Philippine Astronomical Research Network
Introduction
Astronomy is considered to be one of the earliest and oldest sciences in the history of the world. It deals primarily with the study of the celestial objects, such as the sun, moon, planets and stars. Ancient civilizations used astronomy in predicting suitable times to plant and harvest their crops. Early explorers utilized the patterns of stars in the night sky, known as constellations, to navigate their way across vast oceans while astrologers used them to predict and explain life events and phenomena.
A lot has changed since then... The invention of the telescope and the subsequent use of it in observing the heavens by Galileo Galilei paved the way for the systematic observation of objects too faint to be seen by the unaided eye. Advancements in technology has also provided both professional and amateur astronomers with automated mounts for their telescopes and charge-coupled device or CCD, making astrophotography accessible to almost anyone who has the resources and passion. Because of such improvements in the field, research in astronomy began to boom and scientists were able to obtain more accurate results and produce more scientifically sound outputs.
Here, in the Philippines, however, less attention is given to astronomy as a field of research than any other field of science, as with the medical and engineering sciences. This can be mainly attributed to the fact that there was no formal training in astronomy until recently when the Rizal Technological Institute (RTU) offered the Master of Science Degree in Astronomy as a graduate program in the academe. To add to this, there are only a limited number of telescopes in the country capable of doing valuable research, most are even privately owned. Fortunately, the Japanese government donated a 45-cm telescope to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA along with other equipment in order to further enhance research and education in astronomy locally.
