Astronomy Journalfcarloteach.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Astronomy-Journal-Bo… · know that the universe is vast. According to the cos-mological principle, the universe will

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Created by: Frances Carlo

EDTC 628-20: ASTRONOMY, K-12

Summer 2017

Astronomy

Journal

Frances Carlo

EDTC 628-20: ASTRONOMY, K-12

Summer 2017

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Notes:

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Notes:

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Monday, July 10, 2017

Today was the first day of class, and I must admit, I am quite

excited to learn more about astronomy and space. I wish we could

set up a telescope and observe the night sky every night, and wonder

what life would be like if we were able to travel far out in space.

Imagine… going to the moon on vacation. I will definitely need

more than the standard 2-week personal time off to make the trip. It

took Apollo 11 four days to reach Earth’s satellite. Not to mention

the prep time I need to get my body acclimated for space travel, and

back to Earth.

I would bring with me all sorts of recording devices to document

my travel, and my favorite pillow [I can’t sleep without it]. I

wouldn't mind the cramped lodging as long as I get a window seat.

Once situated, I would probably spend most of my time staring at

Earth, and wondering how life would be like if we never looked up in

the sky.

Speaking of looking up in the sky, we just had a full moon two

days ago. I absolutely love it when we have a full moon —having

waited 16 days for the “full” showing. The full moon makes the

night sky seem friendly and cheerful, and full of possibilities. The

moon’s bright light also seem to trigger my imagination to create fan-

ciful stories of beings yearning to find their true love, or wishing to

be given another chance to make things right.

So, if I were to travel to the moon on vacation, will I look back at

Earth and imagine fanciful stories of home, and wishing to be given

a chance, just one more chance to make things right? I wonder...

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Tuesday, July 11, 2017

What is a full moon? A full moon is the phase of the

moon when it is fully illuminated from our point of view on

Earth. Imagine it at the 180 º point of its orbit around Earth

from its new moon phase, and it is when the Earth is posi-

tioned between the sun and the moon.

As the moon travels around the Earth, we only see the part

of the moon that is lit up by the sun; the unlit part (the side we

can’t see) is what we call the dark side of the moon. The way

we see the bright side of the moon changes as the moon revolves

around Earth. The phases of the moon refers to what shape of

the illuminated side of the moon appears to us. The phases of

the moon is a natural event that happens approximately 29.5

days.

Did you know… The full moon in July is also called Thunder

Moon or Hay Moon.

Source:

“What Are the Full Moon Names?” EarthSky, earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/full-

moon-names#northern. Accessed 11 July 2017.

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Sunday, July 30, 2017

We have a clear sky tonight. The moon is gra-

ciously sporting a half moon — First Quarter phase,

to be exact. This beautiful ensemble happens when

the moon orbits around Earth at the 90º point from its

New Moon phase. The First Quarter phase happens

about 7 days into the moon’s revolution around

Earth. We see one half (the right side) because this

is the only portion of the moon we can see from Earth

that is illuminated by the sun. The First Quarter

phase only lasts one day. In a few days, as the moon

continues its revolution around Earth, the it will

transition to next phase, which is the Waxing Gib-

bous. This is when we will see more and more of the

illuminated side of the moon from Earth.

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Saturday, July 29, 2017

The very first time I encountered the concept of

cosmological principle was at the Dark Universe

Space Show in at the Hayden Planetarium. We all

know that the universe is vast. According to the cos-

mological principle, the universe will look the same

regardless of who is viewing it and from where it is

being viewed. In other words, you will see the same

matter and energy from anywhere in the universe.

So, if we are seeing matter and energy in the same

location in space, how big is the universe? Here’s an-

other question… If the universe is expanding at an

accelerated rate, will galaxies eventually collide with

one another?

Source:

Expert, Andrew Zimmerman Jones Physics. “Cosmological Princi-

ple.” About.com Education, 27 May 2013, physics.about.com/od/physicsatod/g/

CosmologicalPrinciple.htm. Accessed 30 July 2017.

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Wednesday, July 12, 2017

SMILE! You’re on candid camera!

Jupiter’s famous Great Red Spot is front and center as the Ju-

noCam imager takes its picture. JunoCam is part of NASA’s Juno

mission, which was launched in August 2011, and reached the giant

planet in July 2016, to explore Jupiter more closely. Juno will orbit

the gas planet 36 times, flying very close over its cloud cover to gather

data so we can learn more about Jupiter’s origin, atmosphere and

structure. There are numerous enhanced images of the Great Red

Spot showing greater details of the swirling crimson red and burnt

orange clouds. However at this time, raw images of it are being ana-

lyzed by scientist to decipher the deep secrets of Jupiter. So stay

tuned for more details.

Did You Know… According to Roman mythology, Juno was a Ro-

man goddess, who was the wife and sister of Jupiter, a Roman god.

As the story goes, one day Juno felt suspicious of Jupiter when a

very thick cloud covered the earth and the heavens. As it turns out,

Jupiter was misbehaving with a river nymph under the ominous

cloud cover. And so the name ‘Juno’ seem fitting as NASA’s Juno

orbiter observes and inspects Jupiter’s thick clouds to reveal its se-

crets.

Sources:

Dunbar, Brian. “What Is Juno?” NASA, NASA, 20 May 2015, www.nasa.gov/audience/

forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-juno-k4.html. Accessed 12 July 2017.

Perez, Martin. “NASA's Juno Spacecraft Spots Jupiter's Great Red Spot.” NASA, NASA, 12

July 2017, www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-juno-spacecraft-spots-jupiter-s-great-red-spot. Accessed 12

July 2017.

“Roman Myth.” Myth: Jupiter, Juno, and Little Io - Ancient Rome for Kids, rome.mrdonn.org/

jupiter.html. Accessed 12 July 2017.

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Thursday, July 13, 2017

What is the celestial sphere? The celestial sphere

is an imaginary sphere where Earth is in its center,

and certain points on the sphere represents the posi-

tion of stars. The celestial sphere is simply to map

the positions of stars from the point of view on

Earth. It is important to note that the North Pole

and South Pole are in line with the celestial poles, as

well. This is why the stars seem to follow a circular

pattern as it moves across the sky; as if it is rising or

setting on regular intervals.

The celestial sphere have been used for centuries as

a navigation tool determined by coordinates relative to

the stars and the angle of declination (location above

or below the equator). So those who live in the

Northern Hemisphere will see certain sets of stars

that are different from what people see if they lived in

the Southern Hemisphere.

Source:

ilectureonline. “Astronomy - Ch. 2: Understanding the Night Sky (8 of 23) Under-

standing Celestial Coordinates.”YouTube, YouTube, 31 Aug. 2014, www.youtube.com/

watch?v=RbPnXF-eeTU. Accessed 13 July 2017.

Kurdstan Planetarium. “Basics of Astronomy: The Celestial Sphere.” YouTube,

YouTube, 24 July 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Toya19H12w. Accessed 13 July 2017.

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Friday, July 28, 2017

Asteroids and comets have fascinated humans since the beginning of

time. Scientists have studied them and discovered that both asteroids and

comets orbit the Sun, and are most likely remnants from dust and clouds

that formed our solar system. Both also have irregular shapes, and have

crashed onto Earth numerous times. One theory involving these space rocks

is that they might have impacted Earth, and caused a catastrophic event

that killed off the dinosaurs. But what sets them apart? What is the differ-

ence between an asteroid and a comet?

Asteroids reside in the Asteroid Belt, between the orbit of Mars and

Jupiter. It separates the inner rocky planets from the outer gas planets.

Comets most likely resides in the outer regions of our solar system — in

Kuiper Belt past Neptune.

Asteroids are mostly composed of rocks and minerals. While comets

are made of ice, rocks, and hydrocarbons. When a comet nears the sun, its

surface becomes unstable because the ice boils off, resulting in the infamous

distinctive “tail” that trails it.

Did you know?... NASA has been preparing for an asteroid that will

closely fly past Earth on October 12, 2017. This asteroid is called 2012

CT4. It was discovered on October 5, 2012, by the Panoramic Survey Tele-

scope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) in Hawaii, and had

been out of telescope range since. The significance of 2012 CT4’s flyby in

October is that it will allow scientists to observe the asteroid from Earth.

Specifically, the event will allow NASA to test their network of observato-

ries for planetary defense.

Source:

“Asteroids and Comets.” Information and Facts | National Geographic, 28 July 2017,

www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/asteroids-comets/. Accessed 28 July 2017.

Greicius, Tony. “Asteroid Flyby Will Benefit NASA Detection and Tracking Network.” NASA,

NASA, 28 July 2017, www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/asteroid-flyby-will-benefit-nasa-detection-and-tracking-

network. Accessed 28 July 2017.

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I came across an intriguing news segment in CNBC.com.

There will be a 50th Anniversary launch of Apollo 11 in 2019! Ap-

parently, Boeing has teamed up with a private moon lander compa-

ny, Astrobotic, to conduct its inaugural mission, and deliver its ini-

tial payload to the Moon for a mere $1.2 million/kg.

According to Astobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander manifest,

there are a list of government agencies, universities, and companies

that have signed partnership agreements to send scientific instru-

ments, time capsules, and personal mementoes (including small

portions of memorial remains) to the moon. Personal items can be

“shipped” to the moon via DHL MoonBox. A 1/2” x 0.125” cap-

sule will cost about $460. Suggested items include, a wedding flower

petal, a lock of hair, sand from a favorite beach, and even a fraterni-

ty/sorority pin!

I can accept the notion of sending scientific instruments for the

sake of learning more about technology and space. But sending per-

sonal mementoes and company branding is just outright obnoxious!

Isn’t it bad enough that some of us are already carelessly littering

Earth; filling it up with debris that will take thousands of years to

decompose. There is no need for this selfish act. Someone once told

me that we are measured not by the materials we leave behind, but the

affect we have in the lives of others. Please, leave no trace behind.

Source:

Gilchrist, Karen. “Boeing Venture Teams up with Private Moon Lander for 2019 Apollo 11 Anni-

versary Launch.”CNBC, CNBC, 27 July 2017, www.cnbc.com/2017/07/27/boeing-venture-teams-up-with-

private-moon-lander-for-2019-apollo-11-anniversary-launch.html. Accessed 27 July 2017.

“Mission One Manifest.” Mission One Manifest | Astrobotic, www.astrobotic.com/manifest. Ac-

cessed 27 July 2017.

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Mars, can you hear me know? From July 22, 2017

- August 1, 2017, NASA will not be sending commu-

nication signals to any equipment on Mars. This is

because of an event called solar conjunction.

Solar conjunction is when Earth and Mars ends

up at opposite sides of the sun, which happens about

every two years. Both planets will seem invisible to

each other. Communication signals between the two

planets become disrupted as it passes through the sun’s

radiation. The rovers on Mars could end up being

damaged if the signals from Earth to Mars ends up

wrong. So, NASA cuts of communication to Mars to

avoid any “miscommunications” that would (or

could) jeopardize the missions on Mars. However,

any signals coming in from Mars, can be retransmit-

ted at a later date so the data being received is com-

plete.

Source:

“For Moratorium on Sending Commands to Mars, Blame the Sun.” NASA, NASA, 14

July 2017, www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6895. Accessed 14 July 2017.

“Solar Conjunction | Mars Exploration Program.” NASA, NASA, mars.nasa.gov/

allaboutmars/nightsky/solar-conjunction/. Accessed 14 July 2017.

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On August 24, 2006, Pluto was officially demoted to a

dwarf planet. Pluto is similar to other regular planets because

it travels on its own orbit around the sun, and it has enough

gravity and mass to be spherical in shape.

So what makes dwarf planets different from regular plan-

ets? Dwarf planets have various space objects, like comets

and asteroids, within its orbit around the sun. Pluto resides in

the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune’s orbit. The Kuiper Belt has

numerous tiny icy rocky objects, which are remnants of cosmic

blasts that were created when our solar system was formed.

So just like that we went from having nine planets in our

solar system down to eight. Poor Pluto!

Did you know… The closest dwarf planet to Earth is Ceres,

which is located in the Asteroid Belt. Pluto happens to be the

most famous dwarf planet because it was once known as the

ninth planet in our solar system.

Source:

“Dwarf Planets - In Depth | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration.” NASA,

NASA, solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/dwarf/indepth. Accessed 15 July 2017.

“Pluto - In Depth | Planets - NASA Solar System Exploration.” NASA, NASA,

solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/pluto/indepth. Accessed 15 July 2017.

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The Perseid Meteor Shower of 2017 began on July 17, and will

end on August 24. However, the meteor shower’s peak will happen on Au-

gust 12, when you can see an average rate of 150-200 meteors per hour; as

oppose to an average of 80 per hour during a typical meteor shower. Ac-

cording to an article on Space.com titled, Perseid Meteor Shower of 2017:

When, Where, and How to See It, the meteor shower will peak at 1:00 pm

EDT. Since this is during the afternoon, skywatchers have determined

viewing the meteor shower the night before, the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 12,

or the night after to be the most ideal times.

What causes the Perseid meteor shower to occur? The annual Perseid

meteor shower occurs because Earth actually passes through the left-over

dust and debris from a comet that consistently passes our planet as it orbits

the sun. This comet is called Swift-Tuttle. The last time comet Swift-

Tuttle passed by Earth was in 1992, and it will come by again in 2126.

The comet’s dust and debris that remains in space are called meteoroids.

Once they “fall” through the sky and reaches our atmosphere, the comet de-

bris are called meteors. However, if it doesn’t burn up as it goes through

our atmosphere and reaches the ground intact, it is called a meteorite.

Where is the best way to view the meteor shower? The best place to view

this spectacular show is at the darkest part of your area (in the suburbs or

countryside). Expert skywatchers recommend to be patient and comforta-

ble. Therefore, be sure to have a reclining chair or blanket, some snacks

and drinks, and bug spray.

Source:

Editor, Sarah Lewin Space.com Associate. “Perseid Meteor Shower 2017: When,

Where & How to See It.”Space.com, www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-

guide.html. Accessed 26 July 2017.

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I was looking to purchase a few solar glasses to get ready for the up-

coming solar eclipse when I stumbled upon this awesome video on how to

make a pinhole projector using a cereal box!

Materials:

Directions:

1. Trace and cut a piece of white paper that fit along the bottom of the

cereal box.

2. Tape the paper inside the cereal box along the bottom.

3. Tape the cereal box closed.

4. On the top of the cereal box, cut a rectangular hole on the left and right

side.

5. Cover the left hole with a piece of aluminum foil. Secure it with tape.

6. Poke a pinhole in the center of the aluminum foil. Be careful not to

damage the aluminum foil.

7. During the eclipse, face away from the sun. With the sun behind you,

look into the hole on the right-hand side of the cereal box. The one

without aluminum foil.

8. Watch the eclipse as it is projected onto the paper inside the cereal box.

Source:

“How to Make a Pinhole Projector to View the Solar Eclipse.” YouTube, 24 June 2017,

youtu.be/FLnUco5x8Ys. Accessed 25 July 2017.

empty cereal box aluminum foil

white paper a pin or thumb tack

scissors tape

Page 9


What are the differences between terrestrial and

Jovian planets? Terrestrial planets are considered

Earth-like. These planets are made up of solid rock

surface with metal cores, and are relatively small in

size and mass. Terrestrial planets have varying lay-

ers of gas, or atmosphere that surrounds it. The inner

planets in our solar system are examples of terrestrial

planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Jovian planets, on the other hand, are considered

to be Jupiter-like, such as our gas planets Jupiter,

Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets are

larger in size and masses compared to the terrestrial

planets. The atmosphere in Jovian planets consists

mainly of nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. They are

also located farther way from the sun.

Source:

PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/

activities/3113_origins_07.html. Accessed 16 July 2017.

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Water on the moon? According to an article in Science

Daily, scientist have found new evidence that suggests the

moon’s mantle may contain water. They came to this conclu-

sion when they found “similar amounts of water as some of

basalts on Earth” on samples of lunar volcanic deposits that

were part of the payload brought back from the Apollo 15 and

17 missions. At first the scientists were skeptical — thinking

that maybe the samples were isolated to just one section of the

moon, or an anomaly. But as they conducted various labora-

tory-based experiments on the tiny crystalline substances with-

in the volcanic beads (ensuring to isolate any results from other

minerals and compounds), and combined their results with

data collected from other studies about the surface of the moon,

the scientists concluded that if traces of water is present in the

lunar volcanic deposits found on the surface of the moon, then

the mantle must also contain water.

Scientists are still not 100% sure where the traces of water

on the moon originated. The growing evidence that water may

have once been on the moon raises further questions. If we are

able to retrieve water deep within the moon’s surface, will there

be enough to sustain human population on the moon?

Source:

Brown University. (2017, July 24). Moon has a water-rich interior. ScienceDaily.

Retrieved July 24, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170724114125.htm

Page 18

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The center of our solar system is the Sun. It produces energy

that we rely on to survive and thrive on Earth. But what is the

sun made of?

The Sun, is actually a star, and it produced energy just like

any other stars. The Sun is mostly made up of hydrogen (about

72%), followed by helium (about 23%), and then other ele-

ments such as oxygen, carbon, neon, nitrogen, magnesium, iron

and silicon.

The Sun generates energy by fusing hydrogen into helium in

its core. The energy released from the fusion heats up the layer

above the core. Since the layers away from the Sun’s core is less

dense, the gas rises up and transfers heat to the surrounding are-

as. This layer is called the convection layer. When gas cools

down as it moves away form the core, it then sinks back down to

the core.

Above the convection layer is the photosphere. The photo-

sphere, which is considered the sun’s surface, is very thin that

light shines through it, and energy is released into space. The

Sun’s light actually reaches Earth in about 8 minutes.

Did you know… The Sun’s corona is a very thin layer that can

only be seen during a solar eclipse.

Source:

Charles Q. Choi, Space.com Contributor. “Earth's Sun: Facts About the Sun's Age, Size and Histo-

ry.” Space.com, www.space.com/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html. Accessed 17 July 2017.

“Fun Sun Facts for Kids - Interesting Facts about the Sun.” Science Kids - Fun Science & Technolo-

Page 12


How are stars classified? Stars can be classified by their

spectra, or bands of colors produced based on the arrangement

of wavelengths of visible, ultraviolet and infrared light. Each

star produces energy and emits light in certain wavelengths.

Stars also have different layers of gases, with different elements

and compositions, that simultaneously absorb and emit light at

various temperatures. So, hotter stars give off light in the blue

end of the spectrum, while cooler stars give off light towards the

red side of the spectrum. Letters were used to identify the main

groupings of stars, and numbers were assigned to the subgroups

— according by temperature.

Did you know… The category of stars were rearranged due to

updates and new discoveries on the characteristics of stars. The

letter O is the hottest, followed by B, A, F, G, K, and M. The

Sun has a surface temperature of about 10,000ºF, and is clas-

sified as G2 star. To give you perspective, Polaris is classified

as an F star, and Sirius (the brightest star) is an A star.

Source:

Charles Q. Choi, Space.com Contributor. “Star Facts: The Basics of Star Names and Stellar Evolu-

tion.”Space.com, www.space.com/57-stars-formation-classification-and-constellations.html. Accessed 18

July 2017.

“How Hot Is the Sun?” How Hot Is The Sun?, www.planetsforkids.org/how-hot-is-the-sun.html.

Accessed 18 July 2017.

Polaris Star - Facts About Polaris | Solarsystemquick.com, www.solarsystemquick.com/universe/

polaris-star.htm. Accessed 18 July 2017

Page 17


What is the Big Bang Theory? One of the topics covered in the

Dark Universe Space Show at the Hayden Planetarium was how the

universe began. Scientists have determined, as they compared and ana-

lyzed data from various astrological discoveries, that as the universe

cools down, it expands. So if you move backwards in time, the universe

might have been made up of atoms that were infinitely hotter and more

dense than it is now. If you move further back in time, the universe may

have been extremely volatile that it “exploded”, causing atoms to fuse

together, and the universe began to expand. This expansion created

stars, within galaxies, and planets and its satellites within solar sys-

tems.

The Big Bang theory became a more acceptable explanation of how

the universe began when scientist accidentally recorded very low-level

light while testing a new antenna. The scientist were able to determine

that the cosmic microwave particles were the oldest light ever recorded —

one that might have been emitted soon after the Big Bang. Keeping in

mind, of course, that the universe contains the same amount of matter

from when it began up to present time. Further studies confirms this

theory. Scientists found more evidence of the same light particles as

they mapped the universe. They even found evidence of the same light

particles in Jupiter’s atmosphere.

Think about it… if these ancient cosmic light particles were trapped

in our atmosphere when Earth began to form, then are these particles the

ones that “energized” and created the fundamental structure of life on

Earth? I wonder.

Source:

“Case Study: The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.” AMNH, www.amnh.org/

explore/resource-collections/cosmic-horizons/case-study-the-cosmic-microwave-background-

radiation. Accessed 23 July 2017.

Page 16


My husband and I spent most of the day at the American Muse-

um of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium. First on our

itinerary was the 10:30 a.m. showing of Dark Universe Space Show

in the Planetarium. What an experience! We were immersed in an

awesome visual display of what the universe would look like if we were

actually flying through it.

Humans study the universe (from the largest objects to the smallest

atoms) and the energy each matter emits or absorbs so we can find out

more about our place in the universe. What I found fascinating from

the Dark Universe Space Show is that the universe contains vast

amount of matter — both normal matter (what we can see and touch)

and dark matter. Normal matter, believe it or not, only accounts for

less than 5% of the total observable universe.

Dark matter, on the other hand, are invisible particles that seem to

hold the stars within galaxies together. Scientists know it exists only

through the observable gravitational effects it has on galaxies. Dark

matter keeps galaxies in clusters in its location in space. I would

equate dark matter as being similar to force. Dark matter exists in

between the light emitted by stars. It doesn't absorb nor emit light.

Dark matter allows all space objects to move, yet keeps it in “place.”

Did you know… The light we see from stars is actually very old.

Since stars are located millions (or even billions) of miles away, the

light they emit takes a long tome to reach us on Earth. So, we are see-

ing light that happened when the universe was just beginning to take

form.

Source:

Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor. “What's 96 Percent of the Universe

Made Of? Astronomers Don't Know.” Space.com, www.space.com/11642-dark-matter-dark-

energy-4-percent-universe-panek.html. Accessed 22 July 2017.

Page 13


What is the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram? Why is it important? The

Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a graph that shows the relationship of a star’s

luminosity to its temperature and size. Luminosity is the degree of brightness

the star emits due to how much energy it produces. The Hertzsprung-Russell

diagram is a way to plot in a graph what category a star belongs based on its

luminosity and temperature. It shows in a simple graph the classification of

stars. It also shows the relationship between the size, temperature, and lumi-

nosity of the stars.

The HR diagram shows that

majority of the stars fall within the

central diagonal band called main

sequence. The top right corner of

the main sequence shows stars that

have both high temperature and

luminosity, while the lower right-

hand corner shows stars that have

cooler temperature and less lumi-

nosity. Our sun falls within the

main sequence towards the bottom

right.

The HR diagram is important because as a star goes though its life cycle,

it will move to different spots in the diagram. This allows scientists to identi-

fy a star’s current stage in its lifecycle. Thus, identifying a planet’s probable

age.

Source:

“Gallery: Stars.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/big-history-project/stars-and-

elements/how-were-stars-formed/a/gallery-stars. Accessed 19 July 2017.

“Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram.” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed, Encyclopedia.com,

www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/astronomy-and-space-exploration/astronomy-general/

hertzsprung-russell. Accessed 19 July 2017.

Page 14


“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

Eight famous words that triggered an explosion of excitement

and cheer, for it signified the exponential power of teamwork

and collaboration. Forty-eight years ago on this day, Apollo 11

landed on the moon. Its three crewmen, Neil Armstrong, Buzz

Aldrin, and Michael Collins accomplished the impossible, and

caused the rest of mankind to not just dream about going to

space, but to actually do something about it and explore the far-

thest parts of the universe.

The significance of the Apollo 11 mission should not be tak-

en for granted, nor mocked as a mere conspiracy spewed from

human ignorance and jealousy. Since then, numerous space

missions have been accomplished; some more successful than

others, but none the less paved way to man’s yearning to answer

questions about life beyond Earth. Boys and girls of all ages,

and from all corners of the world continue to think of ways to

search for and analyze any signs of movement that would indi-

cate how the universe came to be.

Thank you, Apollo 11 and to all that made it possible.

“One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”

— Neil Armstrong

Page 15


Asteroid 2016 HO3, a friendly companion or a

creepy stalker? This asteroid orbits the sun, and it

also loops around Earth on a regular basis. 2016

HO3 is too far from Earth to be considered its satel-

lite, so scientists classified as a quasi-satellite.

According to scientists, 2016 HO3 seem to be

“held” in its current orbit because the Earth’s gravita-

tional pull is just strong enough for the asteroid to

travel away, and then come back around; but not too

close either. This constant push and pull seem stable

enough that scientists are predicting asteroid 2016

HO3 might be accompanying us for quite some time.

Source:

“Small Asteroid Is Earth's Constant Companion.” NASA, NASA, 15 June

2016, www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6537. Accessed 21 July 2017.

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Astronomy Journalfcarloteach.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Astronomy-Journal-Bo… · know that the universe is vast. According to the cos-mological principle, the universe will