Introductory Astronomy Glossary
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Lift Off to the International Space Station with Noggin!
Lift Off to the International Space Station with Noggin! Activity Guide for Parents and Caregivers Developed in collaboration with NASA Learn About Earth Science Ask an Astronaut! Astronaut Shannon Children from across the country had a Walker unique opportunity to talk with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS)! NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) astronaut Shannon Astronaut Walker and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Soichi Noguchi Exploration Agency) astronaut Soichi Noguchi had all of the answers! View NASA/Noggin Downlink and then try some out-of-this- world activities with your child! Why is it important to learn about Space? ● Children are naturally curious about space and want to explore it! ● Space makes it easy and fun to learn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). ● Space inspires creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Here is some helpful information to share with your child before you watch Ask an Astronaut! What is the International Space Station? The International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft that orbits around Earth, approximately 250 miles up. Astronauts live and work there! The ISS brings together astronauts from different countries; they use it as a science lab to explore space. Learn Space Words! Astronauts Earth An astronaut is someone who is Earth is the only planet that people have trained to go into space and learn lived on. The Earth rotates - when it is day more about it. They have to wear here and our part of the Earth faces the special suits to help them breathe. Sun, it is night on the other side of the They get to space in a rocket. -
Astronomy 241: Foundations of Astrophysics I. the Solar System
Astronomy 241: Foundations of Astrophysics I. The Solar System Astronomy 241 is the first part of a year-long Prerequisites: Physics 170, Physics 272 introduction to astrophysics. It uses basic (or concurrent), and Math 242 or 252A. classical mechanics and thermodynamics to Contact: Professor Joshua Barnes analyze the structure and evolution of the ([email protected]; 956-8138) Solar System. www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~barnes/ast241 Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Astrophysics BS Degree Proposal in ASTR PHYS MATH CHEM preparation FALL 241 251A 161, 171 or 181 year 1 161L, 171L, or 181L SPRING 170 242 252A 162 year 1 170L 162L Foundations of Astrophysics I: FALL 241 272 243 253A The Solar System year 2 272L Foundations of Astrophysics II: SPRING 242 274 244 Galaxies & Stars year 2 274L Observational Astronomy & FALL 300 310 311 (or 307?) Laboratory year 3 300L 350 SPRING 301 311 Observational Project year 3 450 FALL 423 480 Stellar Astrophysics year 4 495 SPRING 496 481 Senior Project I, II year4 485 1 of: ASTR 320, 426, or 430 Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Units Text uses MKS units (meter, kilo-gram, second); e.g. G ≃ 6.674 × 10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2 (gravitational constant). Astronomers also use non-standard units: AU ≃ 1.496 × 1011 m (“average” Earth-Sun distance) 30 M⊙ ≃ 1.989 × 10 kg (Sun’s mass) yr ≃ 3.156 × 107 s (Earth’s orbital period) Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Order of Magnitude & Dimensional Analysis: An Example Given that Jupiter’s average density is slightly greater than water, estimate the orbital period of a satellite circling just above the planet. -
Photochemically Driven Collapse of Titan's Atmosphere
REPORTS has escaped, the surface temperature again Photochemically Driven Collapse decreases, down to about 86 K, slightly of Titan’s Atmosphere above the equilibrium temperature, because of the slight greenhouse effect resulting Ralph D. Lorenz,* Christopher P. McKay, Jonathan I. Lunine from the N2 opacity below (longward of) 200 cm21. Saturn’s giant moon Titan has a thick (1.5 bar) nitrogen atmosphere, which has a These calculations assume the present temperature structure that is controlled by the absorption of solar and thermal radiation solar constant of 15.6 W m22 and a surface by methane, hydrogen, and organic aerosols into which methane is irreversibly converted albedo of 0.2 and ignore the effects of N2 by photolysis. Previous studies of Titan’s climate evolution have been done with the condensation. As noted in earlier studies assumption that the methane abundance was maintained against photolytic depletion (5), when the atmosphere cools during the throughout Titan’s history, either by continuous supply from the interior or by buffering CH4 depletion, the model temperature at by a surface or near surface reservoir. Radiative-convective and radiative-saturated some altitudes in the atmosphere (here, at equilibrium models of Titan’s atmosphere show that methane depletion may have al- ;10 km for 20% CH4 surface humidity) lowed Titan’s atmosphere to cool so that nitrogen, its main constituent, condenses onto becomes lower than the saturation temper- the surface, collapsing Titan into a Triton-like frozen state with a thin atmosphere. -
European Astroparticle Physics Strategy 2017-2026 Astroparticle Physics European Consortium
European Astroparticle Physics Strategy 2017-2026 Astroparticle Physics European Consortium August 2017 European Astroparticle Physics Strategy 2017-2026 www.appec.org Executive Summary Astroparticle physics is the fascinating field of research long-standing mysteries such as the true nature of Dark at the intersection of astronomy, particle physics and Matter and Dark Energy, the intricacies of neutrinos cosmology. It simultaneously addresses challenging and the occurrence (or non-occurrence) of proton questions relating to the micro-cosmos (the world decay. of elementary particles and their fundamental interactions) and the macro-cosmos (the world of The field of astroparticle physics has quickly celestial objects and their evolution) and, as a result, established itself as an extremely successful endeavour. is well-placed to advance our understanding of the Since 2001 four Nobel Prizes (2002, 2006, 2011 and Universe beyond the Standard Model of particle physics 2015) have been awarded to astroparticle physics and and the Big Bang Model of cosmology. the recent – revolutionary – first direct detections of gravitational waves is literally opening an entirely new One of its paths is targeted at a better understanding and exhilarating window onto our Universe. We look of cataclysmic events such as: supernovas – the titanic forward to an equally exciting and productive future. explosions marking the final evolutionary stage of massive stars; mergers of multi-solar-mass black-hole Many of the next generation of astroparticle physics or neutron-star binaries; and, most compelling of all, research infrastructures require substantial capital the violent birth and subsequent evolution of our infant investment and, for Europe to remain competitive Universe. -
Chapter 3: Familiarizing Yourself with the Night Sky
Chapter 3: Familiarizing Yourself With the Night Sky Introduction People of ancient cultures viewed the sky as the inaccessible home of the gods. They observed the daily motion of the stars, and grouped them into patterns and images. They assigned stories to the stars, relating to themselves and their gods. They believed that human events and cycles were part of larger cosmic events and cycles. The night sky was part of the cycle. The steady progression of star patterns across the sky was related to the ebb and flow of the seasons, the cyclical migration of herds and hibernation of bears, the correct times to plant or harvest crops. Everywhere on Earth people watched and recorded this orderly and majestic celestial procession with writings and paintings, rock art, and rock and stone monuments or alignments. When the Great Pyramid in Egypt was constructed around 2650 BC, two shafts were built into it at an angle, running from the outside into the interior of the pyramid. The shafts coincide with the North-South passage of two stars important to the Egyptians: Thuban, the star closest to the North Pole at that time, and one of the stars of Orion’s belt. Orion was The Ishango Bone, thought to be a 20,000 year old associated with Osiris, one of the Egyptian gods of the lunar calendar underworld. The Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, built by Plains Indians, consists of rocks in the shape of a large circle, with lines radiating from a central hub like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. -
History of Astrometry
5 Gaia web site: http://sci.esa.int/Gaia site: web Gaia 6 June 2009 June are emerging about the nature of our Galaxy. Galaxy. our of nature the about emerging are More detailed information can be found on the the on found be can information detailed More technologies developed by creative engineers. creative by developed technologies scientists all over the world, and important conclusions conclusions important and world, the over all scientists of the Universe combined with the most cutting-edge cutting-edge most the with combined Universe the of The results from Hipparcos are being analysed by by analysed being are Hipparcos from results The expression of a widespread curiosity about the nature nature the about curiosity widespread a of expression 118218 stars to a precision of around 1 milliarcsecond. milliarcsecond. 1 around of precision a to stars 118218 trying to answer for many centuries. It is the the is It centuries. many for answer to trying created with the positions, distances and motions of of motions and distances positions, the with created will bring light to questions that astronomers have been been have astronomers that questions to light bring will accuracies obtained from the ground. A catalogue was was catalogue A ground. the from obtained accuracies Gaia represents the dream of many generations as it it as generations many of dream the represents Gaia achieving an improvement of about 100 compared to to compared 100 about of improvement an achieving orbit, the Hipparcos satellite observed the whole sky, sky, whole the observed satellite Hipparcos the orbit, ear Y of them in the solar neighbourhood. -
Introduction to Astronomy from Darkness to Blazing Glory
Introduction to Astronomy From Darkness to Blazing Glory Published by JAS Educational Publications Copyright Pending 2010 JAS Educational Publications All rights reserved. Including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Second Edition Author: Jeffrey Wright Scott Photographs and Diagrams: Credit NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USGS, NOAA, Aames Research Center JAS Educational Publications 2601 Oakdale Road, H2 P.O. Box 197 Modesto California 95355 1-888-586-6252 Website: http://.Introastro.com Printing by Minuteman Press, Berkley, California ISBN 978-0-9827200-0-4 1 Introduction to Astronomy From Darkness to Blazing Glory The moon Titan is in the forefront with the moon Tethys behind it. These are two of many of Saturn’s moons Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, ISS, JPL, ESA, NASA 2 Introduction to Astronomy Contents in Brief Chapter 1: Astronomy Basics: Pages 1 – 6 Workbook Pages 1 - 2 Chapter 2: Time: Pages 7 - 10 Workbook Pages 3 - 4 Chapter 3: Solar System Overview: Pages 11 - 14 Workbook Pages 5 - 8 Chapter 4: Our Sun: Pages 15 - 20 Workbook Pages 9 - 16 Chapter 5: The Terrestrial Planets: Page 21 - 39 Workbook Pages 17 - 36 Mercury: Pages 22 - 23 Venus: Pages 24 - 25 Earth: Pages 25 - 34 Mars: Pages 34 - 39 Chapter 6: Outer, Dwarf and Exoplanets Pages: 41-54 Workbook Pages 37 - 48 Jupiter: Pages 41 - 42 Saturn: Pages 42 - 44 Uranus: Pages 44 - 45 Neptune: Pages 45 - 46 Dwarf Planets, Plutoids and Exoplanets: Pages 47 -54 3 Chapter 7: The Moons: Pages: 55 - 66 Workbook Pages 49 - 56 Chapter 8: Rocks and Ice: -
Wildland Firefighter Smoke Exposure
❑ United States Department of Agriculture Wildland Firefighter Smoke Exposure EST SERVIC FOR E Forest National Technology & 1351 1803 October 2013 D E E P R A U RTMENT OF AGRICULT Service Development Program 5100—Fire Management Wildland Firefighter Smoke Exposure By George Broyles Fire Project Leader Information contained in this document has been developed for the guidance of employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, its contractors, and cooperating Federal and State agencies. The USDA Forest Service assumes no responsibility for the interpretation or use of this information by other than its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official evaluation, conclusion, recommendation, endorsement, or approval of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. -
Protect Your Health During Wildfires
Protect Your Health During Wildfires Smoke from wildfires can harm anyone nearby and even many miles downwind. Breathing smoke can shorten lives and cause heart attacks, asthma attacks and other dangerous health effects. Even healthy adults can risk coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Preparation for wildfires Coordinating Partners: Before a wildfire occurs Preparation is key to protecting your family, especially if you live where wildfire risk is high. Here are some steps to take: • Know how you will get alerts and health warnings about high fire risk or an active fire. Contact your local authorities how to sign up for alerts. • Before fire season begins, make sure you have extra food, water, and medications on hand to last for several days so that you don’t need to go out during the event. • Designate a clean room in your home. That room may need a properly-sized air purifier with a HEPA filter to further reduce particles coming from the outside. • Understand what plans your workplace, or your child’s school or day care center has in place when wildfires occur. • If you think you’ll need to be outside during the fire, consider getting disposable respirator masks that are rated as N95 or higher to help reduce inhalation of particle pollution. These masks must fit securely to work. They do not work for children or people with beards. Do not use dust masks or surgical masks because they do not filter out harmful particles. Go here to learn how to wear an N95 mask. Talk with your doctor Talk with your doctor about how to prepare for this smoke, especially if you or someone in the family fits into one of these categories: works outdoors; is under age 18 or over age Smoke from 65; is pregnant; or has asthma, COPD or other lung diseases, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. -
Exploding the Ellipse Arnold Good
Exploding the Ellipse Arnold Good Mathematics Teacher, March 1999, Volume 92, Number 3, pp. 186–188 Mathematics Teacher is a publication of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). More than 200 books, videos, software, posters, and research reports are available through NCTM’S publication program. Individual members receive a 20% reduction off the list price. For more information on membership in the NCTM, please call or write: NCTM Headquarters Office 1906 Association Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-9988 Phone: (703) 620-9840 Fax: (703) 476-2970 Internet: http://www.nctm.org E-mail: [email protected] Article reprinted with permission from Mathematics Teacher, copyright May 1991 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved. Arnold Good, Framingham State College, Framingham, MA 01701, is experimenting with a new approach to teaching second-year calculus that stresses sequences and series over integration techniques. eaders are advised to proceed with caution. Those with a weak heart may wish to consult a physician first. What we are about to do is explode an ellipse. This Rrisky business is not often undertaken by the professional mathematician, whose polytechnic endeavors are usually limited to encounters with administrators. Ellipses of the standard form of x2 y2 1 5 1, a2 b2 where a > b, are not suitable for exploding because they just move out of view as they explode. Hence, before the ellipse explodes, we must secure it in the neighborhood of the origin by translating the left vertex to the origin and anchoring the left focus to a point on the x-axis. -
TAKE-HOME EXP. # 1 Naked-Eye Observations of Stars and Planets
TAKE-HOME EXP. # 1 Naked-Eye Observations of Stars and Planets Naked-eye observations of some of the brightest stars, constellations, and planets can help us locate our place in the universe. Such observations—plus our imaginations—allow us to actively participate in the movements of the universe. During the last few thousand years, what humans have said about the universe based on naked-eye observations of the night and day skies reveals the tentativeness of physical models based solely on sensory perception. Create, in your mind's eye, the fixed celestial sphere. See yourself standing on the Earth at Observer's the center of this sphere. As you make the zenith + star-pattern drawings of this experiment, your perception may argue that the entire sphere of fixed star patterns is moving around the Earth and you. To break that illusion, you probably have to consciously shift your frame of º reference—your mental viewpoint, in this 50 up from the horizon case— to a point far above the Earth. From South there you can watch the globe of Earth slowly Observer on local horizon plane rotate you , while the universe remains essentially stationary during your viewing It is you that turns slowly underneath a fixed and unchanging pattern of lights. Naked eye observations and imagination has led to constellation names like "Big Bear" or "Big Dipper". These names don't change anything physically —except, and very importantly, they aid humans' memory and use of star patterns. A. Overview This experiment involves going outside to a location where you can observe a simple pattern of stars, including at least 2, but preferably 3 or 4 stars. -
Science in Nasa's Vision for Space Exploration
SCIENCE IN NASA’S VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION SCIENCE IN NASA’S VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION Committee on the Scientific Context for Space Exploration Space Studies Board Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS Washington, D.C. www.nap.edu THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. Support for this project was provided by Contract NASW 01001 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. International Standard Book Number 0-309-09593-X (Book) International Standard Book Number 0-309-54880-2 (PDF) Copies of this report are available free of charge from Space Studies Board National Research Council The Keck Center of the National Academies 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu. Copyright 2005 by the National Academy of Sciences.