Physical and Environmental Challenges of Astronomy in Later Years

For backyard astronomers, the warm humidity of summer observing gives way to the cooling air of autumn. The celestial objects of summer also give way to clusters, nebulae, and galaxies of the fall. The cool brisk autumn then gives way to the cold and darkness of winter, with a whole new set of deep sky objects to observe. Cold winter then yields to spring, with galaxies to explore. Then a return to the warmth of summer. The Earth’s position in its orbit around the Sun also changes the perspective of the sky. The summer has astronomers gazing into the heart of the Milky Way, while in the colder months the attention is more towards intergalactic treats.