is visible.
Sun. Looking at the Sun through a telescope unless it is equipped with special solar filters is strictly prohibited. Explain this to your child first. This will damage the telescope. But that's not so bad. There is one sad aphorism that you can look at the Sun through a telescope only twice in your life: once with your right eye, the second time with your left. Such experiments can actually lead to loss of vision. And it is better not to leave the telescope assembled during the daytime, so as not to tempt the little astronomer.
In addition to astronomical observations, most telescopes allow you to observe terrestrial objects, which can also be very interesting. But, much more important, it is not so much the observations themselves as the joint passion of the child and parents, common interests that make the friendship between a child and an adult stronger, fuller and more interesting.
Clear skies and amazing astronomical discoveries to you!
>> Why do the stars shine?
Why do the stars glow in the sky?– description for children: why they glow brightly at night in different colors, what they are made of, surface temperature, size and age.
Let's talk about why the stars shine in a language that children can understand. This information will be useful for children and their parents.
Children admiring the night sky and seeing billions of bright lights. Agree that there is nothing more beautiful than a shining star. Of course it's worth it explain to the children that their number and brightness level depends on where you live. In cities, it is more difficult to spot bright stars due to artificial lighting that blocks the light. For the little ones It should be noted that the stars are suns like ours. If you were transported to another galaxy and looked at our Sun, it would resemble a familiar light.
To make it clear explanation for children, parents or teachers at school must tell us about the composition of the stars. To put it simply, it is a round glowing plasma. It is so hot that it is difficult for us to even imagine this temperature. The surface of a star like our Sun is cooler (5800 Kelvin) than its core (15 million Kelvin).
They have their own gravity and release some of their heat into space. differ in size. Children must remember that the larger its size, the less it exists. Ours is medium in size and has lived for millions of years.
The process of heat replenishment involves fusion. The energy has been building up inside the sun for millions of years, but it is unstable and constantly trying to escape. Once she manages to rise to the surface, she escapes into outer space in the form of the solar wind.
It is also worth remembering the role of the speed of light. He moves until he hits an obstacle. When we see stars, it is light located at a great distance. We can even observe a ray sent millions of years ago by a shining star. Need to explain to the children, that this is an important moment, because he had to overcome many obstacles to break through to us.
So when you look at the shining stars, you are literally seeing the past. If we could get there, we would notice that everything had changed a long time ago. Moreover, some could even die, become a white dwarf or a supernova.
So the stars shine because they are an energy source that has a huge hot core that releases energy into the Universe in the form of a light beam. Now you understand why the stars shine. Use our photos, videos, drawings and moving models online to better understand the description and characteristics of space objects.
