Radio Astronomy For most of us, the idea of astronomy is something we directly connect to stargazing , telescopes and seeing magnificent displays in the heavens. And to be sure, that is the exciting area of astronomy that accounts for it s huge popularity. So to the uninitiated, the idea of radio astronomy seems strange. It s a plane. It s Superman! How beloved Superman has become in our culture and the worldwide fascination with extraterrestrials and all things cosmic only emphasizes that there is a deep curiosity in all humans about nature and astronomy, even if many people would not know to call it astronomy. Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences of all time. It is hard to imagine the science of astronomy or the natural quest for greater knowledge of our universe without the Hubble. While many times those who would not fund space exploration have tried to cut funding for the Hubble, the operation of this telescope is just too important to astronomers and to the scientific well being of mankind and our planet not to continue to use the Hubble, or its next natural successor. - An Altazimuth Mount refers to the tripod of the telescope that holds the device in place and makes it useful during a star gazing session. The altazimuth mouth allows the telescope to move both horizontally (which is the azimuth) and vertically. In this way you have full range to look at things close to the horizon or directly overhead. It is even more breathtaking when you realize that the sky you are looking up at is for all intents and purposes the exact same sky that our ancestors hundreds and thousands of years ago enjoyed when they just looked up. Everybody knows how to look up. Children first discover the amazing light show on display for free every clear night by just looking up. But this background also highlights another important influence the moon has had on Earth s development that is seldom recognized and that is the stabilization of Earth s orbital pattern. Most know that Earth is not round but more of an egg shaped orb. To be blunt, the Earth would wobble. Without the moon s stabilizing influence, this shape would shift dramatically so the tilt of the axis, that is the polar caps would shift dramatically with each seasonal rotation producing climacteric, changes much more violent and drastic than we are used to.