National Parks of Taiwan

Shei-Pa National Park’s Wenshui Visitor Center is located in a basin surrounded by green trees. Its good quality environment has very little light pollution and no air pollution. the Shei-Pa National Park Management Office has held the “Shei-Pa Stargazing Tour” events on September 9, 2017 (Saturday) and October 14, 2017 (Saturday) from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, and invited astronomy experts to provide commentary guides. Three different magnification telescopes were also available to the participates who are interested to learn about the summer and autumn constellations and unveil the mystery of the vast universe.

The stargazing event officially opened in the first audio-visual classroom of Wenshui Visitor Center, where teachers provided detailed explanations of the various symbols and clues on the astrolabe. Approximately 80 people comprised of parents and children filled the area to learn about the secrets of the universe. Several parents and children apparently knew astronomy pretty well and were able to answer the teacher’s questions correctly or used fists to calculate the height of the stars.

Why do you still need to learn how to operate a paper astrolabe in this technologically advanced society where numerous online aids are readily available? Well, in addition to pique the imaginations needed for paper astrolabe stargazing, people can also fully enjoy the fun of stargazing and use an astrolabe to learn about astronomy in the outdoor environment where no electricity is available, or perhaps use an astrolabe to find directions during a crucial time of need in the future.

During the event day on September 9th, the clouds were too thick and it was impossible to use the astronomical telescope to observe the stars. The teachers kept on adjusting the telescope’s angle in hopes to let the participants see the summer constellations and the beauty of Saturn. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. Then the teachers had an idea and invited the audiences to download a stargazing APP to help them visualize the original constellation location via the smartphone screen. The teachers also continued to relay the relevant knowledge such as not to use an ordinary flashlight during stargazing, turning on the red light function, and avoiding excessive pupil stimulation that leads to difficulty identifying the constellations.

Although the stargazing APP may seem convenient, the GPS positioning may not be very precise and the location often deviates. If the APP can be used together with the astrolabe, the actual locations of the constellations can be obtained more precisely. The teachers have shared all of their experiences gained over the years without reservation, patiently guide the stargazing event, and filled the participants with rich and valuable astronomy related knowledge.