Planets like Earth or Planets for Life

   IF we had a ship and we could travel to a known planet, what should we look for to sustain life in terms of rotation, revolution, distance from a star, atmosphere, protection?

  Based on what we know, how likely are we to find another planet like our own?    What features are you considering when you answer this question?

(This was the one page summary you were to write on Thursday.)


Now, consider NASA's budget .  How will this funding impact our efforts to reach this planet?  And what should we do with NASA in the future?    Please add 2-3 paragraphs to your discussion.  

Dangers and Accomplishments of Space Travel

Using the STARTING information found at http://www.nineplanets.org , research ONE manned and ONE unmanned mission off of Earth.  You must add to this, and create a poster that focuses on the Risks, Accomplishments, and Costs of the Mission.

Finding New Planets

Transit of a Planet

http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~imamura/121/lecture-6/lecture-6.html

(An eclipse is a special type of a transit)


Wobble Method

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/C-VB10b-20090528.html

2012, magnetic pole reversal, and life on other planets

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html
http://www.greatdreams.com/2012.htm
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/

Magnetosphere

Pole Reversal

Reading

Creating a Scale Model of the Solar System

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/index.html

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/age/index.html

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/


Scale a solar system using the West Delaware Science room as your starting point.  Create this as poster diagram.

You must include the 8 planets, the Kuiper belt (include pluto), the asteroid belt, and the Oort Cloud.

Some links above MAY help.

The Planetary Construction Zone

Spin Around the Solar System: A Planetary Primer

The Size of the Universe...some things to think about

(This link show size, but then uses science to "prove" religion.   This is the thing about NOMA--you can use science to support your religious view, but you can't "prove" God.  That is a matter of faith and beyond the realm of astronomy)
This video shows the relative size of Betelguese.


This video goes from planets to galaxies.


You are either really, really important...or really, really small.   It's all a matter of perspective.

Calendars and the Location of the Sun on the Zenith

On 1/14, we read 3.3, 3.4, and talked about the location of the sun during the Seasons, culture, and calendars.  If you were gone, you may wish to take a look at the slides below.

Spin Around the Solar System: Moon Dance

We'll be studying the moon through the middle of next week.  This is the introductory video

Lab 2: Astronomy

This lab may be done individually or with ONE partner.

Use a star catalogue or Stellarium to identify the names of all the stars in ONE of the following constellations: Bootes, Leo, Lyra, Sagittarius, Scorpio, or Aquila. Also identify the distances to the nearest Light year.

Using cardboard and the tinfoil/string method, or the stick and jelly bean method shown in the 5th PPT for the constellation Orion, make a 3D model of the night sky. Attach your answers to the following questions to the model

1.The table of stars:

Name of star |Distance in LY| Magnitude (absolute)| Magnitude (relative) | Spectral Type (O, B, A, F, G, K, M, or L)| Parallax

2. The legend of the constellation

3. When I can see this constellation in the Northern Hemisphere (i.e., Iowa)

This 3D model takes a while, so you have until 1/25/2011 to complete it.

Occam's Razor and the Idea of Epicycles

http://www.jimloy.com/cindy/ptolemy.htm



The most useful statement of the principle for scientists is
"when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better."

Galileo's Dialogue

Video

List at least 5 astronomy-related factoids about Galileo for the upcoming exam.

Talk about the role of churches as political power.   Could this happen today?   Explain.

Lab 1: Astronomy

Take a look at the sky maps tool you were given on day 1.

1) For January, which star will appear to be the highest in the night sky?
2) Which constellation is closest to the Southern horizon?

3) Why is this sky map flat when the celestial sphere is curved? What difficulties does this present?

4) What constellation will the Sun be kissing in April? What does this mean to astrologers, astronomers, and/or night sky viewers?

5) Which way is the earth rotating? How long does it take the Sun to "kiss" each of the ecliptic constellations?

6) When the Sun is "kissing" the constellation, what part(s) of the night sky will the other zodiac constellations be located in?

Email your individual answers to mapowellwdATgmailDOTcom OR put in the dropbox at Wiggio by 1/17/2011

Stellarium

There are many FREE astronomy software packages out there.   Perhaps the most user-friendly are Google Earth and Stellarium

The website for Stellarium is http://www.stellarium.org  

Constellation Links In Streaming.DiscoveryEducation

 The Cosmos:  January to March

The Night Skies from the Southern Hemisphere

Opiuchus

Constellations of the Northern Hemisphere

Science vs. Religion, and Pseudoscience, the Overlap

Chunk the reading found at http://www.stephenjaygould.org/library/gould_noma.html  into pieces...so everyone at your table is reading 4 to 5 paragraphs.  When you get done, use a whiteboard to discuss the following questions:

a) what is science?
b) what is religion?
c) what is the theory of non-overlapping magisterium?
d) what would we call the overlap of science and religion?
e) which of the three ideas (science, pseudoscience, religion) were shown by the first astronomers?
f) can atheism be a religion?










 

Carl Sagan Pseudoscience/Astrology