Astronomy

Astronomy

<a href="https://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/telescope.gif"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-17669" src="https://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/telescope.gif" alt="" width="43" height="78" /></a>A new hobby has  become possible in Sosaria, using the recently added Telescope (<a href="https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/items/holiday-gifts/anniversary-gifts/">21st Anniversary gift</a>) characters can view the night sky, observing such phenomenon as planets, galaxies, comets and constellations. Constellations can be charted using the Cartography Mapmaker’s Pen to create a star chart. <ul> <li>Constellations can be named via the star chart.</li> <li>A star chart can be turned into Willebrord the Astronomer at the Moonglow Telescope Astronomer’s Tent.  Players that are the first to discover a constellation will have their discovery logged in the constellation ledger and be given a special title and a recipe, from this recipe tinkers can learn to make a telescope.</li> <li>All constellations are shard unique.</li> <li>There are 1000 constellations to discover.</li> </ul> <h3>Looking to the Heavens: A Primer on Britannian Astronomy</h3> The study of Britannian astronomy dates back to the appearances of strangers from offwordly realms. When it was learned that Sosaria exists within a much larger universe, curiosity tilted our heads upwards towards the sky. Before long skilled tinkers granted the ability to see objects at great distance became a reality - enter the telescope. While the most impressive example of these contraptions is the one located in Moonglow at 43o 52'N, 122o 4'W, where I have chosen to spend my time deep in research, recent developments in miniaturization have brought the size of these instruments within the grasp of the casual observer. Using a telescope may appear quite simple, but one would be naive to think there is no more beyond haphazardly pointing towards the sky to make observations! The best viewing hours are during the night between the hours of 5pm and 4am. Any standard clock is an essential tool in mapping the night sky! While there are a variety of objects in the night sky to observe if one points their telescope at the object as it traverses space, the real search is for constellations - a unique collection of several stars. Constellations appear at various periods during the night. Constellations can be seen during the early evening (5pm-8pm), late at night (9pm-11pm), midnight (12am), or the middle of the night (1am-4am). After 4am daylight will drown out any attempt at making meaningful observations. Constellations can be observed in these time periods based on their location in the night sky. Britannian astronomers have adopted a coordinate system that uses right ascension (RA) and declination (DEC) to pinpoint a constellation's location during night time periods. RA can be measured from 0-24 and DEC can be measured from 0-90. Current Telescopes are capable of resolving increments of 1 hour of RA and 0.2 degrees of DEC. When a time period has been selected and the RA and DEC have been set one need only initiate a switch conveniently located in the viewfinder, to check that section of the sky! Should you be lucky enough to see a constellation a standard mapmaking pen can be used to create a star chart. As the potential discoverer of a new constellation you have the opportunity to name and submit your discovery to the Britannian Astronomical Society, of whom this author is primary registrar, for documentation. Happy skywatching! Willebrord the Astronomer