Celebrating a Decade of 'Clear Skies' in Amateur Astronomy

The SciLogs platform, a collection of science blogs, is marking its tenth anniversary, having been launched under the Spektrum der Wissenschaft publishing house. My blog, Clear Skies, which delves into the realm of amateur astronomy, began shortly after in November 2007. Over the years, I have explored various themes, often attempting to look beyond the immediate scope of amateur astronomy.

Understanding Cosmic Distances and Timescales

The vast distances and timescales that astronomers and geologists deal with are often beyond our everyday comprehension. To help visualize these concepts, I’ve offered several comparisons:

• The nearby exoplanet Proxima Centauri b (from September 1, 2016) is often described in the media as a "stone's throw away." However, if we could develop a spacecraft capable of traveling at one-hundredth the speed of light, it would still take over 400 years to reach our nearest star system.

• Earth’s history in a scrollable format (from June 21, 2011) allows readers to grasp the immense time that has passed since Earth formed 4.56 billion years ago, right at their fingertips.

• The speedy star US 708 (from March 9, 2015) is one of the few known stars that can escape the gravitational pull of our galaxy, making the journey from Earth to the Moon in less than six minutes.

Extraterrestrial Life

• In a post from October 10, 2008, I pondered why we have yet to discover any evidence of life beyond Earth.

• The operational range of extraterrestrial intelligences (from September 15, 2010) presents a rather pessimistic view on the constraints of space and time that may hinder our ability to ever communicate with other intelligent life forms.

• UFOs and their origins in the brain (from October 22, 2008) sparked a lively discussion regarding the brief history of reported UFO sightings.

• Communication with aliens (from November 13, 2007) questions the common assumption among science fiction fans and UFO enthusiasts that we could easily communicate with extraterrestrial beings if we were to encounter them.

Blogging Traditions

A cherished tradition within the SciLogs community has been the "Bloggewitter," where multiple bloggers share diverse perspectives on the same topics.

• “Yuri’s Night 2011 – 50 Years of Manned Spaceflight” (from April 12, 2011) featured unique insights from a student who cheekily consulted his smartphone for his essay on Yuri Gagarin.

• “Blogging for Kids”: How far is it to the Moon? (from February 5, 2015) provided children with a fun exploration of the journey to our lunar neighbor, which would take about 20 days by passenger plane.

Astronomical Reading Material

In my reading recommendations section, I highlight works related to astronomy. Some reviews have been adapted from those I wrote for "Sterne und Weltraum," and I aim to provide a more practical perspective for amateur astronomers.

A common thread throughout my recommendations is my enthusiasm for works that have impressed me, often encouraging readers to consider more worthwhile uses for their money than purchasing certain publications.

Selection of Science Blogs

Blogging on SciLogs has also led to four of my posts being featured in the curated "Wissenschaftsblog-Auslese" initiated by Lars Fischer and Marc Scheloske:

• A comet over Heidelberg (from June 19, 2008) – My interpretation of a copper engraving by Matthaeus Merian from 1635.

• Limits of Homo sapiens (from May 12, 2010) – A reflection on why humanity knowingly destroys its own living conditions, a question that has troubled me since my youth.

• The temporal horizon of humanity (from May 12, 2011) – Written under the traumatic influence of the Fukushima disaster.

• Fear under the starry sky (from September 9, 2011) – A piece aimed at amateur astronomers who sometimes feel uneasy while stargazing alone at night.

Visual Reports

To conclude, I have shared visual accounts, including reports from the annual astronomy fairs held in Essen and Villingen-Schwenningen, enriched with my amateur astronomical insights, as well as events hosted by the ESA:

• ATT 2017 in Essen (from May 17, 2017)

• AME 2016 in Villingen-Schwenningen (from September 16, 2016)

• ATT 2016 in Essen (from May 24, 2016)

• ATT 2013 in Essen (from May 27, 2013)

• Philae in Darmstadt (from November 14, 2014) – Photos from a remarkable ESA event celebrating the landing of the Philae probe on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

• Deidesheim 2013 (from March 12, 2013) – Images from one of the legendary SciLogs blogger meetups.

• 5th Heidelberg Laureate Forum – Boat Trip (from September 28, 2017) – A photo report from a boat trip with esteemed mathematicians and computer scientists.

I extend my gratitude to Spektrum der Wissenschaft, all readers, and commenters for an exciting decade filled with enriching encounters and broadened horizons. A special thanks goes to my most loyal commenter since the beginning: Edgar Lösel! Thank you, Edgar! 😉 I wish the SciLogs and all bloggers the very best for the coming decade and beyond!

Thank you and Clear Skies! Stefan Oldenburg