(-04-) T H E N E T - S U R F E R
This column explores the frequently uncharted waters of the Internet
in search of sites, files, web pages and anything else that is
related to the study and application of astronomy.
The world of electronic communication is expanding at an astounding rate,
and new services and features are being introduced constantly. This column
will surf the stars, so to speak, in search of sites on space. By way of
introduction to net-surfing, some explanation of the most popular
netspace, the WORLD-WIDE WEB, should be given.
The World-Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of computers that share hypertext-
based data to one-another. HYPERTEXT is text with imbedded "anchors," or
pointers, to other text documents. Most of these documents are plain ASCII
text files with special formatting codes added. One common formatting
code
standard is called the Hypertext Markup Language, or HTML (those of you
already comfortable with file formats may notice that many of the files I
will be pointing out to you soon have "html" as their "extension").
Hypertext files are shared with the rest of the world--or with the rest
of
the Web at least--using special software that supports the Hypertext
Transport Protocol, or HTTP (you'll see this acronym again soon too).
HTTP requires that all files be locatable by a Universal Resource Locator,
or URL. A URL comes in some variety of this form:
protocol://host:port/path/file.extension
URL formatting is increasingly being used in various different software
applications, so you'll no doubt come across one some time.
Now, before you can use any of this information, you need HTTP "client"
software, i.e., software that can help your computer (the client) hook up
to someone else's computer (the server). The two most popular packages for
net surfing are Mosaic and Netscape. They both have shareware versions
that you can use. That and some network software is all you need to start
"net surfing."
If you've made it this far, you're ready to visit some Web pages. This
e-zine sits on one of them; the URL for it is:
http://lalaland.cl.msu.edu/~vanhoose/astro/news.html
Combined with some HTML code, this entry might look something like this:
<LI> <A HREF="http://lalaland.cl.msu.edu/~vanhoose/astro/news.html">The
Armchair Astronomer</A> </LI>
The above lines produce an entry on your screen that lets you, with a
single click, visit the most recent edition of this very publication.
Now that we have everything down, I'll provide to you, in a format
suited for ASCII display, some of the URLs that I like the most (please
note, experienced net-surfers, that all of these links are available
through my Web pages at "http://lalaland.cl.msu.edu/~vanhoose/link.html"):
Todd's Astronomy Mailing List Archive (archived articles and columns)
http://lalaland.cl.msu.edu/~vanhoose/astro.html
AstroWeb, the Astronomy Web Service (astronomy and astrophysics links)
http://fits.cv.nrao.edu/www/astronomy.html
Guide to NASA Online Resources (pointers to everything from NASA on the net)
http://naic.nasa.gov/naic/guide/
Welcome to the Planets (tour of the planets)
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/
The Nine Planets (tour of all the planets)
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html
Space Activism Home Page (politics and the space program)
http://muon.qrc.com/space/start.html
The Space Calendar (all the major upcoming astronomical events)
http://newproducts.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/calendar.html
Astronomy and Space Science Education Resources (excellent resources)
http://www.halcyon.com/cairns/astro.html
In future months we will continue to explore various links to cyberspace.
If you have any of your own that you like, please let me know!
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- T o d d E. V a n H o o s e a r -
``'''vanhoose@lalaland.cl.msu.edu - vanhoose@msu.edu - vanhoose@lalaland.cl.msu.edu
(._.) Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI USA
(_) Computer Laboratory - Department of Communication
`---' <A HREF="http://lalaland.cl.msu.edu/~vanhoose/">My Home Page</A>
"Grad school: it's not just a job, it's an indenture."
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