Star Gazing is More than Just Looking through a Telescope

I remember the days of being a kid when the simplest things in life like star gazing was so amazing. This seems just like yesterday, but the reality is that it's more of a past time which is something that I just don't understand. There was a time when looking through a telescope was much more than science class and more like a hobby which is something that I used to love and appreciate.

Kids these days don't look at the things like we used to. Back in the day, we used to spend hours looking through a telescope at the many stars, planets, and even the rings around the planet and know what we were actually looking at. Today, it's a much different story as we'll be hard-pressed to find a child in school to even know how many planets there are and which one's have rings around them.

The other day I was outside at night with my youngest daughter who is 13 and asked her that very same question. I was appalled to find out that she didn't know the name of our solar system. I remember asking myself how is it possible with something so beautiful that has turned out to be sort of a past time.

I spent some time browsing the internet and came across the same revelation. While there are numerous websites out there that sell this and that, there are very few who truly go into star gazing and talking about what a telescope really is. Amazon of course is one of the biggest online retailers that specifically sells telescopes and other products, but there are only a few that really goes into the meaning of what they do and what star gazing is all about.

There was one site which really stood out called AstronimUs. This site takes us back to our roots and is a directory listing all store fronts that sell telescopes and other essentials and allows you to talk to a real live person. Where have these stores gone as everything is consumed of the internet and very few people resort to the concept of trying before buying.

For true enthusiasts and hobbyists looking to really see what the universe is all about, I would highly recommend them. They allow you to search for a store front near you, and if you've ever bought a telescope this is something you'll definitely want to do. If you didn't, how would you ever expect to come across something as beautiful as this which was seen in Texas: