Popular Astronomy Website Offers Free 5-Day Crash Course for Summer Stargazers

With summer finally upon us, millions are heading out to cottages and campsites under pristine clear sky. At night, vacationers are treated to the astounding sight of the summer stars and the sweeping arc of the Milky Way overhead. After such an experience, many wish to learn more about the night sky. But a large number of would-be stargazers don't know how to get started. To make it easier for beginners to learn the stars and constellations, the popular astronomy website One-Minute Astronomer has published a 5-day step-by-step "crash course" in basic stargazing. The self-paced course is available online for free at www.oneminuteastronomer.com/astro-course-intro.

Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) July 7, 2009 - With summer finally upon us, millions are heading out to cottages and campsites under pristine clear sky. At night, vacationers are treated to the astounding sight of the summer stars and the sweeping arc of the Milky Way overhead. After such an experience, many wish to learn more about the night sky. But a large number of would-be stargazers don't know how to get started. To make it easier for beginners to learn the stars and constellations, the popular astronomy website One-Minute Astronomer has published a 5-day step-by-step "crash course" in basic stargazing. The self-paced course is available online for free at http://www.oneminuteastronomer.com/astro-course-intro.

"Learning your way around the summer night sky should be no harder than learning your way around a new city or town," says Dr. Brian Ventrudo, publisher of One-Minute Astronomer. "But as is true with learning many new skills, the hardest part is getting started. With this 5-day crash course, even a total beginner will be able to find bright stars and constellations in just a few days. It will give a new stargazer a huge sense of accomplishment to spot the bright stars and constellations for the first time."

The astronomy course describes the astonishing array of sights to be seen by a backyard summer stargazer, and helps the beginner find their way around the sky in the northern and southern hemisphere. It also gives frank and practical advice on how (and when) to select and use binoculars and telescopes, and how to condition and use the unaided eye for maximum sensitivity to faint celestial objects.

About One-Minute Astronomer:
One-Minute Astronomer is an online magazine that publishes short, easy-to-read articles for beginning to intermediate-level amateur astronomers. Subscribers receive emails each week with a link to a brief, informative article about interesting celestial objects, tips on how to select equipment and observe the night sky, and historical vignettes of famous astronomers and astronomical landmarks. Each article takes only a minute or two to read and is suitable for even the busiest would-be astronomy buffs. Subscription to One-Minute Astronomer is free. All back issues are available in an online archive. For more information visit www.oneminuteastronomer.com.

###