89-646: The Hong Kong Space Museum is a public astronomy and space science museum located in Tsim Sha Tsui , Hong Kong . Opened on 8 October 1980, it is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government . The building is notable for its hemispherical shape, which contains a planetarium , the only one in Hong Kong. The main facilities of the museum are located in
178-448: A binary black hole . A second gravitational wave was detected on 26 December 2015 and additional observations should continue but gravitational waves require extremely sensitive instruments. The combination of observations made using electromagnetic radiation, neutrinos or gravitational waves and other complementary information, is known as multi-messenger astronomy . One of the oldest fields in astronomy, and in all of science,
267-690: A building next to the planetarium, showcasing information about the Solar System , cosmology , and spaceflight . Accessible from Salisbury Road , it is adjacent to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre , the Hong Kong Museum of Art , and the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower . The Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of History are also located in Tsim Sha Tsui . The idea of a planetarium
356-476: A contract with the Carl Zeiss Company to purchase a planetarium and other equipment with a price of HK$ 3,050,000. Construction commenced in 1977 and the museum opened on 8 October 1980. The museum contained the world's first computerized planetarium. In the 2008-2009 financial year, there were about 590,000 visits to the museum. In 2015, in order to carry out renovation work, the exhibition hall in
445-562: A few milliseconds to thousands of seconds before fading away. Only 10% of gamma-ray sources are non-transient sources. These steady gamma-ray emitters include pulsars, neutron stars , and black hole candidates such as active galactic nuclei. In addition to electromagnetic radiation, a few other events originating from great distances may be observed from the Earth. In neutrino astronomy , astronomers use heavily shielded underground facilities such as SAGE , GALLEX , and Kamioka II/III for
534-572: A flag of Hong Kong that was placed inside Shenzhou 1, the first unmanned Shenzhou spacecraft from China, was also put on display in the museum. In July the same year, the certificate which named Minor Planet 3297 Hong Kong was also put on display. In 2017, Yang Liwei, the first person sent into space by the Chinese space program, donated his work uniform to the Space Museum. The museum has two wings: east wing and west wing. The former consists of
623-552: A model allows astronomers to select between several alternative or conflicting models. Theorists also modify existing models to take into account new observations. In some cases, a large amount of observational data that is inconsistent with a model may lead to abandoning it largely or completely, as for geocentric theory , the existence of luminiferous aether , and the steady-state model of cosmic evolution. Phenomena modeled by theoretical astronomers include: Modern theoretical astronomy reflects dramatic advances in observation since
712-671: A number of important astronomers. Richard of Wallingford (1292–1336) made major contributions to astronomy and horology , including the invention of the first astronomical clock, the Rectangulus which allowed for the measurement of angles between planets and other astronomical bodies, as well as an equatorium called the Albion which could be used for astronomical calculations such as lunar , solar and planetary longitudes and could predict eclipses . Nicole Oresme (1320–1382) and Jean Buridan (1300–1361) first discussed evidence for
801-789: A powerful dictatorship. In 2019, following the proposal of the Fugitive Offenders Amendment Bill by the Hong Kong government , the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement was triggered, and protests erupted all over the city. On 6 August, the then president of Hong Kong Baptist University Students' Union Keith Fong Chung-yin was arrested by undercover police for possession of offensive or lethal weapons after buying laser pointers in Sham Shui Po . Responding to
890-416: A renovation project. It was found that most of the exhibits had been badly damaged, suggesting that they had not been properly preserved. Yet, before the poor state of maintenance was discovered, 400,000 HKD had already been spent repairing the exhibits. Given that the state of the exhibits remained poor, it was said to be a huge waste of money and to have tarnished Hong Kong's image. Another reporter from HK01
979-578: A repeating cycle known as a saros . Following the Babylonians, significant advances in astronomy were made in ancient Greece and the Hellenistic world. Greek astronomy is characterized from the start by seeking a rational, physical explanation for celestial phenomena. In the 3rd century BC, Aristarchus of Samos estimated the size and distance of the Moon and Sun , and he proposed a model of
SECTION 10
#17327720847151068-490: A resolution of over 53 million pixels, matched globally only by the projection system in the Beijing Planetarium . The Hong Kong Space Museum's planetarium also had all of its seats replaced by a French company. The new seats, which are equipped with an interactive system that supports multiple languages, can be reclined for a better viewing angle inside the projection dome. Also, the audience can view not only
1157-608: A substantial amount of work in the realms of theoretical and observational physics. Some areas of study for astrophysicists include their attempts to determine the properties of dark matter , dark energy , and black holes ; whether or not time travel is possible, wormholes can form, or the multiverse exists; and the origin and ultimate fate of the universe . Topics also studied by theoretical astrophysicists include Solar System formation and evolution ; stellar dynamics and evolution ; galaxy formation and evolution ; magnetohydrodynamics ; large-scale structure of matter in
1246-427: Is visible light , or more generally electromagnetic radiation . Observational astronomy may be categorized according to the corresponding region of the electromagnetic spectrum on which the observations are made. Some parts of the spectrum can be observed from the Earth's surface, while other parts are only observable from either high altitudes or outside the Earth's atmosphere. Specific information on these subfields
1335-590: Is a branch of astronomy that studies the universe as a whole. Astronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences. The early civilizations in recorded history made methodical observations of the night sky . These include the Egyptians , Babylonians , Greeks , Indians , Chinese , Maya , and many ancient indigenous peoples of the Americas . In the past, astronomy included disciplines as diverse as astrometry , celestial navigation , observational astronomy , and
1424-584: Is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, requiring observations at these wavelengths to be performed from the upper atmosphere or from space. Ultraviolet astronomy is best suited to the study of thermal radiation and spectral emission lines from hot blue stars ( OB stars ) that are very bright in this wave band. This includes the blue stars in other galaxies, which have been the targets of several ultraviolet surveys. Other objects commonly observed in ultraviolet light include planetary nebulae , supernova remnants , and active galactic nuclei. However, as ultraviolet light
1513-595: Is also believed that the ruins at Great Zimbabwe and Timbuktu may have housed astronomical observatories. In Post-classical West Africa , Astronomers studied the movement of stars and relation to seasons, crafting charts of the heavens as well as precise diagrams of orbits of the other planets based on complex mathematical calculations. Songhai historian Mahmud Kati documented a meteor shower in August 1583. Europeans had previously believed that there had been no astronomical observation in sub-Saharan Africa during
1602-583: Is an inseparable part of the discipline of astrobiology. Astrobiology concerns itself with interpretation of existing scientific data , and although speculation is entertained to give context, astrobiology concerns itself primarily with hypotheses that fit firmly into existing scientific theories . This interdisciplinary field encompasses research on the origin of planetary systems , origins of organic compounds in space , rock-water-carbon interactions, abiogenesis on Earth, planetary habitability , research on biosignatures for life detection, and studies on
1691-427: Is easily absorbed by interstellar dust , an adjustment of ultraviolet measurements is necessary. X-ray astronomy uses X-ray wavelengths . Typically, X-ray radiation is produced by synchrotron emission (the result of electrons orbiting magnetic field lines), thermal emission from thin gases above 10 (10 million) kelvins , and thermal emission from thick gases above 10 Kelvin. Since X-rays are absorbed by
1780-414: Is founded on the detection and analysis of infrared radiation, wavelengths longer than red light and outside the range of our vision. The infrared spectrum is useful for studying objects that are too cold to radiate visible light, such as planets, circumstellar disks or nebulae whose light is blocked by dust. The longer wavelengths of infrared can penetrate clouds of dust that block visible light, allowing
1869-464: Is from these clouds that solar systems form. Studies in this field contribute to the understanding of the formation of the Solar System , Earth's origin and geology, abiogenesis , and the origin of climate and oceans. Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary scientific field concerned with the origins , early evolution , distribution, and future of life in the universe . Astrobiology considers
SECTION 20
#17327720847151958-416: Is given below. Radio astronomy uses radiation with wavelengths greater than approximately one millimeter, outside the visible range. Radio astronomy is different from most other forms of observational astronomy in that the observed radio waves can be treated as waves rather than as discrete photons . Hence, it is relatively easier to measure both the amplitude and phase of radio waves, whereas this
2047-645: Is not as easily done at shorter wavelengths. Although some radio waves are emitted directly by astronomical objects, a product of thermal emission , most of the radio emission that is observed is the result of synchrotron radiation , which is produced when electrons orbit magnetic fields . Additionally, a number of spectral lines produced by interstellar gas , notably the hydrogen spectral line at 21 cm, are observable at radio wavelengths. A wide variety of other objects are observable at radio wavelengths, including supernovae , interstellar gas, pulsars , and active galactic nuclei . Infrared astronomy
2136-475: Is one of the few sciences in which amateurs play an active role . This is especially true for the discovery and observation of transient events . Amateur astronomers have helped with many important discoveries, such as finding new comets. Astronomy (from the Greek ἀστρονομία from ἄστρον astron , "star" and -νομία -nomia from νόμος nomos , "law" or "culture") means "law of the stars" (or "culture of
2225-479: Is the branch of astronomy that employs the principles of physics and chemistry "to ascertain the nature of the astronomical objects , rather than their positions or motions in space". Among the objects studied are the Sun , other stars , galaxies , extrasolar planets , the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background . Their emissions are examined across all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum , and
2314-502: Is the measurement of the positions of celestial objects. Historically, accurate knowledge of the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars has been essential in celestial navigation (the use of celestial objects to guide navigation) and in the making of calendars . Careful measurement of the positions of the planets has led to a solid understanding of gravitational perturbations , and an ability to determine past and future positions of
2403-484: The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory or by specialized telescopes called atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes . The Cherenkov telescopes do not detect the gamma rays directly but instead detect the flashes of visible light produced when gamma rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere. Most gamma-ray emitting sources are actually gamma-ray bursts , objects which only produce gamma radiation for
2492-524: The Earth's atmosphere , all X-ray observations must be performed from high-altitude balloons , rockets , or X-ray astronomy satellites . Notable X-ray sources include X-ray binaries , pulsars , supernova remnants , elliptical galaxies , clusters of galaxies , and active galactic nuclei . Gamma ray astronomy observes astronomical objects at the shortest wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma rays may be observed directly by satellites such as
2581-977: The Milky Way , as its own group of stars was only proven in the 20th century, along with the existence of "external" galaxies. The observed recession of those galaxies led to the discovery of the expansion of the Universe . In 1919, when the Hooker Telescope was completed, the prevailing view was that the universe consisted entirely of the Milky Way Galaxy. Using the Hooker Telescope, Edwin Hubble identified Cepheid variables in several spiral nebulae and in 1922–1923 proved conclusively that Andromeda Nebula and Triangulum among others, were entire galaxies outside our own, thus proving that
2670-794: The Muslim world by the early 9th century. In 964, the Andromeda Galaxy , the largest galaxy in the Local Group , was described by the Persian Muslim astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi in his Book of Fixed Stars . The SN 1006 supernova , the brightest apparent magnitude stellar event in recorded history, was observed by the Egyptian Arabic astronomer Ali ibn Ridwan and Chinese astronomers in 1006. Iranian scholar Al-Biruni observed that, contrary to Ptolemy ,
2759-561: The Renaissance , Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system. His work was defended by Galileo Galilei and expanded upon by Johannes Kepler . Kepler was the first to devise a system that correctly described the details of the motion of the planets around the Sun. However, Kepler did not succeed in formulating a theory behind the laws he wrote down. It was Isaac Newton , with his invention of celestial dynamics and his law of gravitation , who finally explained
Hong Kong Space Museum - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-501: The Solar System where the Earth and planets rotated around the Sun, now called the heliocentric model. In the 2nd century BC, Hipparchus discovered precession , calculated the size and distance of the Moon and invented the earliest known astronomical devices such as the astrolabe . Hipparchus also created a comprehensive catalog of 1020 stars, and most of the constellations of the northern hemisphere derive from Greek astronomy. The Antikythera mechanism ( c. 150 –80 BC)
2937-427: The interstellar medium . The study of the abundance of elements and isotope ratios in Solar System objects, such as meteorites , is also called cosmochemistry , while the study of interstellar atoms and molecules and their interaction with radiation is sometimes called molecular astrophysics. The formation, atomic and chemical composition, evolution and fate of molecular gas clouds is of special interest, because it
3026-518: The planetarium . In September 2015, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that the two exhibition halls, which had been in use since 1991, would undergo renovation beginning on 5 October that year. The renovated exhibition halls would be renamed "Hall of the Cosmos" and "Hall of Space Exploration" respectively. Visitors would be offered a novel experience in which they could learn about
3115-442: The 1990s, including studies of the cosmic microwave background , distant supernovae and galaxy redshifts , which have led to the development of a standard model of cosmology . This model requires the universe to contain large amounts of dark matter and dark energy whose nature is currently not well understood, but the model gives detailed predictions that are in excellent agreement with many diverse observations. Astrophysics
3204-403: The Earth's atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties", while "astrophysics" refers to the branch of astronomy dealing with "the behavior, physical properties, and dynamic processes of celestial objects and phenomena". In some cases, as in the introduction of the introductory textbook The Physical Universe by Frank Shu , "astronomy" may be used to describe the qualitative study of
3293-586: The Hall of Space Science and the Hall of Astronomy on the ground and first floors respectively. The exhibits, predominantly interactive, enable visitors to learn through a series of entertaining and educational experiences. The museum sits within walking distance of both Tsim Sha Tsui station and East Tsim Sha Tsui station of the MTR . It is also near the Star Ferry Pier and a bus terminus. In November 2008,
3382-502: The Hong Kong Space Museum spent 34 million HKD on the first major overhaul of the planetarium since it opened in 1980. The major overhaul mainly involved the installation of a new digital planetarium projection system, a high-resolution projection system that is only available in a few space museums from other parts of the world. Not only can the system play 3D shows and movies on the hemispherical projection dome inside
3471-557: The Hong Kong side, the Tsim Sha Tsui pier itself does not have a clock tower, though one is located nearby. A bus terminus located at the foot of Salisbury Road hosts Kowloon Motor Bus bus routes travelling to various parts of Kowloon and New Kowloon . The pier is close to Star House , Ocean Terminal , Hong Kong Cultural Centre , and the Clock Tower of former KCR Kowloon station . The Five Flag Poles between
3560-488: The Sky Hall was closed on 5 October and reopened on 25 April 2018. Because most of the exhibits in the Space Museum are interactive ones, it has a relatively small number of exhibits of historical value. However, since 2019, the museum has had 17 such exhibits. From 1981, the museum started buying meteorites such as iron meteorites, pallasites and tektites. In 1983, the Space Museum acquired an Indian astrolabe. In May 2000,
3649-527: The Sun's apogee (highest point in the heavens) was mobile, not fixed. Some of the prominent Islamic (mostly Persian and Arab) astronomers who made significant contributions to the science include Al-Battani , Thebit , Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi , Biruni , Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī , Al-Birjandi , and the astronomers of the Maragheh and Samarkand observatories. Astronomers during that time introduced many Arabic names now used for individual stars . It
Hong Kong Space Museum - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-584: The Sun, the Moon and the stars rotating around it. This is known as the geocentric model of the Universe, or the Ptolemaic system , named after Ptolemy . A particularly important early development was the beginning of mathematical and scientific astronomy, which began among the Babylonians , who laid the foundations for the later astronomical traditions that developed in many other civilizations. The Babylonians discovered that lunar eclipses recurred in
3827-535: The age of the Universe and size of the Observable Universe. Theoretical astronomy led to speculations on the existence of objects such as black holes and neutron stars , which have been used to explain such observed phenomena as quasars , pulsars , blazars , and radio galaxies . Physical cosmology made huge advances during the 20th century. In the early 1900s the model of the Big Bang theory
3916-444: The arrest, Fong said that he was just buying the laser points for his friends and leaving one for himself for stargazing, and that when he was buying the laser points, he was not aware they could be used as a weapon. On 7 August, the police said during a press conference that the laser pointers Fong had bought, which were 18 centimetres long, had a power output of 100 mW, high enough to classify them as weapons by law. To prove that
4005-486: The atmosphere itself produces significant infrared emission. Consequently, infrared observatories have to be located in high, dry places on Earth or in space. Some molecules radiate strongly in the infrared. This allows the study of the chemistry of space; more specifically it can detect water in comets. Historically, optical astronomy, which has been also called visible light astronomy, is the oldest form of astronomy. Images of observations were originally drawn by hand. In
4094-401: The audience to send short messages to each other, participate in real-time games, answer audience satisfaction surveys, and perform a number of other activities. From 17 November 2008 to June 2009, the planetarium was closed for renovation. It reopened on 1 July 2009 with the new digital planetarium projection system installed, which was manufactured by American company Sky-Skan Inc and boasts
4183-496: The cosmos. It uses mathematics , physics , and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution . Objects of interest include planets , moons , stars , nebulae , galaxies , meteoroids , asteroids , and comets . Relevant phenomena include supernova explosions, gamma ray bursts , quasars , blazars , pulsars , and cosmic microwave background radiation . More generally, astronomy studies everything that originates beyond Earth's atmosphere . Cosmology
4272-408: The department is historically affiliated with a physics department, and many professional astronomers have physics rather than astronomy degrees. Some titles of the leading scientific journals in this field include The Astronomical Journal , The Astrophysical Journal , and Astronomy & Astrophysics . In early historic times, astronomy only consisted of the observation and predictions of
4361-474: The detection of neutrinos . The vast majority of the neutrinos streaming through the Earth originate from the Sun , but 24 neutrinos were also detected from supernova 1987A . Cosmic rays , which consist of very high energy particles (atomic nuclei) that can decay or be absorbed when they enter the Earth's atmosphere, result in a cascade of secondary particles which can be detected by current observatories. Some future neutrino detectors may also be sensitive to
4450-445: The effects of solar activities on earth, and the exhibition hall would provide visitors with a surreal science fiction experience. However, by May 2013, the Space Museum had yet to carry out the renovation work. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said that it had planned to start the renovation in mid-2015 and finish it by the end of the year, during which the exhibition halls would close but shows would still continue as usual in
4539-412: The event, some protestors shone their laser pointers at the walls of the Space Museum's Stanley Ho Space Theatre, the trees that were planted in front of it, and the walls of the adjacent buildings. They also sang songs to mock the police for using laser points to ignite the newspapers. Astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in
SECTION 50
#17327720847154628-564: The evolution of the universe, the exploration of the solar system and beyond, and more. The renovation was finally completed in 2018, and the exhibition halls reopened on 25 April that year. In 2006, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department carried out a survey on the general satisfaction level among visitors to the seven museums it runs (the Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art , Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence , Hong Kong Museum of History , Hong Kong Science Museum and Museum of Tea Ware ) and also their satisfaction level with
4717-466: The height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong , the Hong Kong Space Museum replaced the dome projection screen in the planetarium to improve image quality. The Exhibition Halls There was a plan to renovate the two exhibition halls at a cost of 32 million HKD. Under the renovation plan, which would last half a year, the themes of the exhibition hall on the first floor would be space exploration and
4806-436: The inaccurate information on the display boards might have misled the public, promising to provide more up-to-date information on the display boards and remove any information that was misleading. The department also promised that some of the permanent exhibits would be replaced with newer ones. In 2018, an Oriental Daily News reporter was again sent to inspect the museum's exhibition halls, 4 months after they reopened following
4895-414: The introduction of new technology, including the spectroscope and photography . Joseph von Fraunhofer discovered about 600 bands in the spectrum of the Sun in 1814–15, which, in 1859, Gustav Kirchhoff ascribed to the presence of different elements. Stars were proven to be similar to the Earth's own Sun, but with a wide range of temperatures , masses , and sizes. The existence of the Earth's galaxy,
4984-418: The laser pointers Fong had bought could cause bodily harm, the police ignited some newspapers with them in front of the public. As the laser pointers Fong had bought were seen as "stargazing pointers" and could indeed be used for stargazing, a "Stargazing Event" was organized that very same night in front of the Space Museum, with thousands of people taking part to protest against Fong's "arbitrary" arrest. During
5073-579: The late 19th century and most of the 20th century, images were made using photographic equipment. Modern images are made using digital detectors, particularly using charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and recorded on modern medium. Although visible light itself extends from approximately 4000 Å to 7000 Å (400 nm to 700 nm), that same equipment can be used to observe some near-ultraviolet and near-infrared radiation. Ultraviolet astronomy employs ultraviolet wavelengths between approximately 100 and 3200 Å (10 to 320 nm). Light at those wavelengths
5162-444: The list of planets in the Solar System, had yet to be removed from the Solar System model. Also, information on China's space program history was found to be severely lacking, with only a few display boards. On TripAdvisor, an International travel website, some netizens had also criticized the exhibits at the museum for being outdated and unappealing. In response to the criticisms, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department admitted that
5251-576: The making of calendars . Professional astronomy is split into observational and theoretical branches. Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring data from observations of astronomical objects. This data is then analyzed using basic principles of physics. Theoretical astronomy is oriented toward the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena. These two fields complement each other. Theoretical astronomy seeks to explain observational results and observations are used to confirm theoretical results. Astronomy
5340-593: The motions of objects visible to the naked eye. In some locations, early cultures assembled massive artifacts that may have had some astronomical purpose. In addition to their ceremonial uses, these observatories could be employed to determine the seasons, an important factor in knowing when to plant crops and in understanding the length of the year. As civilizations developed, most notably in Egypt , Mesopotamia , Greece , Persia , India , China , and Central America , astronomical observatories were assembled and ideas on
5429-417: The motions of the planets. Newton also developed the reflecting telescope . Improvements in the size and quality of the telescope led to further discoveries. The English astronomer John Flamsteed catalogued over 3000 stars. More extensive star catalogues were produced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille . The astronomer William Herschel made a detailed catalog of nebulosity and clusters, and in 1781 discovered
SECTION 60
#17327720847155518-449: The museum facilities. The Hong Kong Space Museum scored the lowest among the seven museums, at only 76.1% for general satisfaction and 78% for satisfaction with the facilities. In August 2014, an Oriental Daily News reporter was sent to inspect the museum. Some inaccurate information was found. For example, a satellite program in the 1990s was described as a future space program. In another example, Pluto , which had been removed from
5607-406: The nature of the Universe began to develop. Most early astronomy consisted of mapping the positions of the stars and planets, a science now referred to as astrometry . From these observations, early ideas about the motions of the planets were formed, and the nature of the Sun, Moon and the Earth in the Universe were explored philosophically. The Earth was believed to be the center of the Universe with
5696-620: The night sky as simulated from the surface of the earth, but also that as simulated from the surface of the other planets in the solar system. In the night sky, the shapes of different constellations can be seen, and the changes in polar nights from outer space can also be tracked. As a result of another renovation project, the Stanley Ho Space Theatre and the Lecture Hall were closed between 1 November 2015 and 1 March 2016. They had since reopened. On 1 May 2020, during
5785-418: The nucleus of the museum's planetarium , which has an egg-shaped dome structure. Beneath it is the Stanley Ho Space Theatre, the Hall of Space Science, workshops and offices. The west wing houses the Hall of Astronomy, the Lecture Hall, a gift shop and offices. The planetarium's egg-shaped dome covers more than 8,000 square metres, making it a famous landmark in Hong Kong. It was the first local planetarium for
5874-494: The observation of young stars embedded in molecular clouds and the cores of galaxies. Observations from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have been particularly effective at unveiling numerous galactic protostars and their host star clusters . With the exception of infrared wavelengths close to visible light, such radiation is heavily absorbed by the atmosphere, or masked, as
5963-553: The particles produced when cosmic rays hit the Earth's atmosphere. Gravitational-wave astronomy is an emerging field of astronomy that employs gravitational-wave detectors to collect observational data about distant massive objects. A few observatories have been constructed, such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory LIGO . LIGO made its first detection on 14 September 2015, observing gravitational waves from
6052-497: The planet Uranus , the first new planet found. During the 18–19th centuries, the study of the three-body problem by Leonhard Euler , Alexis Claude Clairaut , and Jean le Rond d'Alembert led to more accurate predictions about the motions of the Moon and planets. This work was further refined by Joseph-Louis Lagrange and Pierre Simon Laplace , allowing the masses of the planets and moons to be estimated from their perturbations. Significant advances in astronomy came about with
6141-470: The planets with great accuracy, a field known as celestial mechanics . More recently the tracking of near-Earth objects will allow for predictions of close encounters or potential collisions of the Earth with those objects. The measurement of stellar parallax of nearby stars provides a fundamental baseline in the cosmic distance ladder that is used to measure the scale of the Universe. Parallax measurements of nearby stars provide an absolute baseline for
6230-581: The popularisation of astronomy and space science. The computerized star imager in the Sky Gallery of the Space Museum is capable of simulating the sky through optical principles, projecting 8,000 stars onto the hemisphere screen of the Planetarium. There is also a mock-up of the nose and cockpit section of the Space Shuttle orbiter. Hong Kong Space Museum has two thematic exhibition halls:
6319-473: The potential for life to adapt to challenges on Earth and in outer space . Cosmology (from the Greek κόσμος ( kosmos ) "world, universe" and λόγος ( logos ) "word, study" or literally "logic") could be considered the study of the Universe as a whole. Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui , or Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier , is a pier located on reclaimed land at
6408-596: The pre-colonial Middle Ages, but modern discoveries show otherwise. For over six centuries (from the recovery of ancient learning during the late Middle Ages into the Enlightenment), the Roman Catholic Church gave more financial and social support to the study of astronomy than probably all other institutions. Among the Church's motives was finding the date for Easter . Medieval Europe housed
6497-482: The present location started in 1904, after the great land reclamation which extended Salisbury Road . It was of a "finger design". The pier opened in 1906, but was destroyed by typhoon in September 1906. Its replacement, which was designed to accommodate two ferries, was completed in 1914. In the early 1950s, construction of the present twin-piered terminal commenced on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The structure
6586-458: The properties examined include luminosity , density , temperature , and chemical composition. Because astrophysics is a very broad subject, astrophysicists typically apply many disciplines of physics, including mechanics , electromagnetism , statistical mechanics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , relativity , nuclear and particle physics , and atomic and molecular physics . In practice, modern astronomical research often involves
6675-473: The properties of more distant stars, as their properties can be compared. Measurements of the radial velocity and proper motion of stars allow astronomers to plot the movement of these systems through the Milky Way galaxy. Astrometric results are the basis used to calculate the distribution of speculated dark matter in the galaxy. During the 1990s, the measurement of the stellar wobble of nearby stars
6764-459: The question of whether extraterrestrial life exists, and how humans can detect it if it does. The term exobiology is similar. Astrobiology makes use of molecular biology , biophysics , biochemistry , chemistry , astronomy, physical cosmology , exoplanetology and geology to investigate the possibility of life on other worlds and help recognize biospheres that might be different from that on Earth. The origin and early evolution of life
6853-425: The rotation of the Earth, furthermore, Buridan also developed the theory of impetus (predecessor of the modern scientific theory of inertia ) which was able to show planets were capable of motion without the intervention of angels. Georg von Peuerbach (1423–1461) and Regiomontanus (1436–1476) helped make astronomical progress instrumental to Copernicus's development of the heliocentric model decades later. During
6942-399: The southernmost tip of Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong . It is commonly known as Star Ferry Pier ( 天星碼頭 ) in Tsim Sha Tsui. Star Ferry operates the pedestrian ferry service across Victoria Harbour to Wan Chai and to Central on Hong Kong Island . The location is identified as "Kowloon Point" in the franchise held by Star Ferry. Construction of the first pier on
7031-415: The space museum, but it is also capable of simulating scenes of stars , planets , and other celestial objects from anywhere in the universe, either in real time or at a past point in time. The 300 seats in the planetarium were also replaced with ones that spot a multilingual interactive feature. The wireless Bluetooth headsets and the newly designed display unit installed on the armrest of each seat allow
7120-436: The stars" depending on the translation). Astronomy should not be confused with astrology , the belief system which claims that human affairs are correlated with the positions of celestial objects. Although the two fields share a common origin, they are now entirely distinct. "Astronomy" and " astrophysics " are synonyms. Based on strict dictionary definitions, "astronomy" refers to "the study of objects and matter outside
7209-477: The subject, whereas "astrophysics" is used to describe the physics-oriented version of the subject. However, since most modern astronomical research deals with subjects related to physics, modern astronomy could actually be called astrophysics. Some fields, such as astrometry , are purely astronomy rather than also astrophysics. Various departments in which scientists carry out research on this subject may use "astronomy" and "astrophysics", partly depending on whether
7298-548: The universe consists of a multitude of galaxies. With this Hubble formulated the Hubble constant , which allowed for the first time a calculation of the age of the Universe and size of the Observable Universe, which became increasingly precise with better meassurements, starting at 2 billion years and 280 million light-years, until 2006 when data of the Hubble Space Telescope allowed a very accurate calculation of
7387-409: The universe; origin of cosmic rays ; general relativity and physical cosmology , including string cosmology and astroparticle physics . Astrochemistry is the study of the abundance and reactions of molecules in the Universe , and their interaction with radiation . The discipline is an overlap of astronomy and chemistry . The word "astrochemistry" may be applied to both the Solar System and
7476-640: Was used to detect large extrasolar planets orbiting those stars. Theoretical astronomers use several tools including analytical models and computational numerical simulations ; each has its particular advantages. Analytical models of a process are better for giving broader insight into the heart of what is going on. Numerical models reveal the existence of phenomena and effects otherwise unobserved. Theorists in astronomy endeavor to create theoretical models that are based on existing observations and known physics, and to predict observational consequences of those models. The observation of phenomena predicted by
7565-419: Was also sent to inspect the museum the same year. It was found that of the 110 new interactive exhibits, 64% had been repaired at least once. In January 2020, fences were placed around the Space Museum when its exterior walls were being cleaned, leading to a feeling that the Space Museum had been turned into a prison. This was criticized by netizens, who jokingly alluded that to the powerless people's fight against
7654-520: Was an early analog computer designed to calculate the location of the Sun , Moon , and planets for a given date. Technological artifacts of similar complexity did not reappear until the 14th century, when mechanical astronomical clocks appeared in Europe. Astronomy flourished in the Islamic world and other parts of the world. This led to the emergence of the first astronomical observatories in
7743-472: Was completed in 1957, concurrent with the completion of the now demolished Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier , which was built on the island side. Both piers were examples of Streamline Moderne . Like the Ferry Pier on Hong Kong Island, the pier consists of a two bi-level piers. The upper level boarding is more expensive than the lower level boarding area. The two structures are supported by wood pilings. Unlike
7832-536: Was formulated, heavily evidenced by cosmic microwave background radiation , Hubble's law , and the cosmological abundances of elements . Space telescopes have enabled measurements in parts of the electromagnetic spectrum normally blocked or blurred by the atmosphere. In February 2016, it was revealed that the LIGO project had detected evidence of gravitational waves in the previous September. The main source of information about celestial bodies and other objects
7921-585: Was originally proposed in 1961 by the Urban Council . Ten years later, the Urban Services Department (USD) set up a working group to study overseas experience in establishing planetariums. The study was aimed at laying the groundwork for setting up the future Hong Kong Space Museum. The Hong Kong Government decided to build the museum at Tsim Sha Tsui and invited Mr. Joseph Liu to serve as Planetarium Advisor. In 1974, The USD signed
#714285