The Lure of Astronomy

by Mike Murray, July 5, 2026

For decades now, amateur astronomy continues to be one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world. Why is that? What gets people so “hooked” on space and the night sky?

Actually there could be many reasons. For some, it’s just a naturally fascinating subject. Look at how many college students enroll in introductory astronomy courses to satisfy their general science requirement. Maybe it was a camping experience where you saw the Milky Way or a “shooting star” for the first time. Or something that happened in the space program, like the Pluto flyby, photos from Mars or a Hubble Space Telescope image.

The reasons may be different but the inspiration to explore the sky has one common thread – a curiosity to discover more of nature’s secrets and feel a personal connection to the universe.

The possibilities to explore the cosmos are endless. On such scales, anything seems possible and the biggest philosophical questions come to mind: Are we alone in the universe? Could our kind of consciousness and intelligence arise on “other earths”? The adventure of finding the answers to such questions is the journey of science. It’s this spirit of exploring that leads us to new perspectives and an appreciation of the interrelationships in nature.

For me personally, the events that stirred my curiosity toward astronomy were many. My father took me to a planetarium when I was seven years old. It was captivating. I often camped in the remote outdoors and saw the Milky Way, meteors, even a comet. During that same time, I watched the Apollo astronauts walk on the Moon. It’s as if each experience came along at just the right time to fuel my thrill of discovery and a desire to explore more cosmic mysteries.

Is it any wonder that at the age of 11, I got my first telescope? But here’s where my first experience with a telescope echoed the stories of many others. At that time I lived under the light polluted skies of Denver and I had no observing guides. I was able to find Mars, the Pleiades Star Cluster, and a few bright stars which would reveal their colors. Then the scope went into the closet. Sound familiar?

This has been a common hurdle for many in the pursuit of amateur observing. So, what “reeled” me back? In my case, it was a $6 atlas of the Moon.

Suddenly the lunar surface became a place full of fascinating features. I could see the Lunar Apennine Mountains where Apollo 15 landed, craters like Copernicus with massive central peaks rising ¾ of a mile high, ancient lava flows and deep rilles running for hundreds of miles.

But to locate and actually see detail in the deep sky wonders took more time. A star chart was really only the beginning. Finding my way around the sky more effectively took “star hopping” techniques.

From there a real surprise hit me – binoculars! They have become the perfect precursor to telescopes because they have a wide field of view, it’s easy to pinpoint what you’re looking for, and they show the object right-side-up (unlike most telescopes, which invert the image). Binoculars also reveal many objects that I used to think required a telescope – star clusters, gas clouds (the nebulae) and features on the Moon.

From naked eye observing to getting your first telescope, there’s something for every age and any skill level when it comes to star gazing. So how can you develop your skills and get “turned on” to the wonders of the deep sky? Probably the best thing about the hobby is that it’s a shared experience! Many astronomy clubs, planetariums and science centers sponsor workshops and star parties so you can learn from others. Most amateur astronomers love to share their hobby and encourage you to come and look through their instruments. In fact, this is the best way to gain experience with observing techniques and “try out” different types of telescopes to see which kind might work best for you.

But remember, the end goal need not be having an enormous telescope in your house. The best telescope is the one that gets used. If binocular observing is as far as you want to go, that works too! There are some amazing binoculars made especially for star gazing.

In the end it still comes down to what astronomy can give anyone – a sense of discovery and an opportunity to see the connections and relationships between the sciences, art, culture and even philosophy. It’s a chance to experience the mysteries of the cosmos firsthand.