Astronomy in Australia
There are often quiet moments in the media information outlet regarding astronomy.
All very well to be amazed at recent achievements and rather dramatic events that have been staged by scientists’ success in proving water exists on Mars and now, we find also the Moon, long thought to be a dead body.
However, we should know by now that no form in nature is ever dead – if its life element is removed, or withdraws, the material housing of that life decays as nature does not tolerate dead matter. Everything is recycled, broken down, transformed and transmuted into another and often better form. This is the spiritual understanding of evolution and is a popular concept in the minds of many young people who are inclined to seek for the deeper purpose rather than stagnate in material forms of thinking.
There are increasing numbers enrolling in courses of Astronomy, both in Australia and abroad.
At the Swinburne University of Technology a spokesperson mentions about 40% of these students being from Australia with the balance arriving from many countries. They are interested in benefiting by the on-line educational system that offers a graduate certificate and diploma as well as a masters of astronomy but must have an undergraduate degree, not necessarily in science. Included in the course are units on the planets, stars, galaxies as well as general cosmology and the history of astronomy. Technological assistance is used with supercomputer to run simulations that students find informative and enjoyable.
Many world renowned astronomers now retirees, volunteer support as supervisors or to assist staff. These helpers included scientists from NASA’S Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Perth Observatory Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, University of Colorado and the European Space Agency. Students have access to advanced telescopes and planetarium and can look forward to a potentially new and exciting career in association with the stars!
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