AstronomyTeacher

Risk of Meteorite Impact Assessment for Your Macintosh Computer

The link leads to an article I wrote for Low End Mac about the risk of impact of a meteorite striking your computer. Even though the article is a joke about the risk of a Mac getting a virus, the statistics about meteorite impact are real, and there's a link to an article with more details.

Risk of Meteorite Impact Assessment for Your Macintosh Computer

5 observations for every planetarium show. This guys sounds like he knows what he's doing. Let him know you're from DVHS!

ContraCostaTimes.com | 03/30/2005 | 'Mr. Astronomy' shares his heavenly passion

Astronomical Definition of Easter. Disclaimer: Not intended as an advocacy for a specific religion.
Howstuffworks "How Easter Works"

Enter "Deer Valley High School" and you'll see Astronomy and Space Science was approved for next year!

Looks like we're still a "d" class after all....

University of California a-g Course Lists

CNN.com - Nearby evidence for dark energy - Mar 22, 2005

Important advice about what a high school student should do to get ready for college. This has some rather bold statements in it; my posting it here does not necessarily mean that I agree with the entire essay, but I do think it is worth reading.

What You'll Wish You'd Known

What college professors think about people going to the bathroom during class. Be sure to read the comments.

Inside Higher Ed :: Going to the Bathroom

As previously announced. Test review guide on the previous entry.

Myspace is not an appropriate activity. Why aren't you working on your lab/Major project/something else?

I can think of lots of reasons I wouldn't want a black hole in my back yard.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Lab fireball 'may be black hole'

Fake moon dirt is in demand as President's plan to return to the moon begins to spend the budget it has been allocated.

WSJ.com - The Man Who Made
Moon Dirt for NASA
Is in Demand Again

Here is a list of topics which will be on your Planet test on Thursday:

Observing the Planets
Elongation, Conjunction, and Opposition
Retrograde loops
Apparent speeds
Apparent brightnesses
Phases of Venus

Models of the Solar System
Aristotle
Ptolemy
Copernicus
Kepler
Newton
Einstein

Characteristics of Planets
Record breakers (largest, hottest, etc.)
Unique characteristics
Important Space Probes
Interpreting numbers (mass, density, eccentricity etc. )
General characteristics of giants vs. terrestrial planets
Interpreting surface features (specifically the number of craters)

Orbits
Ellipses
Kepler's Laws
Perihelion/aphelion
Designing space probe missions from one planet to another

Gravity
Newton's law of gravity
Surface gravity of planets
Centripetal force
Newton's Form of Kepler's Third law
How we get the mass of planets (such as Saturn)

Expect one question about each topic in multiple choice, plus an open response questions about 1) computing orbital elements such as eccentricity from a picture 2) interpreting numbers about a planet and 3) explaining the significance of one of the models of the solar system (for example, why Kepler's work was so important).

The test is partially open notes: you can use one page, double-sided. Shrinking and xeroxing is allowed. Tuesday after school I will be available for a tutoring session. There is observing Tuesday night after the planetarium show.

If you participate in this project you can earn 5 observations in your observing notebook by documenting your measurements and providing evidence you sent your measurements in. You must compute the time of local solar noon or use the link provided in the message below to time your observation precisely (and show your work and the precise time of observation.)

If you can determine the diameter of the earth from the data in this message you can earn yourself some extra credit.

===========
From an astronomy listserv:


In December I had asked for help from this list to identify people to
participate in measuring shadows from a one-meter stick at noon on Dec. 21.
With your help we were able to generate wide-spread participation.
Following is a description of our continuing efforts to collect and record
similar information for the equinox on March 20. The information below also
contains a sample of data collected in December. You may want to try to use
this data to predict the length of a shadow from a one-meter stick at noon
in your area on March 20. Our experience suggests that doing these
measurements takes a great deal of effort but does open the door for the
development of scores of student generated questions that can lead to
quality inquiry. It is going to take some time to determine how this
activity may contribute to the development of understanding of the
Earth/Sun/Moon system and annual changes. If you or others you know would
like to participate and have their data included in our database please pass
this information on:

The International Shadow Investigation,

On December 21, 2004 we measured shadows from a one meter stick and received
some very good data from Australia to Alaska. A sample of the data is listed
below. We are now continuing the project and will be collecting shadow data
for the equinox on March 20, 2005. Participation in December is not
necessary to do the March measurements. Following is the information if you
wish to participate:

If you want to participate just measure the length of a shadow (in
centimeters) cast by sunlight from a vertical 100 centimeter (one-meter)
stick onto to a horizontal surface. This needs to be done as close as
possible to local or true noon on or about March 20, 2005. Optionally, if
time permits, we are also looking for similar data from moonlight from a
full Moon at midnight as close as possible to March 25 (the date of the full
Moon).

The time for making the observations should be as close as possible to local
or true noon (when the Sun or Moon is halfway between rising and setting).
A good estimated time for making Sun shadow measurements is about 12:30 PM
Standard time or 1:30 PM Daylight time. Estimated times for measurements
from the light of a full Moon are about 12:30 AM Standard time or 1:30 AM
Daylight time. Advanced Astronomers may want to find the exact times for
true noon or midnight (i.e. Sun or Moon transit). To do this, go to the U.S.
Naval Observatory website at
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html. and look for the Sun
transit and Moon transit times.

AFTER YOU MAKE YOUR OBSERVATIONS PLEASE SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BY
E-MAIL TO shadowdata@thesciencecenter.org :

* First name(s) of person(s) making the measurements
* Was this measurement for shadows made by sunlight or moonlight?
* Date of measurement
* Time of measurement
* Length of shadow in centimeters
* Your latitude and longitude. To find latitude and longitude for your
location or a place near you, go to http://www.heavens-above.com/ and click
on "Select your location from our huge database." Then select your country
and a city near you.
* Location (City/State/Country)

OPTIONALLY advance astronomers may want to include the following
information:

* Length of daylight on the day the observation was made. There are several
ways to find the length of daylight. Local newspapers, an almanac, or
astronomy magazines may have the information or you can access
http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500905/Hours_of_Daylight_by_Latitude.html.
for information on daylight by latitude.
* What was the height of the Sun or Moon? See the table at the end of this
e-mail for calculating the heights or altitudes based upon the length of the
shadows made.
* What direction was the shadow was pointing?


MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION:

The Science Center of Inquiry in Fountain Hills Arizona, USA, sponsors an
international collaborative effort to record the length of shadows from a
one meter stick at various times during the year (i.e. the solstices and
equinoxes). The effort is an extension of an IDEAS grant funded by NASA
through the Space Science Telescope Institute and information collected will
be available at no cost.

This is a world wide project, that began in December 2004, to record the
length of the shadow cast by a vertical one meter stick at local or "true"
noon in December, March, June, and September on the longest, shortest, and
in-between days of the year called the solstices and equinoxes. As an option
we are also seeking similar data for shadows created by full moonlight at
midnight. All persons are invited to participate and participation in the
December data collection is not required for participation at this time.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME SAMPLE MEASUREMENTS FROM ON OR NEAR DECEMBER 21, 2004. A
complete list of shadow measurements is available by e-mail to
shadowdata@thesciencecenter.org . MAYBE YOU CAN PREDICT THE LENGTH OF MARCH
SHADOWS BASED UPON THESE REPORTED OBSERVATIONS. What questions may this data
help develop? What patterns can we find?:

Shadows from SUNLIGHT on or about 12/21/05:

Alaska USA: Lat.: 61.2N Shadow length: 978 cm Altitude Sun: 6 degrees Day
length: 5.4 hrs

WA state USA: Lat.: 45.6N Shadow length: 254 cm Altitude Sun: 21 degrees Day
length: 8.5 hrs

Ohio USA: Lat.: 40N Shadow length: 200 cm Altitude Sun: 27 degrees Day
length: 9.3 hrs

Arizona USA: Lat.: 32.2N Shadow length: 140 cm Altitude Sun: 35 degrees Day
length: 9.9 hrs

Mexico City: Lat.: 19.5N Shadow length: 93 cm Altitude Sun: 47 degrees Day
length: 11 hrs

Australia: Lat.: 33.9S Shadow length: 15.2 cm Altitude Sun: 81 degrees Day
length: 14.4 hrs

Australia: Lat.: 36.1S Shadow length: 23.8 cm Altitude Sun: 76.6 degrees Day
length: 14.6 hrs

Shadows from MOONLIGHT on or about 12/26/05:

Alaska USA: Lat.: 71.3N Shadow length: 97 cm Altitude Moon: 46 degrees Night
length: 24 hrs

Ohio USA: Lat.: 40N Shadow length: 24 cm Altitude Moon: 76 degrees Night
length: 14.7 hrs

Arizona USA: Lat.: 36.6N Shadow length: 10.5 cm Altitude Moon: 84 degrees
Night length: 14.3 hrs

Mexico City: Lat.: 19.5N Shadow length: 16 cm Altitude Moon: 81 degrees
Night length: 13 hrs

Australia: Lat.: 33.9S Shadow length: 168 cm Altitude Moon: 24 degrees Night
length: 9.64 hrs

Australia: Lat.: 36.1S Shadow length: 225 cm Altitude Sun: 24 degrees Day
length: 9.4 hrs


If you wish to calculate the height of the sun in degrees by using the
length of a shadow from a one-meter stick, we have a complete table that we
can send you. Following is a partial table.
Shadow(cm) Altitude in degrees
1143.00 5
567.13 10
373.21 15
274.75 20
214.45 25
173.21 30
142.81 35
119.18 40
100.00 45
83.91 50
70.02 55
57.74 60
46.63 65
36.40 70
26.79 75
17.63 80
8.75 85
0.00 90

We hope to receive your data:

Bill Schmitt, Executive Director & Science Partner The Science Center of
Inquiry (480) 816-6094 bill@thesciencecenter.org

Of course, it being Fox network, it could all be a hoax.

FOX 12 OREGON Object lights up Northwest sky

There's research, and there's politics, and good things rarely happen when you mix the two.

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Gases making seas warmer, scientists say

A new type of object with an unknown origin is making regular radio "burps" at the center of our galaxy. My question: How regular?


CNN.com - Report: Space burst could be new object - Mar 3, 2005

Our agenda for today (I will be out for part of the day):

1. Do as much on the lab as you can without me. If you get the data typed into Excel, you're on schedule.
2. Add a column at the end, labeled "R", which computes the distance between Saturn and Titan as follows:
=SQRT((G2-I2)^2+(H2-J2)^2)

This assumes column G and H are x values, and I and J are Y values.

3. Add a new column at the end, labeled "TIME," which computes the decimal time as follows:
=MONTH(A2)+DAY(B2)+YEAR(C2)+HOUR(D2)+MINUTE(E2)+SECOND(F2)

Make sure that column A is the month, B the day, and C the year. Edit appropriately.

4. Fill these last columns down so that all 19 calculations are done.

5. Put your name in the spreadsheet, save on the server, and go on to the next thing. Don't print it; it isn't finished yet.

6. Do the "telescopes" puzzle I leave with the sub. The puzzle is due at the end of the class, so leave it with the sub.

7. On Monday we'll continue with the lab. If you finish everything else, begin preparing notes for the test. The test will not be until the end of next week, but you will be allowed to use one page of notes (1 page, 8x10 inches, double sided).

The sub gets to decide if you have to turn in #7.