Baghdad - The

interest of Iraqi youth in space sciences and in observing and following astronomical events has expanded, and has developed into a hobby of astrophotography.

And between the celestial bodies and the planets, the minds of many young people hover towards exploring the mysteries of space and living among its atoms, in a hobby that attracts many interested people daily.

The reasons for the interest of young people in astronomical culture vary, some of them consider it a revival of ancient virtues for which the civilizations of Mesopotamia were famous.

Salman: There is a historical relationship between Iraqis and astronomical sciences that extends from the Akkadian era to our time (Al-Jazeera)

historical relationship

Head of the Astronomy Department at the College of Science at the University of Baghdad, Dr. Ahmed Abdul Razzaq Salman, says, "There is a historical relationship between Iraqi society and astronomical sciences that extends from the Akkadian era to the modern era, and there are indications that the Babylonians adopted looking to monitor the movement of the sun, moon and planets for long periods that extended for decades, and sometimes Hundreds of years, to reach accurate conclusions about the dates of the appearance and disappearance of astronomical objects and to predict their movement and path in the sky, where many clay figures were discovered showing those amazing stages in their age and their accuracy.

It is noteworthy that the ancient Iraqis were particularly fond of the movement of the moon, and were able to predict the timings of lunar and solar eclipses. The Babylonian ziggurats (plural of ziggurats, which are listed temples) were temples of the moon, and it was recently discovered that they were more like scientific institutes for studying the movement of the moon and other things that appear in the celestial bodies as well.

According to Dr. Salman, the Islamic eras contributed to this development, as astronomical observatories were built, detailed recording and documentation of the movement of many astronomical bodies, the invention of the sundial, stellar astrolabe, and many other astronomical instruments, in addition to the establishment of the Deaconess Observatory in Baghdad at the beginning of the Abbasid era, which is one of the first astronomical observatories in history. There is something similar to the genetic code that arouses the interest of Iraqis in astronomical sciences.

astronomical observation

Astrophotographer Ali Abbas believes that there are several advantages to this hobby, such as eliminating boredom, in addition to the desire of young people to escape from life's problems to the calm and beauty of the sky.

This hobby attracts mostly dreamy, curious and imaginative young people - continues Abbas - because of its connection to meditation, in addition to what he has learned about the universe, and many young people see it as an alternative to other popular hobbies that cause social problems at the present time.

Abbas asserts that the large number of Internet users has provided a fertile environment for astronomy enthusiasts, as it provides videos and astronomical guide references, in addition to what is provided by specialized social networking sites.

The Iraq Telescope page is considered one of the largest astronomy pages in the country, and is credited with introducing many modern observational tools.

The director of the page, the observer and astrophotographer Haider Star, confirms his quest to provide and simplify information, contribute to the dissemination of new and strange space discoveries, keep abreast of all developments and explain astronomical theories in an interesting manner that makes it easy to understand and enjoyable for the reader.

He points out that his page also provides means of astronomical observation, and works to teach its owners how to use them in space observation, in addition to making trips and gatherings that consolidate astronomical concepts and know the locations of stars and planets, which leads to an ambitious youth generation in the astronomical field and away from the negative events that are going through the country.

Dr. Salman says that the Department of Astronomy and Space represents the only body in Iraq specialized in the study of astronomy and space technology, and is currently seeking to establish an observatory of the College of Science at the University of Baghdad to be the nucleus of an Iraqi astronomical observatory that has a scientific role locally and regionally.

He added to Al Jazeera Net that the Astronomy Department achieved many achievements during the past year, such as joining the International Astronomical Union, publishing dozens of specialized scientific research in solid international journals, holding training courses on the use of telescopes, methods of observation and astrophotography, in addition to issuing a monthly electronic newsletter with the aim of spreading the correct astronomical culture. socially.

Salman calls on officials to increase interest in astronomy and space technology, as it is the most important indication of scientific progress and one of the pillars of the civilized level of countries.

Saja Khaled: The hobby of observing astronomy positively affects psychological comfort, tranquility and the ability to meditate (Al-Jazeera)

societal impact

Dr. Salman believes that the interest of young people in astronomical sciences increases the scientific level of society as a whole, as some studies have found that teaching children under the age of 12, simple priorities about astronomy, increases their intelligence and develops their educational levels in mathematics, physics and chemistry, and therefore many developed countries specialize Large budgets for the establishment of planetariums, and this interest will ensure the differentiation between natural astronomical sciences and superstitions that suggest that they are within astronomical sciences.

Social researcher Saja Khaled believes that the hobby of astronomical observation has greatly affected social life in many ways, as it has become a positive outlet that alleviates harsh living conditions and social problems. Hobbies.

She points out that "recent studies reveal that this hobby affects psychological comfort, tranquility and the ability to meditate, and then its impact on the person's self-confidence and keeping him away from the risk factors that fill the streets of the country such as violence and drugs, and thus creating active and socially active generations. The researcher advises to pay attention to this hobby, It also invites those with limited financial means to go out to the balconies and rooftops of homes to enjoy the peace of the sky.