In class last week someone mentioned the Dave Matthews song, "Satellite". (In my eyes Like a diamond In the sky ...Satellite Strung from the moon And the world Your balloon Peeping tom Someone's secrets You've seen Eyes and ears have been). I didn't really know that song, but it sounds like a lament about "Big Brother" watching us from above.
Then I played the Police song "Walking on the Moon" before class on Friday (Giant steps are what you take Walking on the moon Feet they hardly touch the ground Walking on the moon My feet don't hardly make no soundWalking on, walking on the moon) Pretty factual, anyway.
Then someone else mentioned the Beatles song "Across the Universe" (Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns It calls me on and on across the universe).
Which got me thinking, what music do you as a class think is fitting to our study of astronomy? I know plenty of classics '70's and '80's and '90's that might work. How about "Rocket Man" by Elton John? (Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids In fact it's cold as hell And there's no one there to raise them if you did And all this science I don't understand It's just my job five days a week A rocket man.) Or David Bowie's Major Tom? (For here Am I sitting in a tin can Far above the world Planet Earth is blue And there’s nothing I can do Though I’m past one hundred thousand miles I’m feeling very still And I think my spaceship knows which way to go)
More obscure could be They Might Be Giants and their song from their album "Apollo 18", "See the Constellation" (See the constellation ride across the sky No cigar, no lady on his arm Just a guy made of dots and lines)
I did a quick search on the web for songs about stars, satellites, planets, and such- and found literally hundreds, including classic artists such as the B52's, Black Sabbath, and the artist formerly known as Prince, but also a lot of more recent music. (There's even a band called "Gas Giants")
So what would the sound track of this class sound like? Suggest some songs you know that might relate to astronomy, either literally or figuratively, as a comment to this blog post. This is NOT a homework assignment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYY1v2r8As
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
“You Might Give Some Serious Thought to Thanking Your Lucky Stars You’re in Texas,”
That's the motto of the Goode Co. Texas Bar-B-Q in Houston, Texas. http://www.texasmonthly.com/food/onthemenu/goode.php
But what are your lucky stars? I don't really know, but I suspect that it is related to ASTROLOGY. Now, some folks confuse the terms "astronomy" and "astrology". But there is a huge difference. Astronomy is an empirical science that deals with the large scale structure of the universe itself, all that is beyond the atmosphere of Earth. Astrology, on the other hand, is not a true science. It is a study of sorts, but it assumes that celestial objects have a significant impact on the course of human affairs. The position of the sun with relation to the signs of the zodiac at your moment of birth, for example, (your "sign", such as Gemini or Capricorn) are thought to influence your life. Enough of an influence that you are able to read a horoscope in the newspaper that can advise you on what your day holds and how to respond to it. You and approximately 500,000,000 other people on Earth who share that sign...
When we consider what we know about genetics, and how that influences our development and behavior; and what we understand about learned behavior, through both sensory experience and education; the thought that a handfull of stars scattered across hundreds of millions of miles of space has a significant impact on our worldly affairs seems pretty far-fetched.
But what are your lucky stars? I don't really know, but I suspect that it is related to ASTROLOGY. Now, some folks confuse the terms "astronomy" and "astrology". But there is a huge difference. Astronomy is an empirical science that deals with the large scale structure of the universe itself, all that is beyond the atmosphere of Earth. Astrology, on the other hand, is not a true science. It is a study of sorts, but it assumes that celestial objects have a significant impact on the course of human affairs. The position of the sun with relation to the signs of the zodiac at your moment of birth, for example, (your "sign", such as Gemini or Capricorn) are thought to influence your life. Enough of an influence that you are able to read a horoscope in the newspaper that can advise you on what your day holds and how to respond to it. You and approximately 500,000,000 other people on Earth who share that sign...
When we consider what we know about genetics, and how that influences our development and behavior; and what we understand about learned behavior, through both sensory experience and education; the thought that a handfull of stars scattered across hundreds of millions of miles of space has a significant impact on our worldly affairs seems pretty far-fetched.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
First Homework Assignment!
Homework 8-21-08 DUE BY MONDAY AUGUST 25 2008
Read the introduction to your textbook, pages 2-11.
Choose ONE of the following questions and answer it thoroughly. This is your first homework, and with it you are making a first impression upon your teacher. Use your best written English to answer the question. Demonstrate your ability to communicate. Your grade will be based on your quality of expression; there is no “right” or “wrong” answer. Show me the best writing of which you are capable. YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE ADDED AS A COMMENT TO THIS BLOG.
1. It has been suggested that the universe may be 15 billion years old. The introduction of your textbook defines a light year as the distance traveled by light on one year. Light travels at about 3 x 10^5 kilometers (km) per second. Explain how this information could be used to predict that the universe must be smaller than 2 x 10^26 km across.
2. The Bible states in Joshua 10:12-13 that “…the sun stood still and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” (Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, 1984, International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, CO. Used by permission.) Is there any conflict between believing the biblical account of the sun stopping in the sky and the structure of our solar system as described in the introduction of your textbook?
Read the introduction to your textbook, pages 2-11.
Choose ONE of the following questions and answer it thoroughly. This is your first homework, and with it you are making a first impression upon your teacher. Use your best written English to answer the question. Demonstrate your ability to communicate. Your grade will be based on your quality of expression; there is no “right” or “wrong” answer. Show me the best writing of which you are capable. YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE ADDED AS A COMMENT TO THIS BLOG.
1. It has been suggested that the universe may be 15 billion years old. The introduction of your textbook defines a light year as the distance traveled by light on one year. Light travels at about 3 x 10^5 kilometers (km) per second. Explain how this information could be used to predict that the universe must be smaller than 2 x 10^26 km across.
2. The Bible states in Joshua 10:12-13 that “…the sun stood still and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” (Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, 1984, International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, CO. Used by permission.) Is there any conflict between believing the biblical account of the sun stopping in the sky and the structure of our solar system as described in the introduction of your textbook?
3. One reason that many people are interested in astronomy is the possibility that life exists beyond the earth. With particular reference to the description of the scientific method, what sort of evidence (not including actually meeting an alien!) do you feel would be required to make a strong claim that life probably exists elsewhere?
Google Lunar X-Prize
Last night I attended a presentation by a local consortium including NCSU and private companies, trying to send a robot to the moon! http://www.teamstellar.org/index.htm
Project STELLAR is one of thirteen teams around the world racing to accomplish that goal first, and win up to THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS in prize money. The project director, Richard dell, will be coming to our class on Wednesday August 27 to talk about it. He will be accompanied by a solar system ambassador, Alan Rich. We need to do some intensive learning about the moon in class before Wednesday!
Project STELLAR is one of thirteen teams around the world racing to accomplish that goal first, and win up to THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS in prize money. The project director, Richard dell, will be coming to our class on Wednesday August 27 to talk about it. He will be accompanied by a solar system ambassador, Alan Rich. We need to do some intensive learning about the moon in class before Wednesday!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Perseid Meteor Shower 2008
This week the Perseid meteor shower arrived. Meteor showers happen when the earth travels through debris left behind in the pathway of a comet. Observers on Earth see a large number of "shooting stars". There will be three more meteor showers before the end of 2008. These are the Orionids (Oct. 21), the Leonids (Nov. 17) and the Geminids (Dec. 14). The Geminids promise to be the most dramatic of the upcoming showers. Meteor showers are named for the constellations from which the meteors appear to originate.
Monday, August 4, 2008
July 08 Update
July 31 2008
WATER CONFIRMED ON MARS
The Phoenix Mars lander has confirmed via chemical analysis the presence of water on Mars. The lander had found other evidence that suggested the presence of water, but this confirms it. The lander's mission was due to end in late August, but has been extended to September 30.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-153
July 30- ETHANE LAKES CONFIRMED ON TITAN
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It has been confirmed via infrared spectroscopic analysis by the Cassini spacecraft that there are lakes of liquid ethane on this moon. This is the only other object in the solar system that definitely has liquid on its surface.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-152
MARS ROVERS CONTINUE TO OPERATE
Tha Mars Rovers, which landed in 2004 with a 90 day mission, are still operating, four years later, even though one has a broken arm and the other a broken wheel. They continue to produce fabulous data and images. A multimedia report from the JPL can be found at this link.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/mer/mer20080731/
WATER CONFIRMED ON MARS
The Phoenix Mars lander has confirmed via chemical analysis the presence of water on Mars. The lander had found other evidence that suggested the presence of water, but this confirms it. The lander's mission was due to end in late August, but has been extended to September 30.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-153
July 30- ETHANE LAKES CONFIRMED ON TITAN
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It has been confirmed via infrared spectroscopic analysis by the Cassini spacecraft that there are lakes of liquid ethane on this moon. This is the only other object in the solar system that definitely has liquid on its surface.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-152
MARS ROVERS CONTINUE TO OPERATE
Tha Mars Rovers, which landed in 2004 with a 90 day mission, are still operating, four years later, even though one has a broken arm and the other a broken wheel. They continue to produce fabulous data and images. A multimedia report from the JPL can be found at this link.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/mer/mer20080731/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
