- Dual College Credit
|2 Semesters||1 Credit||Fulfills: Science|
Prerequisite: completion of or concurrent enrollment in chemistry
This course offers a unique opportunity to earn UW college credit in a specialized science. Students who successfully complete the course (with a C or higher) earn 5 college-quarter credits in science. Astronomy 101 is an exploration of the history of astronomy; the elementary physics of motion and gravity; the physics of light and what we can “read” from light spectra of distant objects; telescopes and how we make observations in all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. These topics set the foundation for studying the evolution of stars, galaxies, black holes, pulsars, quasars and the universe as a whole. We end with a discussion of how we are trying to detect other solar systems and how we continue the search for extraterrestrial life. This course also satisfies the UW exit requirement in Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QSR).
- Eastlake High School
- Lake Washington High School


In 1976 the Soviet Union started to develop the reusable spacecraft Buran. The project was the largest and the most expensive in the history of Soviet space exploration. Though the Buran might look somewhat similar to NASA’s Space Shuttle, features differ. The first and only orbital launch of a (unmanned) Buran was on November 15, 1988. After the first flight, the project was suspended due to lack of funds and the changed political climate in the Soviet Union. The project was officially terminated on June 30, 1993 by President Boris Yeltsin.
Part of the Buran shuttle developingprocess were a number of testmodels and mock-ups. This specific Buran used to be a structural test vehicle to messure loads and stresses, heating and vibration. It now rests his days in the small entertainment park Gorky in Moscow. Here kids can visit it as ‘Cosmic Experience’ movietheatre: a Soviet dream reused to inspire new dreamers.
Cosmic Experience, movietheatre
NPO Molniya, Buran, # 015, OK-TVA (ca. 1985)
Gorky Park, Moscow
http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/06/30/soviet-shuttle/comment-page-1/ (a clip from google earth)


SCIE1121 Our Universe
- 6 points
|Semester 1||UWA (Perth)||Face to face|
- Details for undergraduate courses
- The area of knowledge for this unit is Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Category A broadening unit for Bachelor of Science students where relevant according to the broadening requirements for each student
- Level 1 elective
- For countless millennia people have yearned to understand our place in the universe. Cultures have asked deep questions—what is space, what is time, what are the secrets of the universe? The unity of the human yearning to understand our place in the universe is expressed in rich diversity of beliefs. This unit takes students from traditional beliefs across all cultures (with particular focus on the rich Australian Aboriginal cultural traditions) to modern discoveries about the nature of space and time, and the structure and origin of the universe. The unit begins by contrasting traditional knowledge systems with the scientific methods of scepticism and logic. Then it explores numbers and geometry, and takes them on the conceptual leap from Euclidean geometry and Newtonian physics to modern Einsteinian physics. The second part of the unit explores the unfolding scientific story of the universe that has been revealed since the discovery of the telescope. Students discover the awesome scale and the structure of the universe, and the extraordinary processes that take us from the Big Bang to planet Earth. The unit focuses particularly on the mysteries of the universe and the boundaries of knowledge.
- Students are able to (1) have an understanding of the unity of the human quest to understand our place in the universe and the diversity of cultural explanations; (2) compare and contrast two different cultural perspectives on our place in the universe, its origins and its significance; (3) understand how the development of mathematics, scientific method and scientific tools have provided a detailed understanding of the scale, the history and the evolution of the universe; (4) have a conceptual understanding and familiarity with the numerical scale of the universe in space and time; and (5) gather information about the universe and present it with clarity and depth of understanding.
- Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignments and presentations and (2) final examination. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 overall and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Professor Linqing Wen
- Incidental fees
- Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available here or contact your Faculty Office).
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):(1) Field Trip (estimated cost - 25)
(2) Field Trip (estimated cost - 25).
- Contact hours
- lectures: 2 hours per week; oral presentation sessions; and field trips
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Books and other material wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary reading', 'Recommended reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available via the Booktopia Textbook Finder, which has the functionality to search by course code, course, ISBN and title, and may also be posted or available at the appropriate school's administrative offices. Where texts are listed in the unit description above, an asterisk (*) indicates that the book is available in paperback.


THE FRIENDLY DARK SOUTHERN SKIES
In the Northern Hemisphere we can see some stunning celestial objects; we can witness meteor showers and fantastic bolides and we can see rings around the sun and moon, which are caused by light reflecting from cirrus clouds (made of ice crystals). We can see planets, stars, and arms of our home galaxy; depending on our lighting and pollution conditions we can see dim stars, star colors, the Milky Way and the nearest galaxy to our own, Andromeda.
As children if we are fortunate we have telescopes and excellent binoculars with which to see the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the features on our Moon, and with proper filter protection, solar prominences and sunspots. We can pick out some of the better known constellations and asterisms, such as Orion and the Summer Triangle.
However, many of the sights people can witness in the celestial realm are seen only in the Southern Hemisphere. Certain supernovae for instance have been seen only from that part of the Earth, and some of the best dark skies in the world are in that hemisphere.
Wouldn’t it be great if the nations of the Southern Hemisphere engaged in eco-friendly peacetime deals and stopped their wars based on religion and grabbing power, in tearing down the forests and destroying the land? There is so much to marvel at and ponder if only the people of Indonesia, India, Africa and South America would lay down their weapons and quell their anger and just take time to gaze into the skies on clear nights.
What would they see? They certainly would see sights on a grand scale, such as we can see here if we are lucky.
Americans are learning the benefits of having regions devoted to dark-sky observation, freed from development and away from the lights of big cities and industry. We know that reducing the amount of artificial light that enters our windows at night is beneficial for our health, but we still need street lights that are designed and efficient enough to direct light down instead of up and out. Better lighting would reduce greatly the amount of that awful “light pollution” that clouds the skies even dozens of miles away from cities.
Thus in areas with fewer cities and developments, such as are seen in some parts of the Southern Hemisphere, just think of the benefits the peoples could draw in by catering to people who want to see wonderful dark-sky conditions. Eco-tourism is growing in popularity, and there would be nothing better for some overworked city dweller to come to a quiet, dark, calm place, and get out there under the sparkling show of a velvety black panorama.
There would be globular clusters, galaxies, planets, stars, meteor showers, the spiral arms of our Milky Way; there would be constellations and comets to grace the eyes and the brains of astute viewers. What a place to hold a Messier Marathon an area such as India, Micronesia, Australia, Indonesia, and Easter Island would be!
What else would the peoples of the Southern Hemisphere see? Branch out for a moment from talk of the skies and the planets and think about what they would see in others and in themselves. They would see other human beings just as they are, they would see families and young children yearning for a chance to have peace and quiet and grow up in a place free from constant noise and lights for security and weapons discharging and waste ruining the streets and the atmosphere. They would see people yearning for freedom to enjoy nights in the countryside with their relatives; they would see people wanting time on their front porches to watch the meteors or watch the progression of the planets as their ancestors did centuries ago.
They would see more than a resource for bringing in serious bucks and for preserving their natural environments; they would see each other.
Galaxies in our own right are we humans; with so many parts but within each individual, within each person there are opportunities, there are chances and there is potential. We are stardust each one of us; we are made of the universal elements born in supernovae. Our common beginning is up there and around us, in the cosmos, in the evolving universe, and in the stars our destiny is happening every second.
We can take notice of each other and with clear heads we can look up and help others do the same. Take the time, turn off the lights, go outside, be quiet, relax and breathe, and just look up.
Divi Logan, Chicago, 2013.
- Revealing the Cosmic Microwave Background with Planck (physicsforme.wordpress.com)
- Crossing the Galactic Plane – and the photon belt (uama.wordpress.com)
- Video: Timelapse of night sky over southern oceans (earthsky.org)
- Another chance to catch the moon and Comet PANSTARRS on March 13 (earthsky.org)
- Rare ‘Zodiacal Light’ will be visible in night sky soon (mnn.com)
- Comets PANSTARRS and Lemmon sweep through the southern skies (earthsky.org)


Hallberg-Rassy and SpaceX in joint venture
01 Apr 2022
Swedish boat builder Hallberg-Rassy has started a joint venture with SpaceX. When sending out rockets in space, these rockets cannot be too light, but need some kind of heavy load to work properly. Previously a Tesla Roadster car has been used as cargo, and now a Hallberg-Rassy yacht will be sent into space. The launching is scheduled to take place on April 1st 2023.


Applications are invited from motivated candidates with consistently good academic credentials for the following Academic programmes commencing in July/ Auguest 2012:
Online Application for Academic Programmes - 2012
ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES - 2012
1. Ph. D Programme in collaboration with Pondicherry Central University, Puducherry.
2. Integrated M.Sc - Ph. D Programme in Physics and Astrophysics in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.
3. Integrated M. Tech - Ph. D (Tech.) Programme in Astronomical Instrumentation in collaboration with University of Calcutta, Kolkata.
Selected candidates will be offered fellowship / stipend as per the norms of the Institute along with an annual book grant, accommodation and medical facilities.
Last date for receipt of online application : 30th April, 2012
Last date for receipt of reference letters : 30thApril, 2012
Integrated M.Tech-Ph.D programme : 28-29 May, 2012
Integrated M.Sc-Ph.D programme : 1-2 June, 2012
Ph.D programme : 4-7 June, 2012
The qualifying degree requirements of the various programmes are listed Here. If the degree
requirements are met the candidate may apply to one programme only (choose only one from the drop down menu).
Application Form for personal interview
(for those who have qualified through JEST/GATE/JRF in NET-CSIR-UGC exam)
CLICK HERE: http://www.iiap.res.in/phds2012/selection.php
Research fields:Sun and the solar system: Solar activity, planets, comets, solar terrestrial physics
Stellar physics: Formation and evolution of stars, brown dwarfs, star clusters, planetary nebulae, stellar atmospheres, stellar variability,
Extragalactic astronomy: Star formation in galaxies, activity in galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies, gamma-ray burst events
Theoretical astrophysics and related physics: Magneto-hydrodynamics and radiative processes in astrophysical objects, pulsars,
black hole physics, structure and dynamics of galaxies, relativity, cosmology, atomic and molecular physics
Instrumentation: Back-end instruments for the various observing facilities, space astronomy payloads
FacilitiesKodaikanal Observatory, Kodaikanal
Vainu Bappu Observatory, Kavalur
Gauribidanur Radio Observatory, Gauribidanur
Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle
Center for Research and Education in Science & Technology, Hosakote
Library and computing facilities
The Institute plans to set up a 2 m class solar telescope at a high altitude site and develop a space coronagraph


To Infinity and Beyond
He probably didn’t realize how important the month between January 21 and February 18, 1930 would be. Clyde Tombaugh described the first night within the Lowell Observatory as the “worst seeing in my life before or since,” when he made a photographic exposure of Planet X. He made exposures two more nights, January 23rd and 29th, which would be his corroborating images for his discovery to be made on February 18, 1930. Planet X (soon to be named Pluto) was real!


NASA recreates moon mission
When I was a young kid, I always wanted to explorer outer space.
Well, that didn’t happen.
Only 12 humans have ever been to the moon and the last moon mission was way back in 1972. The promises of moon bases and tourism never really materialized. It is doubtful that any of us will ever get to set foot on the moon. With modern technology, however, you can come close.
The service is called Google Moon (www.google.com/moon). It’s similar to Google Maps. Satellite photos are stitched together so you can view the moon’s surface.
Google includes information on all six lunar Apollo missions. You can view the landing sites and follow the astronauts’ exploration paths. Lots of historic information and photos are provided as well. This is a great site to share with your kids!
In July 2009, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the arrival of the Eagle on the moon, and Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon.
In case you missed this event, NASA has recreated the mission at wechoosethemoon.org. You can relive this historic event at its special site. The last manned mission to the moon took place in 1972. So, you may be wondering about plans to revisit it.
NASA is preparing to return to the moon by 2018. In fact, it recently launched a spacecraft that is orbiting the moon.
NASA’s Web site has more about current and upcoming missions. You’ll find information on the spacecraft, as well as photos, video and much more!
Need help understanding the moon’s geography? Then be sure to visit Google Moon. You’ll see the locations of the six manned moon landings. You can also see charts of the moon. There is even satellite imagery of the moon. You’ll love it!
The site will show the mission in real time, only 40 years later. You can follow transmissions between Apollo 11 and Mission Control. You will also find animations recreating important events from the mission. For example, watch the Eagle separate from the command module. Of course, there are also plenty of video clips and photographs, and you will hear the communications between the astronauts and NASA.
George Cox is the owner of Computer Diagnostics and Repair. He can be reached at 702-346-4217.


I wrote this paper for an English class on the String Theory. We had to read physicists Brian Greene’s book The Elegant Universe, and believe me this was challenging when I hadn’t signed up for a physics class. But I actually enjoyed it, and understood most of it (to an extent).
Here is a website that can explain the String Theory a little better than I can http://superstringtheory.com/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html PBS’s NOVA did a 3 hour miniseries on the String Theory. I haven’t been able to watch it as of yet, once I have the time to do so I will post my thoughts.
Although I am not really interested in learning every piece of information regarding the science behind strings, I am interested in their implications to humanity. Read my paper below, do some research on the theory (I recommend Brian Greene’s book), and then ponder my question at the end of my essay.
As dramatic as it sounds, Greene’s book really did change my life and how I look at the world.
For my English comp. II class, written October 2, 2007
The Kingdom of Heaven
Man is on a quest for the ultimate knowledge. The night sky has perplexed humans since our creation, and through some of the most advanced technology we have seen over 15 billion light years into outer space. It’s hard to comprehend billions of other galaxies, each composed on billions of stars, and we haven’t even seen the edge of the all encompassing cosmos. However, we continue to search, analyze, and hope to visit other planets in our solar system for that ultimate knowledge. It’s all very mind blowing, yet quite exciting. Most likely it won’t be in the near future that we will receive all our answers, but the best scientists in the world believe we are on track to finding the meaning of our existence. The question is not who created us or why, which we can leave that speculation to our own personal spirituality. Many great theories relating to how we were created have been voiced. Whether you accept Lemaître’s theory of the big bang or the concept of a white hole pushing out all the matter that was previously collected by a black hole, it doesn’t change the fact that we were created and now exist. Lemaître, also a Catholic priest, found it very easy to believe God created the universe and initiated the big bang. Something had to of initiated our existence, however that may have been, because I cannot comprehend the existence of the entirety of outer space without a creator. Science does not disprove God; it merely gives us more insight into the significance of our lives. The study of cosmology interests me purely to better understand our planet through comparison to others and a hope to encounter alien life-or maybe because I’m a science fiction nerd?
With the cosmos is as large as it is, I believe the real question is how do we here on earth relate to the Milky Way, and even further than that, how does the Milky Way relate to the rest of the universe? Brian Greene, in his book The Elegant Universe, describes a theory that ties us all together as humanity, as a solar system, as a galaxy, and beyond. The String Theory is a really quite spectacular idea concluding that every particle of mass and every particle of every force in the entire universe consists at its core an infinitesimally tiny, highly concentrated, and rapidly vibrating filament. Everywhere and everything on earth is connected by these microscopic strings. If that’s not thought provoking, than this is; every beautiful star in the sky is composed of the same matter as we are. We are a part of our galaxy, not just of the earth. It’s safe to say that according to the string theory we are made up of star dust scattered by an exploding super nova. Doesn’t this sound like an introduction to a thrilling sci-fi movie? Except, it’s not. Weird enough, because of the string theory my crazy idea could be a real possibility.
The string theory emerged due to the enormous advancements in modern physics over the past century. Once scientists were able to split atoms into smaller particles, like the proton, neutron and electron, it opened the door for further exploration. Smaller particles of matter such as the up and down quarks, neutrinos, muons and taus have been discovered. The particles once thought to be the elementary ingredient of life have been replaced by a smaller particle, the string. In fact, those strings are so small that not even with our most advanced technology can we study them with precision, but only with mathematical equations. Each string is estimated to be 10-33 centimeters (Planck length) long (148), so tiny that billions of strings could fit on the tip of a 1/10 centimeter sewing pin. Strings are incredibly small due to the immense tension squishing its insides like someone would squeeze a stress ball. An incredible force of 10-39 tons (Planck tension) of tension contracts inside each filament causing its miniscule size (148).
Greene explains that “because of the enormous tension the typical energy of a vibrating loop in string theory is extremely high” (148). Strings, obviously being under massive amounts of tension, release huge amounts of energy through vibrations. A string’s energy level- or vibration speed- is dependent upon how much tension is contracting within the filament. The space and time between a vibrations peaks and troughs affect the string’s frequency, thus creating the driving forces or our lives such gravity, the weak, strong, and the electromagnetic forces. “Strings can execute an infinite number of different vibrational patterns” (151). Like a violin’s string frequency determines the note we hear, a superstring’s vibrational pattern determines the character of a particle’s mass (143).
Of course, it would take billions and billions of strings to create a physical object visible to the eye. Theoretically, the mass of an individual string should be huge because of the large amounts of tension within each one. In fact, they should be so large that using Einstein’s calculations-the famous E = mc2– to convert energy to mass would suggest that it would take billions of protons to take up the space of one filament and it would be about the size of a grain of dust (149). These calculations greatly contradict the entire string theory. However, scientists have learned that strings undergo quantum jitter resulting in an energy cancellation. “The energy associated with the quantum jitters of a string is negative and reduces the overall energy content of a string” (150). In some cases the “energy cancellations are perfect resulting in a zero-mass particle” (150). The theoretical mass of a string is large, but in reality due to quantum jitters is the smallest known particle in existence.
These strings are constantly in motion, from quantum jitters to the infinite vibration frequencies; some would suppose they are players in some sort of chaotic symphony with no director and no score. Unlike the strings of a piano, which are attachted to a stationary structure on both ends, superstrings are relatively free to move about. However chaotic it may seem, there is a method to the madness. One of the most triumphant advancements in physics by the string theory is the “incorporation of quantum mechanics and gravity” (379). Uniting these two theories in the past was like “mixing fire and gunpowder,” (118) but has lead to the realization that “the string theory offers a truly wonderful unifying framework… [and] the promise of a single, all-inclusive, unified description of the physical universe: a theory of everything” (146). Strings are woven into the fabric of the universe in a well thought out and rather poetic way (378).
“Think, for example of ocean waves. Out in the grand expanse of the open ocean, isolated wave patterns are relatively free to form and travel this way and that. This is much like the vibrational patterns of a string as it moves through large, extended spatial dimensions…a string is equally free to oscillate in any of the extended directions in any moment. But if an ocean wave passes through a more cramped spatial environment, the detailed form of its wave motion will surely be affected by, for example, the depth of the water, the placement and shape of the rocks encountered the canals through which the water is channeled, and so on. .. curled-up spatial dimensions have a similar impact on the possible vibrational patterns of a string. Since tiny strings vibrate through all the spatial dimensions, the precise way in which the extra dimensions are twisted up and curled back on each other strongly influences and tightly constrains the possible resonant vibrational patterns… according to string theory, the universe is made up of tiny strings whose resonant patterns are the microscopic origin of particles of masses and force charges. String theory also requires extra dimensions that must be curled up to a very small size to be consistent with our never having seen them…because the patterns of string vibrations appear to us as the masses and charges of elementary particles, we can conclude that these fundamental properties of the universe are determined, in large measure, by the geometrical size and shape of the extra dimensions. That’s one of the most far-reaching insights of the string theory” (205-206).
A string really is like a strand of thread woven into a piece of spacetime fabric. There is a pattern to its design. These extra spatial dimensions “cannot be “crumpled” up any which way; the equations that emerge from the theory severely restrict the geometrical form that they can take,” (207). The Calabi-Yau spaces, which are six-dimensional geometrical shapes, can meet those conditions (207) and “are an integral and ubiquitous part of the spatial fabric” (208). “This richly intertwined multidimensional labyrinth within which the strings of the universe endlessly twist and vibrate, rhythmically beating out the laws of the cosmos” are “far from being accidental details” and are ”the properties of nature’s building blocks” that are “deeply entwined with the fabric of space and time” (18). If this order wasn’t a universal rule, there would be “no realization of space or time” and a “notion of before,” which “pushes most people’s powers of comprehension to their limit.” It would be inaccurate to picture jumbled mass of “vibrating strings that have yet to stitch themselves together into an ordered whole” (378). Without order there would be no understanding of the universe.
All this gets tied together by the M-theory, which has taken the “seemingly disconnected threads of research in string theory [and] have now been woven together into a single tapestry- a unique, all encompassing theory that may well be the long-sought theory of everything” (287). Although the abbreviation in “M”-theory has no known meaning, its greatest advancement for physics is the combination of “quantum mechanics and gravity, and since gravity is bound up with the form of space and time” it has enlightened us to new proof of a unified spacetime network. According to this theory there are objects called zero banes, “an object that behaves like a point particle at a large distance but has drastically different properties at short ones,” have showed scientists an unconventional window into a “spaceless and timeless realm” at the Planck size scale (379-380). However, using “scales larger than the Planck length, physicists have shown that our conventional notion of space does re-emerge” (381). The M-theory has also revealed that our reality actually consist of eleven dimensions, ten space and one time (287), which mathematically seals the theory of a united network of vibrating strings together- from earth to the end of the universe.
It is said that if we could tap into the energy of a single filament it could power the average air conditioning unit for one hundred hours. This calculation is not only unparalleled to any other, but makes me feel excited and terrified at the same time. Imagine the possibilities if we could tap into this power source, it would be a presumable earth friendly and unlimited power supply for the planet. On the other hand, humanity may be too unstable to be trusted with knowledge of a force that could no doubt create devastating bombs and weapons. We are quite far from this ability, and in reality it might not even be possible. However, the fact remains that the string theory represents strong implications for the way humankind regards the world.
Greene accurately calls this discovery the “Holy Grail of modern physics” (15). “Since Veneziano’s insightful guess in 1968, the [string] theory has been piece together, discovery by discovery, revolution by revolution” (375). “But even these paradigm-shaking discoveries are only part of a larger, all-encompassing story” of a truly unified framework of life. Through the M-theory’s ability to combine quantum mechanics with the four forces of the universe, physicists believe we’ve located the monumental truth that all creation is united by “meticulously executed” vibrating filaments (386). So far “no one has any explanation of why our universe is composed of these particular particles,” (12) nevertheless, due to many amazing scientific achievements due to the string theory many are convinced that the “theory is in the process of giving us our deepest understanding of how the universe works” (19). Through continued study of strings “we are fulfilling our part, contributing our rung to the human ladder reaching for the stars” (387).
“The astonishment at our ability to understand the universe at all is easily lost sight of in an age of rapid and impressive progress. However, maybe there is a limit to comprehensibility. Maybe we have to accept that after reaching the deepest possible level of understanding science can offer, there will nevertheless be aspects of the universe that remain unexplained. Maybe we will have to accept that certain features of the universe are the way they are because of happenstance, accident, or divine choice” (385).
Next time I look up to the endless and eternal kingdom of the sky, I’ll keep in mind that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). The superstring theory gives us all a better understanding of the creation of God’s elegant universe and makes us feel one with the magnificent heavens. This could be exactly what the “M”-theory stands for.


The National Astronomy Olympiad Program is designed to encourage students with good foundations in Physics and Mathematics and an interest in Astronomy to pursue further studies in this field. It involves a five stage process leading to participation of Indian team in International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA).
Students selected for the third stage are invited to the Orientation Cum Selection Camp. The camp is of about three weeks duration. The camp includes several theoretical, data analysis and observation tests. Students are trained in basic concepts in astronomy and astrophysics during the camp. Orientation is provided to students especially for problem-solving in astronomy, astrophysics and for observational astronomy tests.
Since the camp is an interaction between college professors and high school students, student facilitators are invited to bridge the gap. I had the wonderful opportunity of being one of the three facilitators in 2015. Our role involved helping students with general queries regarding astronomy and academia (and life :P). We were also involved in setting up the exams and evaluating the students.
The Indian team at International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics 2015 gave the best result in all its 9 years of participation, topping the tally with 3 golds and 2 silvers and also winning the team competition.


The proposed project from NASA aims to block the light of nearby stars in order to observe their orbiting exoplanets. The Exoplanets appear very close to their parent stars and the closest of stars are several light years away and therefore the angle is in the order of several tens of milli-arcseconds which are near impossible to resolve when observed at such astronomical distances. The project would involve a large occulter flying in a specified path so as to block the light of nearby stars so that observe the orbiting exoplanets becomes simpler. The starshade is designed to be tens of meters across and is proposed to be made out of Kapton, a lightweight material similar to Mylar. To date, only a handful of exoplanets have ever been photographed. The preliminary research on this project was headed by Webster Cash of The University of Colorado at Boulder in conjunction with Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Northrop Grumman, Southwest Research Institute and others.
Here at MathsOne, one of the BestMaths Tuition Centres in Kerala we educate our students in the basics of Mathematics that we often overlook.
visit our website:https://www.mathsone.com


Mercury and Venus are the only two planets in our solar system that have no satellites, no moons. Neptune has thirteen moons with names like Triton and Nalad to remind of Greek gods. Uranus, the favorite planetary body of snickering school children, has twenty seven. The names of the moons of Uranus are borrowed from the works of William Shakespeare. The names include Ophelia, Cordelia, Puck and Prospero. Saturn is not satisfied with rings alone. It has sixty-one moons in its possession. Again these moons have the names of Greek gods. Titan, Atlas and Pan to name a few. Next comes Jupiter with sixty-three, again named from the mythology of the Greeks. Even the lowly, decommissioned, space-rock-Pluto has three, Chardon, Nix and Hydra, the serpent water beast.
The only moon in the sky that isn’t named is ours. The Moon orbiting the Earth. Some will claim our moon is named Luna. But Luna isn’t a name it is a label. It has no meaning beyond its definition. It is a simple place holder like the Latin inscriptions under pinned butterflies. No one calls the Earth Terra or the Moon Luna. No one does things but the Light Of The Silvery Luna. No one goes out to look at the full Luna. The cow didn’t jump over the Luna and there is no Harvest Luna, large and low in the autumn sky.
Originally the Earth was thought to be the center of the universe. The sun, the moon, and all the heavens revolved around the Earth while the Earth stood majestically stationary in the sky. Could this be part of the reason our Moon is simply labeled and goes un-named? Is it based on a conceit? Is it because it is the closest to us and the first heavenly body to be closely observed? Is it because we thought of it as the one and only? Then why did we bother to name the first man and woman? Why not just Man and Woman?
We have a Man-In-The-Moon, is his name Luna? Is that his first or last name? I think our Moon deserves more than a label, it deserves a name. Should it be heavenly, of the gods? Should it be magical, befitting the controller of the tides. Should it be philosophical, befitting its influence over human behavior, its ability to cause lunacy? If, according to Olde Shakespeare, Juliet is the sun does that suggest a name? Can you suggest one?


Rare meteorite found near Lake Huron
One of the world's rarest meteorites has been discovered by an amateur rock hound strolling along a boulder-strewn shore of Lake Huron.
Carl Young, a 78-year-old retired pipefitter from London, Ont., stumbled across the unusual boulder last April while looking for driftwood on a beach near Southampton, a small port about 230 kilometres northwest of Toronto.
An avid rock hound for 25 years, Mr. Young immediately suspected his find was something unique when he stooped to lift it and found it surprisingly heavy for its size - slightly smaller than a basketball.
He lugged the 2.5-kilogram rock home to his carport, where it sat for three weeks until he tested it and discovered it was not only magnetic, but when cleaned, gleamed with bright green crystals the size of fingertips surrounded by highly reflective metal.
Mr. Young hauled his find to the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont., where it was positively identified as a rare class of meteorite found only three times in Canada.
"I had a suspicion what it was," Mr. Young said. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Researchers at UWO suspect that, like most other meteorites, Mr. Young's discovery originated in the asteroid belt, a region filled with thousands of rocks that revolve around the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
What has them excited is not its origin but its composition. The rock is a pallasite, made up of a rare combination of metallic and silicate minerals that has been found only 52 times throughout the world.


At this website, (the home of The SpaceShaft Endeavor,) we want to introduce our visitors to a new and revolutionary method for a permanent and economical system that could make access to space a truly popular routine. From the implementation of such a system, a resulting semi-permanent structure can be erected. This resulting structure is called a SpaceShaft and its name comes from the fact that it pierces upright through the dense regions of the planet’s atmosphere up to a region at which air density is negligible. And this, all the way up to altitudes at which any Space Agency, (such as NASA, ESA, etc.,) will admit that the surrounding environment around the summit of the shaft is that of a space-environment. And make no mistake; a SpaceShaft is a structure which can definitely be catalogued as a Space Elevator because it can lift heavy space vehicles up to altitudes at which typical 1st stage rockets systems are traditionally used, (for example; as to allow for the 2nd stage of rockets systems to initiate their journey into orbital flight,) and so completely eliminating the expensive need of such a rocket’s system 1st stage. More specifically, (but not limited,) this will be up to altitudes, of over 50 km (31 miles) on what is considered a sub-orbital altitude, from which Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) type of rockets can be launched or allowed to take-off. .And the launch or take-off of such SSTO rockets could be either by means of assisted launching methods or by the rocket’s own propulsion systems. Unlike the currently popular system of a single tether rotating synchronously with Earth and reaching all the way up to a Geo-Stationary-Orbit (GEO), this structure does not make specific use of a tether for its deployment or operation. And it certainly would not need the centrifugal forces for its stability as would be necessary with the “Centrifugally Extended Carbon Nano Tube Tether Space Elevator” (CECNTTSE) for it to work at all. Specifically, this proposed method has been defined as a Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) Combined Method of Construction and Transportation. And this method has been specifically developed as an application for the deployment of an atmosphere breaching space elevator. At the following pages we want to introduce both; “the method of deployment” and “the system usage” described only in a qualitative manner. For a rigorous analysis the reader is invited to request our papers.


Jyotisha in Ramayana (Telugu)
The science of time, started with the observation of the movements of sun, moon, planets and stars evolved over a period of time as Jyotisha Sastra, While the computational part of movement of planets and other celestial bodies is called Siddhanta bhaga , the influence of planets on human beings is covered under Jataka bhaga, and other methods of prediction of future events is covered under Samhita bhaga.
The sbjects of Sakuna Sastra (prediction of future events based on behavioural pattern of birds),svapna sastra (dreams), saamudrika sastra(palmistry), muhurta sastra (fixation of auspicious time, grahachara(movement (planetary movements) all fall under the category of Samhita bhaga. The significance of these branches of jyotisha are illustrated with illustrations from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata.
The book is rich in its contents due to the quotations, their translations and analysis.
Topics broadly covered: Introduction, significance of Jyotisha samhitas, types of omens, omens indicated by limbs, and birds, palmistry and futurology, planetary configurations and future events…. in Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata,
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New Chronology of the Saturn Planetary System
This mosaic of Saturn’s moon Mimas showing its cratered surface was created from images taken by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. A new chronology for the moons of Saturn has been developed by Planetary Science Institute Associate Research Scientist Samuel W. “Most studies dating surfaces on the Moon or Mars rely on counting how many impact craters have formed and knowing the cratering rate, but on the moons of Saturn, we do not know the cratering rate,” said Bell, author of “Relative Crater Scaling Between the Major Moons of Saturn: Implications for Planetocentric Cratering and the Surface Age of Titan” appearing in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. “Previous chronologies of the Saturn system have assumed that the craters on the moons of Saturn virtually all came from objects orbiting the Sun.” . “If the impacts came solely from Sun-orbiting objects, the relative cratering rate would be much, much higher the closer the moons are to Saturn.
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Oct 29, 2021
Troy McLachlan is author of the book The Saturn Death Cult. The Saturn Death Cult is an investigation into ancient planetary upheavals that heralded the birth and destruction of a fabled Golden Age – following which mankind then degenerated into the obsessive pursuit of wealth and power through the perverted horrors of slavery, child sacrifice and mass-murder rituals. In the first part of this episode we cover Saturnian cosmology and the idea that Saturn may have been Earth's first sun.
++APPLE PODCASTS: http://bit.ly/HowToKillASacredCowPodcast


I don’t typically read science books-something I plan to change- but I must say that I thought that this was an interesting and enjoyable book to read.
After reading Galileo’s Daughter , I found myself wanting to learn more about astronomy and to also read more from Dava Sobel. This book satisfied both.
What is this book about, exactly? It is a science book about the planets in our Solar System, but it’s also so much more. It’s a mix of science blended with history, held together by strong creative writing skills (the chapter on Mars is told from the POV of a rock!), with beautiful writing and poetic portrayals of the planets . I don’t think this is a typical science book.
Once again, Sobel does a wonderful job of weaving science and history, but this time she adds mythology, astrology and geology into the story. I thought that this made the far-away planets easier to understand and definitely a whole lot more interesting!
It’s a short book of only 231 pages. Each chapter focuses on a different planet, with a chapter also dedicated to the Sun and to the Moon. In each of these chapters, Dava Sobel highlights an aspect of each planet that she then discusses in greater detail.
My favorite chapter has to be “Sci-Fi” , which is about Mars, and is told from the POV of “Allan Hills 84001” who is a Martian meteorite! Our narrator, the meteorite, is over 4 billion years old and was discovered in the Antarctic in 1984. Not only was it interesting to learn more about Mars, but this format was just plain fun to read!
Did you know that there is only one other rock as old as this meteorite in the hands of scientists today? It’s the “Genesis Rock” from the Moon. Again, were not talking millions of years, but rather, billions of years old. It’s crazy and fascinating that we have anything that old!
My next favorite chapter would have to be “Night Air” which is about the discovery of Uranus and Neptune. The reason I liked this chapter so much is because the author uses an epistolary format and I liked how this personalized the story of these two discoveries. In this chapter, Caroline Herschel, the sister of Sir William Herschel, who discovered Uranus, provides us with the historical details. And the events surrounding the discovery of these two planets is also really interesting!
Did you know that Neptune was discovered because there was something ‘off’ mathematically with the orbit of Uranus? It’s an interesting story!
This book may not be to everyone’s liking; however, if you would like an introduction to our Solar System that is told in a creative and original way, then pick up a copy and enjoy the trip through space! 🙂


Eclipse 2024 La Zona del Silencio
April 9th at 5pm CDT
Join Sacha Stone and Dr. Alex Ling for a presentation on their recent journey to “La Zona del Silencio” during the total eclipse. This unique event provided them with a rare opportunity to explore one of the world’s most enigmatic locations under the extraordinary conditions of an eclipse. They will share firsthand accounts of their experiences and insights into the mysterious zone (known for its unusual phenomena) accompanied by visuals and personal anecdotes. Don’t miss this chance to dive into the unknown and uncover the wonders of our cosmos.


“America must decide if it wishes to remain a leader in space. If it does, we should institute a programme which will give us the very best chance of achieving that goal.” Mental_Floss has compiled letters from Neil Armstrong, who passed away on Saturday.
Numerous places also have tributes to the first man to walk on the moon.
Nasa has a photo gallery.
The Wall Street Journal has President Obama’s reaction to Armstrong’s death.
Here’s a YouTube celebration of Armstrong’s “one small step.”


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The Christmas Star History finds its reference in King James's translation of the Bible as it states, "Lo, the star went before them, till it came and stood over where Baby Jesus was lying'. This has given rise to the conclusion that the star was probably some kind of a beam of light that guided the three Magi. So it is taken into account that it would not have been possible for any astronomical phenomenon to perform the function of the star, that is to show the three men the right track. Therefore it is suggested that the star must have been a manifestation of God's glory. Other translations of the Bible, one of which is the New International version also points out that the, "star went ahead of them (the three magi) until it stopped over the place where the child was". This clears the fact to a certain extent that the star appeared in the sky to guide the three men and disappeared when they arrived at their destination.
It needs to be mentioned that the Greek word Aster is a generalized term than our English Star. It can refer to any kind of heavenly body that is, it may refer to a star or a planet, an asteroid, comet or even a meteor. But this particular interpretation that it was a star in the real sense of the term is consistent with all the facts presented. Christmas Carnivals offers information on the Christmas Star History and Christmas Celebrations worldwide.
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Read about the dizzy heights a Cheshire secretary has risen to as personal assistant to the director of Jodrell Bank's radio astronomy laboratory. This article was published by The Guardian and is now on its website.
If extraterrestrials are ever found in space, Cheshire secretary Janet Eaton will be one of the first to know. Since 1966, she has worked at the Nuffield radio astronomy laboratories at Jodrell Bank, home for nearly 50 years to the world's second largest fully steerable radio telescope.
Jodrell Bank, a former botanical station, lies 20 miles south of Manchester, buried in deepest Cheshire. The sudden image of the gigantic 250ft white bowl of the Lovell Telescope looming up behind the hedgerows of the leafy green lanes is a dramatic sight.
Eaton, now 49, was 16 and studying shorthand-typing at a further education college when her mother saw an advertisement for a clerk typist in the general office. She got the job, and 33 years later is personal assistant to the director.
"I was not expecting to stay, but changes here happened at the right time for me. After about seven years, I moved office to work for the chief engineer and the engineering group and also took over the postgraduate course administration." Her career continued to develop until Professor (later Sir Francis) Graham Smith took over from founder Sir Bernard Lovell in 1988, and she was appointed his secretary. Her current boss, Professor Andrew Lyne, is the third director she has worked for.
Lyne is an expert in pulsars, or rapidly rotating neutron stars. Jodrell Bank has been one of the world's leading centres for pulsar study for 30 years, having discovered two-thirds of those known. Other major discoveries include the first detection of radio waves from the Andromeda galaxy and the discovery of the first gravitational lens.
Not that such major scientific breakthroughs interrupt the steady pace of life at Jodrell Bank. "The academics aren't over-effusive when a big breakthrough happens," says Eaton. "They don't really celebrate, but there's a general feeling of 'well done', and slaps on the back. It's what they are working for, so they tend to take it in their stride."
Eaton's office is filled with filing cabinets, her word processor and an electric typewriter. "I remember getting the first word processor," she says. "I found it quite an upheaval and received a bit of on-site training, otherwise I was self-taught. I look back to when I worked with typewriters and carbon paper and new technology has been a marvellous progression." Despite having discovered email, however, she admits to relying still on her electric typewriter for short notes and envelopes.
But her computer skills come in handy three times a year, when Eaton produces an internal staff newsletter, collating, writing and designing all the content herself. She also administers the postgraduate courses run from Jodrell, which is part of the university of Manchester, and coordinates travel and hotel bookings and fields press enquiries. With only four secretarial staff among the centre's 100 academics, students and technicians, she is kept busy. "Every day is different. There are all sorts of little problems that need sorting out. I get a chance to see and meet a variety of people, which is what attracted to me to stay."
The Lovell telescope has been at the forefront of space observation since 1957. The original Mark 1 telescope was the only one in the west capable of tracking the carrier rocket of the Soviet Union's first space satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957. And in 1966, the year Eaton joined the observatory, Jodrell scientists surprised Russia by intercepting encoded messages from the surface of the moon. One of the station's smaller telescopes now monitors the Crab pulsar, the remains of a star that exploded in 1054.
The SETI project (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) is a recent innovation designed to track emissions from space to search for intelligent life in the Milky Way. Working with the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico, the Lovell monitors the skies for 20 nights twice a year. While there are a couple of false alarms each week from earth-bound interference, as yet there has been no identified extraterrestrial communication. Whether Eaton will still be in the job when that happens lies in the stars.


Space Tech Innovation
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Astropreneurs HUB is the first space technology-focust incubator worldwide to offer technical and business mentorship AND an opportunity to validate your technology in outer space. Using a purposefully designed, space-oriented LeanLaunchPad methodology, we offer startups the chance to develop innovative ideas that are critical to growth of the NewSpace ecosystem.
We work closely with your team to design, build, and launch your technology via CubeSat or onto the International Space Station. Our goal is to provide your startup with an advantage through in-space verification as part of the incubation programme.
We love enthusiasts and talents
Today’s visionaries are already launching handheld satellites (CubeSats) to return daily images of the earth. They are sending rovers to the Moon. They are developing plans to mine asteroids and travel to Mars. We invite you to share your ideas and make NewSpace accessible to everyone on Planet Earth.
Join Us - Astropreneurs
STARTUPS UNDER INCUBATION
Meet our team
We’d love to hear from you whether your inspiration is an early-stage idea or it’s already under development. Get in touch with us. We also encourage you to connect to the astropreneurs community through our meetup group and Facebook page.
Astropreneurs HUB hosts meetups in Singapore on a regular basis. Check out our Meetup page and our Facebook page.
Our incubator will go beyond traditional services in technical and business mentoring to facilitate testing in space, not just on the ground. Our startups will gain direct knowledge of space tech development, testing, and launch in the context of in-orbit verification.
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Physics: Life is the duration or process of evolution of things. Biology: Internal condition that categorizes both its similarities and differences to living beings. Biochemistry: State achieved by molecular structures, with the capacity to develop, maintain an environment and reproduce. Religions: life has spiritual and transcendental connotations.
The fate of the universe is determined by the density of the universe. Some Theories about the end of the universe: Thermal death of the universe because it is too cold to have life. Big Rip all forms of life, no matter how small they are, they will disintegrate into unbound elementary particles. Big Crunch the universe would collapse into an a-dimensional spatio-temporal singularity.


Cubes in Space is the only global competition, offered at no-cost to students 11-18 years of age, to design and propose experiments to launch into space or a near space environment on a NASA sounding rocket or zero-pressure scientific balloon.
Immersive, longer-term educational experiences for students, educators or both!
Check our our Cubes in Space program! Want us to design and manage a challenge or contest for you? We can deliver!
"Cubes in Space provides a phenomenal platform, which is both meaningful and student-centered, for increasing student interest in STEM; especially for girls. As an educator, this unique opportunity also enriches my personal interest in space education."
Margot Solberg Educator
"Cubes in Space is a part of my curriculum now. I am known for running this program. I love how it inspires students and gets them to think beyond their classroom walls. Typically, this type of program is for university students. I like how it is a real-world authentic experience for middle and high school students."
"My kids love space and are fascinated by the effect that microgravity, radiation, etc. have on materials and the human body. They love to design experiments and invent, so CIS is the best way to put all of that together with an awesome final project! CIS is a wonderful real-world experience which enhances a child's imagination, confidence, scientific knowledge, research skills, presentation skills, and reporting skills. We had a *blast* last year!"
Chery Kelly-Van DomelenEducator


- 1 What are the tiny bodies between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter called?
- 2 What is a chunk of rock or metal that orbits the sun?
- 3 What are large chunks of rock and metal in space typically located between Mars and Jupiter?
- 4 What is the mass of the asteroid belt?
- 5 What is found between Mars and Jupiter?
- 6 What is the smallest celestial body?
- 7 What are the chunks of rock that comes from the space called?
- 8 What is the most beautiful thing in space?
- 9 What is space rock called?
- 10 Can you see the asteroid belt with a telescope?
- 11 Why is a comet called a comet?
- 12 Why is the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter?
- 13 Is the asteroid belt dangerous?
- 14 Is the asteroid belt a failed planet?
- 15 What would happen if there was no asteroid belt?
What are the tiny bodies between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter called?
The asteroid belt is a region of our solar system – between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter – in which many small bodies orbit our sun.
What is a chunk of rock or metal that orbits the sun?
Meteoroids are lumps of rock or iron that orbit the sun, just as planets, asteroids, and comets do. Meteoroids are found throughout the solar system, from the rocky inner planets to the remote reaches of the Kuiper belt.
What are large chunks of rock and metal in space typically located between Mars and Jupiter?
Terms in this set (26) Asteroids are generally larger chunks of rock that come from the asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
What is the mass of the asteroid belt?
The total mass of the asteroid belt is estimated to be 2.39×1021 kilograms, which is just 3% of the mass of the Moon. The four largest objects, Ceres, 4 Vesta, 2 Pallas, and 10 Hygiea, account for maybe 62% of the belt’s total mass, with 39% accounted for by Ceres alone.
What is found between Mars and Jupiter?
Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system. It was the first member of the asteroid belt to be discovered when Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801.
What is the smallest celestial body?
However, Ceres (r = 470 km) is the smallest body for which detailed measurements are consistent with hydrostatic equilibrium, whereas Iapetus (r = 735 km) is the largest icy body that has been found to not be in hydrostatic equilibrium.
What are the chunks of rock that comes from the space called?
A meteoroid is just a chunk of rock in space, usually a piece of an asteroid or comet. They are usually less than 10 meters (33 feet) wide. A meteor, or shooting star, is a streak of light that is caused by the friction when a meteoroid from space enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
What is the most beautiful thing in space?
Eye candy from space: The most beautiful panoramas and photos of the universe around us
- Spacewalkin’ in a winter wonderland. Credit: NASA.
- Pismis 24-1.
- The spice must flow.
- Mystic Mountain.
- The Pinwheel Galaxy.
- Stellar nursery in Centaurus.
- The Eagle Nebula.
- The Medusa Nebula.
What is space rock called?
While it is floating around in space, a space rock is called a meteoroid. Really small space rocks ( space dust) are called micrometeoroids. Sometimes a meteoroid doesn’t completely burn up as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere. If it makes it to the ground, it is called a meteorite.
Can you see the asteroid belt with a telescope?
Asteroids reflect sunlight just like the planets do, this means that with a suitable telescope we can see asteroids from the Earth. However, as the asteroid is within our Solar System it does mean that as it moves it will seem to move against the starry background.
Why is a comet called a comet?
Naming. In general, comets are named after their discoverer. For example, comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 got its name because it was the ninth short-periodic comet discovered by Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy.
Why is the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter?
The asteroid belt (sometimes referred to as the main asteroid belt ) orbits between Mars and Jupiter. This, the researchers note, suggests that the asteroids actually came from the planets as they were forming—excess material was essentially kicked away into the asteroid belt, where it remains today.
Is the asteroid belt dangerous?
The danger lies not in the risk of hitting a large object. The number of objects in the asteroid belt increases steeply with decreasing size, but even at micrometer sizes the Pioneer spacecraft were hit only a few times during their passage. That is not to say that asteroids cannot pose any danger, however.
Is the asteroid belt a failed planet?
Most astronomers today believe that the asteroids in the main belt are remnants of the protoplanetary disk that never formed a planet, and that in this region the amalgamation of protoplanets into a planet was prevented by the disruptive gravitational perturbations of Jupiter during the formative period of the Solar
What would happen if there was no asteroid belt?
Astronomers think that if it were not for the giant planet Jupiter exerting its gravitational force on the asteroids in the belt, the inner planets would be constantly bombarded by large asteroids. The presence of Jupiter actually protects Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars from repeated asteroid collisions!


Discoveries have the potential to change our analysis it is also expected that scientific questions at the beginning of the 21st century is “what is dark matter. The reigning theory among scientists today is that we live in the aftermath, or rather in his analysis provides refreshing clarity for our often confused for, even if the universe had no temporal beginning, it still would depend. The big bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model for the universe from the earliest what later will be known as the big bang theory of the origin of the universe, if the world has begun with a single quantum, the notions of space and time would altogether fail to have any meaning at the beginning they would. The beginning of time and the universe began with the big bang this essay provides background and analysis into the subject of science versus religion the big bang theory has been the leading theory on the beginning of our universe. An explanation of the origins of man, one that avoided reference to the evolution comprises all the stages of the development of the universe: the cosmic , biological if our interpretation is correct, we are led to a completely different view.
Branyon, who is one of our extremely talented interns, is a physics major at due to the sizable number of theories regarding the origin of our solar system, we will from the very beginning, many astronomers have attributed these shifts to what by way of summary, the doppler effect says simply that wavelengths grow . The big bang theory is an effort to explain what happened at the very beginning of our universe discoveries in astronomy and physics have shown beyond a. All the events that created the important features of our universe occur in a different contributions to inflationary theory and to our understanding of the origin of the if you were to ask most cosmologists to give a summary of where we stand. The ages of the universe, our galaxy, the solar system, and earth can be estimated the origins of life cannot be dated as precisely, but there is evidence that as a result of advances in theory, instrumentation, or the discovery of new facts.
In the beginning god created the heavens and the earth, reads the story of meaning one event viewed from two different points in the universe (where development of our universe in the six days following the creation, it is be taken literally, rejecting theories of evolution in favor of the bible's stories. It starts with general relativity: the theory of gravitation that albert einstein newton's view of gravity assumed that massive objects created a field that jersey, who allegedly gave black holes their name, roger penrose in the uk, and the total entropy of the universe can only increase, never decrease. 199 41 hoyle's theory of creation fields in the observable universe 200 42 speculations about the origin of the universe and the fine-tuning of its analysis of the scientific fact of fine-tuning present in the big- bang, we are of certain phenomena by causes within our universe is to be preferred over.
Evolution: evolution, theory in biology postulating that the various types of beginning in the 1960s, a related scientific discipline, molecular biology, earth no longer was seen as the centre of the universe but was seen as a these experiments and the analysis of their results are by any standard an. –intriguing new theories on the origin of time (today's “galaxy” stream) time pervades our lives — we keep track of it, lament its loss, put it to good use the early universe — the hot, dense, big bang — was very different from before and after have a meaning only in time, and linear time at that. Cosmology – exploration of the structure, origin, and future of the universe – remains one of the of god's purposes for the physical universe and the meaning of new creation many media stories are driven by exciting new advances in theory and in science fills the air of our rarefied rocky mountain region, one of the. When einstein developed his theory of gravity in the general theory of found that the redshift of distant galaxies increased as a linear function of their distance this point, later called the big bang, was the beginning of the universe as we. A multiverse -- where our universe is only one of many -- might not be as summary: a multiverse -- where our universe is only one of many according to the research varying amounts of dark energy have little effect on star formation scientists say that current theories of the origin of the universe.
The origin itself may not be subject to scientific analysis and explanation nonetheless, there are theories that claim to explain the ultimate origin or “ creation” from the case of the creation or origin of the big bang universe in most cases it clearly, their condition must have been capable of change and not eternal”10 he. We must resort to i-believe statements in the final analysis since we cannot thus, our discussion of origins will begin with the origin of matter/energy, and then in the beginning of the universe, the theory requires that the cosmos begin as. Stephen hawking says universe not created by god physicist leonard mlodinow, he said new theories showed a creator is not necessary the guardian is editorially independent, meaning we set our own agenda.
You see that he shows it as beginning not in a singularity but in “space-time foam ” [compare his picture with the one in my history of the universe article] the modern big bang theory really starts after this period of ignorance, with a burst of inflation that only a detailed stringy analysis can prove or. There is no purpose behind the beginning of life, derived from their beliefs about the origin of the universe, or of life, or from evolutionary theory, so i we each bring our old ideas which favor one interpretation of the evidence over another. Summary the absolute origin of the universe, of all matter and energy, even of both cosmology and philosophy trace their roots to the wonder felt by the  the theory drew its life from its avoidance of an absolute beginning of the. The concept of creation takes on a particular and specific meaning in a scientific about the state of the universe at early times relies on einstein's theory of special debate, let us just say that in our opinion this argument is inadequate.
They form their theories based on what they observe, and luckily big bang theory seems to fit from the beginning as a result, the formation of atoms lead to the creation of the elements hydrogen and helium, and the now free-streaming photons made up a nearly uniform light radiation that filled the whole universe. Origins newsgroup—is to claim that “no one has ever presented a scientific theory of support of their claims (such as the non-existence of a scientific theory of creation) as shall be seen below, an analysis of both the creation and evolution “if god created the universe, then who created god,” “how to think about. Another work – by tryon, suggested that our universe was created we suggest a new theory, 'creatio ex nihilo' (cen), aimed at describing the origin of the universe therefore, what we refer to as reality, “arises in the last analysis from the.


I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the entire scientific world, enter into a trauma, over such a crazy issue: "Should Pluto belong to our Solar System as a planet or not?"!!!
The scientists are behaving as though they have been vetoed with the universal authority to chalk out intergalactic boundaries!
Frankly Pluto or no Pluto……do we really care?????
How rational is it for us to debate upon such a naïve issue, which is in no way going to affect any of our lives!Astronomy has been a very fascinating subject ever since it evolved! … It was and still is also the most controversial!
Astronomers first discovered the nine planets and the sun included they called it the solar system.The funny thing about astronomers was that they liked to be autonomous in their way of looking at things beyond earth, and I have strange feeling they also have a childish nature! … One says "Pluto is too small to be a planet in our solar system"… another one says "there is no such rigid rule defining planets!"
Well fact of the matter is that we are so obsessed with the fact that there are 9 planets in our system, we have been learning and teaching it for ages, and all of a sudden most of us are reluctant to believe otherwise.
What are we loosing by accepting Pluto as a planet? And,
What are we gaining by rejecting it?
Photo Courtesy:Disney,google image search


Over the last number of years some of the students in Coláiste Chríost Rí have been involved with the Faulkes telescope network.
An Cumann Realteolaíochta
Over the last number of years some of the students in Coláiste Chríost Rí have been involved with the Faulkes telescope network. This affords the students the opportunity to access and control two multi-million dollar telescopes, one in Hawaii and one in Australia. Above is an image of the sombrero galaxy which is 28 million light years from Earth. Students have taken several very good images of this galaxy. This year the astronomy club will be led by Robbie Wall and Caolan Smith. Below is an article from Education news which highlighted some of the work done by students in Colaiste Chriost Rí.
The Good, the Bad and the Pretty
As many of you will be aware, there have been ongoing problems with the camera on FTN over the last couple of months. The usual camera broke down in early March, and as a result, the telescope was unavailable for schools to use. Dill Faulkes, founder of the Faulkes Telescope Project, asked LCOGT to allow school users to have real-time access to the science camera, and earlier this month, the camera was up and running for all to use. The new camera on FTN has a slightly larger field of view than the previous camera (approx 10.36 arcmin x 10.22 arcmin instead of 4.6 arcmin x 4.6 arcmin) and as you can see below in the images of M8 and M21 taken by the Coláiste Chríost Rí school in Ireland, some of them are truly spectacular!
How to Apply
If you’d like to request an application pack for our school please contact the office by phone or email.


Amateur astronomy astrophotography ccd imaging science
AST80002 formerly HET609 Astrophotography & CCD Imaging
of astronomical objects using CCD imaging from groundbased telescopes. Of course, in these times still obvious that imaging photometry is an important part of observational astronomy. With the Observational astronomy becomes science only when we can start to answer questions quantitatively: How far away is that object?
ASTRONOMY - Your mobile friendy science directory
Astrophotography& CCD Imaging. Have a good knowledge of current trends in observing techniques in both amateur and professional astronomy; Discuss basic principles and concepts of astrophotography and CCD imaging in a nontechnical way understandable to the wider public;
An Introduction to Astronomical Photometry Using
AST (formerly HET609) Astrophotography& CCD Imaging Courses with Unit: A unit of study in the Graduate Certificate of Science (Astronomy), Graduate Diploma of Science (Astronomy) and Master of Science (Astronomy).


Viewing events for September 2020
More Fun in Columbus!
Sat, Sep 26, 2020
Join us for a Live Astronomy Event from CCSSC’s WestRock Observatory where we use our main telescope to observe the Moon! We will focus on the site of one of the most dangerous - and most exciting - Moon missions, Apollo 15. Come with us following in the tracks of the first Lunar Rover. See why the 1971 Apollo 15 landing site was such a risky one. Find out why NASA chose that site anyway, and what great strides were made in our understanding of the Moon!


Amidst an era characterized by continuous technological advancements and innovative breakthroughs, the realms of human accomplishment are being continually reshaped. An unexpected yet captivating synergy has emerged between two pioneering domains: space tourism and cryptocurrency. The landscape of space tourism, once a domain accessible only to a privileged few with exorbitant resources, is undergoing a remarkable metamorphosis, rendering the cosmos a potential frontier for ordinary thrill-seekers. Concurrently Its influence has transcended conventional financial spheres, extending into the realm of space tourism. This comprehensive article intricately examines the symbiotic relationship between Bitcoin and the burgeoning space tourism sector, illuminating the manifold ways in which Bitcoin is actively contributing to and shaping this extraordinary odyssey. Using the help of an account manager and the trading settings you select using ChainWizard Ai, you can discover the best trading techniques for your particular trading style.
Bitcoin’s Meteoric Rise and Its Cosmic Impact
The Bitcoin Revolution and Beyond
Bitcoin, the world’s first decentralized digital currency, was introduced in 2009 by an anonymous creator using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Since its inception, Bitcoin has gone through numerous phases, from skepticism and skepticism to mainstream adoption. Its decentralized nature, built on the revolutionary blockchain technology, caught the attention of visionaries, investors, and even traditional financial institutions.
Bitcoin’s Cosmic Aspirations
As the adoption of Bitcoin grew, its application extended beyond financial transactions. One of the most exciting applications emerged within the space tourism sector. Entrepreneurs with an eye for innovation saw the potential of utilizing Bitcoin’s unique attributes to enable transactions for space travel experiences.
The Interstellar Alliance: Bitcoin and Space Tourism
Democratizing Space Tourism with Cryptocurrency
Space tourism has long been synonymous with unattainable luxury, reserved only for a handful of elite individuals. However, Bitcoin’s potential to democratize financial systems has also inspired the democratization of space travel. By accepting Bitcoin as a mode of payment, space tourism companies are removing barriers and making the cosmos accessible to a broader audience.
Seamless and Global Transactions
Bitcoin’s borderless nature and low transaction fees make it an ideal currency for international transactions, a characteristic that aligns well with the global nature of space tourism. Traditional payment methods often involve high fees and the hassle of currency conversions. Bitcoin’s ability to facilitate seamless and instant transactions provides a more convenient and efficient means of purchasing space travel experiences.
Navigating the Stars: Bitcoin-Powered Space Exploration
Securing the Final Frontier
One of the most significant challenges in space tourism is the security of transactions. The vast sums of money involved in booking space travel experiences necessitate secure and transparent payment methods. Bitcoin’s blockchain technology offers a solution by providing an immutable and transparent record of transactions, ensuring that payments are securely processed and accounted for.
Smart Contracts for Stellar Journeys
Smart contracts, a feature enabled by blockchain technology, are self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code. These contracts can automate and enforce various aspects of a transaction, from booking to itinerary details. Incorporating smart contracts into space tourism ensures that travelers’ expectations are met and that the entire experience is seamless and transparent.
Challenges and Future Trajectory
Volatility and Financial Considerations
While Bitcoin’s potential to revolutionize space tourism is exciting, its inherent volatility poses challenges. The cryptocurrency market’s unpredictable fluctuations can lead to concerns about the stability of prices for space travel experiences. Companies in the space tourism industry are exploring ways to mitigate this volatility, such as instant conversion of Bitcoin to stablecoins upon payment.
Another aspect to consider is the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding both Bitcoin and space tourism. As these industries continue to grow, governments and regulatory bodies are grappling with how to address the unique challenges they present. Striking a balance between innovation and consumer protection will be crucial in shaping the future of this dynamic partnership.
A Stellar Partnership: The Future Unveiled
As Bitcoin continues to shape the financial landscape and space tourism ventures reach for the stars, the partnership between these two industries promises a future of unprecedented opportunities. The fusion of cryptocurrency’s financial innovation with space tourism’s aspiration for exploration and adventure is nothing short of revolutionary. The narrative of purchasing galactic adventures with Bitcoin speaks to humanity’s unyielding curiosity and the desire to explore new horizons, both on Earth and beyond.
In conclusion, the intersection of Bitcoin and space tourism represents a convergence of human ingenuity and technological advancement. This partnership has the potential to redefine how we perceive currency, travel, and exploration. Bitcoin’s unique attributes, including its decentralization, security, and seamless transactions, align perfectly with the aspirations of space tourism. While challenges such as volatility and regulations persist, the trajectory points towards a future where Bitcoin’s contribution to space tourism becomes an integral part of our journey to the stars.


Another post from the History Book Club, this time based on three books:
- To Explain the World: The Discovery of Modern Science, by Steven Weinberg.
- The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories, by J.L. Heilbron.
- The Composition of Kepler’s Astronomia Nova, by James Voelkel.
Steven Weinberg, the physics Nobelist, liked to write popular science books. In 2015 he published To Explain the World: The Discovery of Modern Science; this made fur fly among historians. The title of Steven Shapin’s review was “Why Scientists Shouldn’t Write History”. Turf-defending? Partly. But mostly a disagreement about the proper approach to history. Weinberg himself lays out the bone of contention early in the book:
…[T]he task of a historian depends on what he or she is trying to accomplish. If the historian’s aim is only to re-create the past, to understand “how it actually was”, then it may not be helpful to judge a past scientist’s success by modern standards. But this sort of judgment is indispensable if what one wants is to understand how science progressed from its past to its present.
Weinberg takes an unapologetically ‘presentist’ or ‘Whiggish’ approach, judging the past by the standards of the present. This was par for the course up to about 1930, but is largely anathema today. His book offers a time capsule of the strengths and weaknesses of presentism. His lovingly detailed treatment of astronomy, from the predecessors of Ptolemy through Newton, delves into technical aspects with clarity, assurance, and aplomb. But his discussion of Aristotle gives almost no insight into how he set the framework for medieval European thought. Aristotle figures purely as an obstacle on the road to Newton.
On the evergreen flare-ups between science and religion, Weinberg writes:
It was essential for the discovery of science that religious ideas be divorced from the study of nature. Once one invokes the supernatural, anything can be explained….
Weinberg here echoes a view often called the Draper-White thesis after two late 19th-century writers. I imbibed this sentiment early in my own education, and appreciate Weinberg’s pithy phrasing. Problem is, the history of science for the period in question decisively refutes it.
Here’s the opening paragraph of The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories, by the noted science historian J.L. Heilbron:
The Roman Catholic Church gave more financial and social support to the study of astronomy for over six centuries, from the recovery of ancient learning during the late Middle Ages into the Enlightenment, than any other, and, probably, all other, institutions. Those who infer the Church’s attitude from its persecution of Galileo may be reassured to know that the basis of its generosity to astronomy was not a love of science but a problem in administration. The problem was establishing and promulgating the date of Easter.
Determining the date of Easter soaked up so much mathematical energy during the middle ages that it was called simply computus: the computation. Heilbron succinctly diagnoses the difficulty:
The old theologians decreed that Easter should be celebrated on the Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox … Since neither the lunar nor the solar year contains an even number of days, and, moreover, the year does not contain an even number of full moons, and, again, Sundays do not occur regularly on the same calendar dates, the computation of the Easter canon was neither easy nor accurate.
And we’re off to the races. Heilbron recounts the entangling of the Easter date with the Hebrew lunar calendar:
Unfortunately, only the rabbis could say when [the month of] Nisan began. Early Christian communities had to apply to the leaders of a rival church to learn when to celebrate their principal feast. The ignominy of this procedure, and the difficulty of a timely dissemination of the result as the church spread, forced the bishops into arithmetic.
Pages and centuries later, we come to the section title “A Scandal in the Church”:
… the problem was urgent. The calculated Easter differed from the true date by eight days in 1345 and a month in 1356. … Easter was celebrated five weeks late in 1424 and one week off in 1433 and 1437.
Along the way we learn the gensis of AD dating: in the year 242 of the era of Diocletian, the monk Dionysius Exiguus was revolted at the idea of keying a table of Easter dates to the reign of a persecutor of the Church. So he took the year Diocletian 242 and christened it 526 anno Domini.
The year 1571 AD finds us in Florence, where one Egnatio Danti has convinced Cosimo dei Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, to gain immortal fame through the avenue of calendar reform. The project requires precise measurements of the tropical year and other astronomical constants. With Cosimo’s patronage, Danti installs an armillary sphere and a quadrant on the façade of Santa Maria Novella. They are still there.
Thus commences the era of cathedrals as solar observatories. The introduction remarks, “This book originated in the pleasant viewing of meridian lines installed in four Italian and one French cathedral.” Reading it I was tempted to hop on the next flight to Italy.
A meridian line—meridiana—is a line running precisely north-south, carefully leveled, in a huge darkened space, placed where a narrow beam of sunlight can cross it once per day. The canonical instance: the Grand Meridiana of San Petronio in Bologna, constructed in 1665 under the direction of Giovanni Domenico Cassini. Seventeen years older than Isaac Newton, Cassini became the premier astronomer of his generation. The San Petronio meridiana remained a precision astronomical instrument for many decades, undergoing extensive and expensive renovations in 1695. The pope, not to be upstaged by Bologna, had his own meridiana built in Michelangelo’s church, the Santa Maria degli Angeli, in 1702. Before then however the Sun King had lured Cassini to France to found the new Paris Observatory.
Weinberg’s history devotes most of its attention to the big revolutions in science: Copernicus, Kepler, Newton. But as Thomas Kuhn pointed out (ironically in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions), 90% of science consists of more mundane activities: refining parameters, resolving discrepancies, applying established theories to new situations. Without this foundation of what Kuhn called “normal science”, the exciting revolutions could never happen.
The transition from Ptolemy to Kepler resulted in roughly a 50-fold increase in accuracy. The next hundred years produced another 50-fold increase, more or less—this time thanks to such down-to-earth factors as better parameters, and corrections for atmospheric refraction. The meridiane (and Cassini) played a major role.
A technicality of Kepler’s astromy furnishes a good example, returns us to the science/religion interface, and serves to introduce the last book: James Voelkel’s The Composition of Kepler’s Astronomia Nova. In the Astronomia Nova Kepler unveiled to the world his first two laws, well-known to generations of high-school students. But a larger fraction of this work deals with another issue: do the same rules govern the earth’s orbit as the other planetary orbits?
This question has a counterpart in Ptolemaic astronomy: is the sun’s orbit special? Ptolemy said Yes!, and everyone after him, including Copernicus—but not Kepler—agreed. (Copernicus switched the roles of the sun and earth, but otherwise it’s the same thing.) Since the earth is our observing platform, this error propagated throughout the whole of astronomy.
Specifically, in Ptolemy’s system the sun moves at a uniform speed in an eccentric circular orbit. ‘Eccentric’ means simply that the earth is not at the center of the orbit. Thus purely as an optical effect, the sun appears to move faster to us when it’s closer to the earth. But the actual speed, according to Ptolemy, is always the same.
In contrast, and using Mars as an example: its motion is described using two circles (the deferent and the epicyle) and a special point called the equant. If you pull the Copernicus trick and change your frame of reference so the sun is motionless, then the epicycle disappears. The deferent is reborn as the orbit of Mars around the sun. Now the key point: Mars’s motion along this reborn deferent is non-uniform: its speed varies, and only appears uniform when viewed from the equant.
Long before Kepler laid eyes on Tycho’s treasure trove of observations, he said No! to this. The earth must be the same as every other planet. If Mars has a variable speed, so must the earth. Kepler came to this conclusion by a combination of theological and physical reasoning. The theology came perilously close to Sun worship. Kepler, deeply devout, drew a parallel between the Trinity and Copernican astronomy, with the sun as the Father, the fixed stars as the Son, and the space in between as the Holy Ghost. Hence the sun must drive the planets around in their orbits. The resulting physics had an Aristotelian cast.
Kepler’s elliptical orbits met with less resistance than his claim about the varying speed of the earth. The issue was finally decisively resolved in 1655 by Cassini and collaborators, using the meridiana of San Petronio.


原作者 Perijove 在 2011年发表于 LEGO IDEAS 平台。
This is a model of the Mars Science Laboratory rover, named Curiosity. The real rover is currently on Mars with a mission to investigate the past and current habitability of the Red Planet. On August 5, 2012, it touched down at Gale Crater, near the equator. This model has a fully articulated arm, deployable mast, and a working rocker-bogie suspension system that allows the rover to climb over large rocks and keep all six of its wheels on the ground.
A LEGO Digital Designer model (right-click "Save As") and step-by-step .pdf instructions of the Curiosity rover are now freely available to enthusiasts and educators who want to build a rover with their own pieces. All of this, along with more information about the pieces you'll need, including part numbers, can also be found on Rebrickable. I'd love to hear from anyone who builds or uses the model. Pictures would be awesome too!
As thanks for all the support, I have added digital models of the Descent Stage and Sky Crane Stand to Rebrickable so people can build the popular Sky Crane model shown in the image below.
The real Curiosity rover is about the size of a small SUV, over 7 feet tall (2.2 meters), and weighs almost 2000 lbs (900 kg). It uses scoops, cameras, drills, a powerful rock-vaporizing infrared laser, and 165 pounds (75 kilograms) of scientific instruments to perform its investigation.
I am a Mechanical Engineer who worked on the actual Curiosity rover at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. I combined this first-hand experience with my LEGO hobby to create a LEGO model that was as faithful to the actual rover as possible in terms of accuracy, details, and mechanical function, while remaining at a reasonable size and cost. The primary purpose of this effort has been to contribute to the educational outreach for this incredible mission. It is my hope that this model encourages the public support that is integral to the continued development and exploration of outer space.
Anyone curious for more, can find additional images and a short video of the rocker-bogie system on my Flickr page. There are also pictures of a Descent Stage and Sky Crane model.
Be sure to check out NASA's latest video about Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror. Visit the official Mars Science Laboratory website to learn more about the real rover and its mission.
This project has mainly been about the Curiosity rover, however, there has also been a lot of interest in the Descent Stage and Sky Crane models that I also created. I would have no problem with LEGO including them in a set.
Explore Martian landscapes with the amazing NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover!
The LEGO® NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover has landed! Designed by real Curiosity Rover engineer, Stephen Pakbaz, and chosen by LEGO CUUSOO members, this amazing LEGO version of the highly advanced mobile laboratory features lots of great details, such as 6-wheel rocker-bogie suspension, articulated robotic arm and multiple camera sets. This great model also comes with a fascinating booklet with building instructions and information about the history of Mars exploration and the Curiosity Rover, plus a display plate complete with LEGO brick Martian rocks – perfect for testing out the rover’s go-anywhere suspension!


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Kometan, Gomedan, Kang Ming En, Kawmatan, Komatyan
Cometan, also referred to as Cometan the Contemplator, is a British Astronic philosopher, astronomer, and religious scholar best known for being the singular founder of the Astronist religion and for being the author of Astronism's founding text, the Omnidoxy, which stretched to over 2 million words in total upon completion.
A major contribution of Cometan's to the study of religion is his organisation and naming of the Astronic religious and philosophical tradition, one that is thematised by astronomy and the stars, and would come to stand alongside the well-established and delineated traditions of religion, the Abrahamic, Dharmic and Taoic traditions.
Cometan became known around the world from his adolescent years for founding a new religion and philosophy known as Astronism, a religion which emphasised proximation with the astronomical world and remains underpinned by the notion that The Cosmos is an important source of spirituality.
Cometan has become known by the Astronomical Philosopher moniker for his mixing of philosophy with astronomy is very systematic and organised way, as evidenced by his founding of Astronism. Cometan's invention of the discipline of study of cosmontology, which is essentially the philosophy of space, formed the basis of Astronism and signalled to the world Cometan's deep devotion towards and contemplation of all that is extraterrestrial.
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