MAPS. ME: where it is convenient to observe the stars

^{Photo by: Brocken Inaglory}
So, it happened – you got a telescope, you caught the virus of a new travel hobby, or you seriously decided to hunt for aliens. There are many reasons to become an astrotourist, and many ways to meet the growing need to observe the sky.

The main astronomical event of 2015 will be a total solar eclipse on March 20, the largest phase of which in Russia can be observed in the Murmansk region on the border with Norway.

A total lunar eclipse will occur on the full moon on April 4. The full phase will be seen by residents of Siberia, Primorye, Kamchatka and the Far East. And on September 28, the Moon immersed in the Earth's shadow will be seen by residents of the European part of Russia.

In addition, in September, the brightest asteroid of the year , Vesta, will appear in the sky for observation with the naked eye. Comet Catalina will be visible in the morning sky in December.

If you want to see the meteor shower destroying the Earth from the front row or just admire the beauty of the Milky Way, you will need a high altitude, a dry climate and a complete lack of artificial light sources. It will not be possible to choose the edge of the forest in the near Moscow region according to these criteria. Fortunately, there are specially equipped places in the world for all thirsty astrophiles.

Top 5 places to observe the sky


The Pulkovo Observatory of St. Petersburg is considered the main astronomical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. During excursions, including night tours, you can get acquainted with the 26-inch refractor telescope, the Large Pulkovo Radio Telescope and the Solar Telescope (one of the largest in Europe).



^{Photo by: Vladimir Ivanov}



The map of light pollution clearly shows that it is quite problematic to view the starry sky in Moscow. In the capital, there are people's observatories in Gorky Park and Sokolniki, but the main point of attraction for all city star-worshippers is the astronomical site of the Moscow Planetarium.



But keep in mind that the illumination of the metropolis allows you to see well only large objects of the Solar System, and to look into deep space, you will have to go on a long journey.



An important place that we could not help but mention is the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. It has the largest number of telescopes among the observatories of the former USSR.



The further south, the closer and brighter the stars. The Crimean Observatory is located in the mountains; Planets and stars in it can be viewed with a two-hundredfold magnification.



Not every place on the planet is suitable for serious stargazing, so there are special hotels for astrotourists, and the International Dark Sky Association annually compiles ratings of places with the most beautiful sky. For example, in County Kerry in Ireland , you can observe a particularly clear and bright night sky, for which the place received the "gold" level, and the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary pleases with the beauty of the stars at the "silver" level. One of the most "star" places in the world is the unique design hotel Elqui Domos in Chile. You can watch space from the comfort of your bed 320 days a year.



The true purpose of Stonehenge is still unknown, but most experts are inclined to believe that huge boulders were used for astronomical observations. Be that as it may, the stars can still be studied in this area - next to the megalithic structure, ideal conditions are maintained for those who want to see the sky as it was thousands (if not millions) of years ago.



For the laziest, we offer a place to observe out of competition – your apartment! On a clear night, even in the conditions of Moscow light, you can observe the Moon, planets and stars. And if you practice a little, you can take a picture of our nearest neighbor on your phone:



How deep into the past you can look depends on the power of your telescope. In a few years, the James Webb Space Telescope will be launched into orbit, which will be able to look back at the oldest page in the history calendar, when the universe was only 200 million years old.

MAPS. ME is available in iOS, Android, and Blackberry versions; now our team is looking for an iOS developer:

Hidden TextTasks:

• analysis of platform solutions for the integration of new functionality in applications;
• designing user interfaces and use cases;
• development of proposals for improving the current application and creating new applications for the company's current services;

Requirements:

• knowledge of basic iOS patterns;
• the ability to write a beautiful UI;
• knowledge of Objective-C, Cocoa Touch, Xcode;
• experience in developing iOS applications from 1 year (a working application in the AppStore is a plus);
• adequate perception of criticism;
• willingness to read someone else's code.

Preferably:

• knowledge of C++;
• Experience with Git.

Working conditions:

We work comfortably: spacious open spaces, sound-absorbing panels, several dozen meeting rooms, additional monitors, powerful hardware and MacBooks, if necessary.

We develop professionally: our office regularly hosts seminars, trainings, events for developers - Moscow.pm, Moscow Django Meetup, CocoaHeadsMoscow, UX environment, etc.

We have a pleasant rest: a large lounge area, massage chairs, a bar with freshly squeezed juices, swings, corners with blankets and pillows where you can relax, game consoles, a cinema.

We do sports: a free fitness room in the office (with all exercise equipment and, of course, showers), tennis tables and even a football field.

Easy to get there: we are a five-minute walk from the metro station "Airport". For those who prefer to commute to work by car, we have a 5-storey underground car park. And yes, there are places on it.

You can write a letter and attach a resume to it: [email protected]

Source: geektimes.ru/company/mailru/blog/244622/