ScienceBoom » Astronomy

Star-forming galaxies like grains of sand

Michael Doig — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:03:41 +0000

Star-forming galaxies like grains of sand – Thousands of galaxies crowd into this Herschel image of the distant Universe. Each dot is an entire galaxy containing billions of stars.

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Blue Moon on New Year’s Eve

Michael Doig — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:33:38 +0000

Blue Moon on New Year’s Eve – The term “blue moon” simply refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, something that hasn’t happened on a New Year’s Eve for nearly 20 years.

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Simulate Galaxies Merging with Galaxy Zoo

Michael Doig — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:31:22 +0000

Simulate Galaxies Merging with Galaxy Zoo – Select galaxies and watch them crash into each other, whirl around and spill their stars into the universe.

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Amazing Time-Lapse of Milky Way

Michael Doig — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:38:04 +0000

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party – One of the most amazing time-lapse videos I have ever seen.

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Hubble Images of ‘Butterfly Nebula’

Michael Doig — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:02:29 +0000

CNN.com – Amazing images of the Butterfly Nebula from the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Have You Ever Dreamt of Going Into Space?

Michael Doig — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:03:31 +0000

Since the beginning of the Space Age, 50 years ago, students have been told that if they studied math and science, they could grow up to become astronauts and go into space.

Unfortunately, that was a false promise. Even at the height of the Shuttle program, a student had a better chance of becoming an NBA basketball player than a NASA astronaut. No wonder today’s students show more interest in athletics than math and science.

What if we could turn that around and show students that they have a real chance for a future in space?

The Space Frontier Foundation wants to show students that they have a chance of going to space. And the best way to show students is to send astronaut teachers into American schools to share their spaceflight experience.

Every journey begins with a single step. The Pathfinder program is the first step in the journey toward the goal of putting a thousand astronaut teachers into American classrooms.

Pathfinders will be the first astronaut teachers to fly in space and return to the classroom. These Pathfinders will not only fly in space, they will also help design the three-week training course for the large number of teachers who follow. Pathfinders will also be invited to return each summer to help teach the course.

The project, which has a budget of $20 million, will eventually enable the Space Frontier Foundation to send 200 teachers a year — four from every U.S. state — into space.

Due to the high degree of interest, the deadline for applications is extended to December 4, 2008, but please don’t wait until the last minute. If two candidates whose applications are given identical weighting by the selection committee, preference may be given to the application received first, so do not delay.

You can download an application at the Teachers in Space site.

See you in orbit!

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Dynamic Earth: Our Universe PowerPoint Presentations

Michael Doig — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:29:20 +0000

Thank you everyone who attended the Dynamic Earth Professional Development. Below you will find the PowerPoint presentations that I used. If you have any questions about the presentations, feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget to sign up for the forums.

Day 1 – The Big Bang

Day 2 – Our Solar System

Day 3 – Earth’s History

Day 4 – Dynamic Earth

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Science Terms In Modern Media

Michael Doig — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:00:02 +0000

In response to Dan Meyer’s Where is Your List?, I put together this collection of science related animations, movies, and interactive modules. This list features resources I find valuable and have used either in a PowerPoint presentation or as a stand alone example. I still like to keep science real, but sometimes an animation can bring a topic to life in ways a text or lecture can not.
1) Radiation & Conduction
2) Atmospheric Layers
3) Big Bang
4) Plate Tectonics
5) Earth Rotation
6) Sun Motions
7) The Seasons
8) Pangaea Breakup
9) Polar Sea Ice Melting
10) Lunar Landing
11) Making a Topographic Profile
12) Convection Currents
13) Density
14) Seismic Waves
15) Volcano animation: Mt. Kilauea
16) Minerals
17) The Rock Cycle
18) The Water Cycle
19) Land Slide
20) Flash Flood
21) Braided Stream
22) Soil Horizons
23) Half-Life
24) El Niño/ La Niña
25) Global Warming
26) Phases of the Moon
27) Tides
28) Orbital Eccentricity
29) Periodic Table (Thanks Todd)
30) Sun Dial (Thanks A. Mercer)

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Total Lunar Eclipse – February 20, 2008

Michael Doig — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:19 +0000

The next total lunar eclipse is scheduled to occur on February 20, 2008 at 10:26 pm. Giving out extra credit would be a great motivator for students to stay up and watch the event.

A total eclipse of the Moon occurs during the night of Wednesday, February 20/21, 2008. The entire event is visible from South America and most of North America (on Feb. 20) as well as Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia (on Feb. 21). During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon’s disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.

Visit NASA’s eclipse information site for more details.

Edit: Video added on 2/25/2008.