International Astronomy Day is here, so it's the perfect time for astronomy enthusiasts of all ages to enjoy space-related things.

International Astronomy Day is actually celebrated twice a year -- once in the spring and then in the fall.

The idea is to celebrate the changing constellations and the different things that can be seen in the sky at different times of the year, Days of the Year (DOTY) explained.

This year, the first International Astronomy Day falls on May 15, and the next will be on Oct. 9.

First started in 1973 by Doug Berger, the president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California at the time, the idea for the occasion is to make space more accessible to everyone and encourage interest in astronomy.

Enthusiasts and beginners alike may celebrate International Astronomy Day by engaging themselves in astronomy. On this day, let's look at some quotes about astronomy that will encourage you to explore the cosmos today. (Courtesy: Sea and Sky, Good Reads and Wise Sayings)

  • "Space is for everybody. It's not just for a few people in science or math, or for a select group of astronauts. That's our new frontier out there, and it's everybody's business to know about space." - Christa McAuliffe
  • "The thing I like about astronomy is being outside at night and seeing the stars in a dark sky. It makes you feel small." - Jimmy Walker
  • "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science." -Edwin Hubble
  • "Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust." -Lawrence M. Krauss
  • "Do not look at stars as bright spots only. Try to take in the vastness of the universe." -Maria Mitchell
  • "Astronomy is useful because it raises us above ourselves; it is useful because it is grand. It shows us how small is man's body, how great his mind since his intelligence can embrace the whole of this dazzling immensity, where his body is only an obscure point, and enjoy its silent harmony." -Henri Poincare
  • "We are stardust brought to life, then empowered by the universe to figure itself out — and we have only just begun." - Neil deGrasse Tyson
  • "Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another." - Plato
  • "Astronomy taught us our insignificance in Nature." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Milky Way hubble trumpler 14
This photo of the brightest stars in the Milky Way was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA
RELATED STORIES