Ten Things You Need to Know About Astronomy
I’m back from a week of grueling and tiresome home improvements and the first thing I see in my inbox is that it’s time for a Science and Health Channel theme day. This week’s theme, Top Ten lists.
So, away we go…
Here is a list of ten things I think everyone should know about astronomy.
- How to find the north star (or the Southern Cross, thanks Wilson)
- What causes the seasons
- The difference between astronomy and astrology
- What Saturn looks like through a telescope
- The life cycle of a star
- The age of the universe
- That the universe is expanding
- We are losing our dark skies to obnoxious and unnecessary lighting
- We actually went to the moon and landed there, more than once
- The face on Mars… isn’t
The Science and Health channel theme day was, strictly speaking, supposed to be a Top Ten list, but I didn’t want to be so presumptuous as to think these are the top ten things people should know. To be perfectly honest, they aren’t, they’re just among the most basic.
Of course, MY readers have #3 down cold. Right? Hummmm?
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POSTED IN: general astronomy, i am not a monkey
8 opinions for Ten Things You Need to Know About Astronomy
Wilson
Oct 16, 2007 at 4:02 am
Hmm, can you replace #1 with “how to find the North Star and/or the Southern Cross”? Not everyone *can* find the North Star, you see…
Tony
Oct 16, 2007 at 9:17 am
Hi Wilson, I just added it. Thanks for pointing that out.
Dave
Oct 16, 2007 at 10:21 am
My kids says the life Cycle of a star is egg, larva, then adult…
*I* say it’s Wash, Spin, Rinse…
Samuel Forbes
Oct 16, 2007 at 11:50 am
You should have added something about Star Trek being real and that TV is the governments way of breaking it to us.
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Samuel Forbes
Oct 16, 2007 at 11:50 am
p.s. obviously Star Wars is made up :P
alicia
Oct 16, 2007 at 3:20 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever been able to find the North Star…or even if I can… at first I heard/thought it was the brightest, but then I heard somewhere it wasn’t…?
Gabrielle
Oct 16, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Great list, Tony! Even though I do know the difference between astrology and astronomy, I will never forget the first time I ever saw the Southern Cross - one of my first days living in Chile. It really did signify a different set of stars that guided my life for the next few years.
Miriam
Oct 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Hey!
I just wanted to let everyone know about Magnificent Desoltion:Walking on the Moon, a new Space DVD from HBO Video. Kids and Adults will experience one of the greatest accomplishments in human history with this DVD that includes accounts from Astronauts, Exclusive NASA Footage and an Interactive Bonus Feature that focuses on the Apollo missions! This DVD will surely make a great gift for children and adults this holiday season…so look out for this! Out on November 6th!
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