And the Internet is an excellent place to look up astronomy. As you use this document I hope you will find exploring the Internet motivating and challenging, and that it will lead you to a treasure of data and information that will guide you to a deeper, more profound understanding of astronomy.
Most astronomers are creatures of the night.
They search for the essence of the universe by collecting as much light as possible from dim and distant objects. To an astronomer there are few things in life as exciting as catching a close up view of the Moon, or a look at Saturn through a telescope, or focusing an eye on a far away, dim galaxy. There are millions of us all over the world, and we are outside most every clear night observing the wonders of the universe with our eyes, binoculars, or telescopes. Stargazers are often very passionate about their hobby. Recreational astronomers range from the most casual observers to the most advanced observers.