Explore the Night Sky with an Online Planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com

  • Thread starter Art
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In summary, two websites were mentioned for beginners interested in astronomy. The first, astronomy-page.com/open_planetarium.php, allows users to view stars and galaxies based on location and time. The second, fourmilab.ch/skyscrsv/ planerarium screensaver, shows the current sky and can be modified by the user. The need for dark matter to explain galaxy formations was discussed, with the conclusion that it is still necessary due to the amount of gravitational mass needed for galaxies to hold together. The question of whether gravity would suffice if distances were smaller than thought was also raised. The webmaster of astronomy-page.com expressed appreciation for the compliment and mentioned that the planetarium is available for modification under GPL.
  • #1
Art
Here's a link to a site which is great for beginners such as myself. You can set it for your own location and time. It identifies the stars and galaxies you can see at any moment looking in different directions. http://www.astronomy-page.com/open_planetarium.php

btw out of curiosity and probably a daft question but if the methods used to calculate distances in the universe were wrong and distances are smaller than thought would this nullify the need for dark matter to explain galaxy formations?
 
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  • #2
There is also this http://www.fourmilab.ch/skyscrsv/ planerarium screensaver which shows you the sky for the current time.

No it's still necessary for Galaxies to have 10-100x as much gravitiational mass than we can see as visible stars. This is necessary for the galaxy to hold together as it rotates.
Forming galaxies in the first palce is a whole different problem.
 
  • #3
mgb_phys said:
There is also this http://www.fourmilab.ch/skyscrsv/ planerarium screensaver which shows you the sky for the current time.

No it's still necessary for Galaxies to have 10-100x as much gravitiational mass than we can see as visible stars. This is necessary for the galaxy to hold together as it rotates.
Forming galaxies in the first palce is a whole different problem.
Looks interesting. Any idea what folder you need to copy the screensaver into in Vista in order to run it?

Isn't gravity inversely proportional to the square of the distance? So if the distances were less than thought wouldn't gravity based on known masses suffice to hold galaxies together in their formations?
 
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  • #4
Thank you Art :D, it's nice of you to say that, i really appreciate it. (FYI I'm the webmaster of astronomy-page.com, and it so happens that I found this page completely by chance!) I didn't actually develop the planetarium myself, but it's under GPL so I can reproduce and modify it if I like. All the rest is mine!
 

1. What is an online planetarium?

An online planetarium is a virtual tool that allows users to explore the night sky and view various celestial objects such as stars, planets, and constellations. It is accessible through a website or app and uses real-time data to provide an accurate representation of the sky from any location on Earth.

2. How do I use the online planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com?

Using the online planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com is simple and user-friendly. You can enter your location or use the website's default location to view the current night sky. You can also adjust the date and time to view the sky at a specific time. The planetarium also has various tools and features to help you identify and learn about different celestial objects.

3. Is the online planetarium accurate?

Yes, the online planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com uses real-time data from NASA and other trusted sources to provide an accurate representation of the night sky. The positions of celestial objects and their movements are constantly updated to reflect their actual positions in the sky.

4. Can I view the night sky from any location on Earth?

Yes, the online planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com has a global database of locations, and you can enter your specific location to view the night sky from that area. However, please note that the accuracy of the sky view may vary for extreme locations such as the North and South poles.

5. Do I need any special equipment to use the online planetarium?

No, you do not need any special equipment to use the online planetarium at Astronomy-Page.com. It is accessible through any device with an internet connection, such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. However, a larger screen or a telescope can enhance your viewing experience.

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