Science
Next Entries »How old is the Sun and how long will it live?
Monday, April 28th, 2008The Sun is about 4.57 billion years into its main-sequence stage and when we think of its age, that’s the number generally agreed on. You can think of this as the relatively stable period in a star’s life after it forms and during which it converts Hydrogen into Helium in a process known as nuclear […]
What is the Sun and what is it made of?
Monday, April 28th, 2008If you’re ever away from the glare of city lights on a cloudless night, take a look up into the sky and marvel at the countless thousands of sparkling stars you see up there. Pick one you like and point your finger at it. Now imagine that maybe, just maybe, the star you’ve picked has […]
How far away is the Moon?
Thursday, April 24th, 2008Today, the average distance to the moon is 238,856 miles.
There are two interesting things to note in that answer. First, note the word “average.” Remember that the Moon’s orbit is elliptical and not perfectly circular so the distance varies by as much as 26,000+ miles. To put that into perspective, the distance of the Moon […]
Who was the first man to walk on the Moon?
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The first man to walk on the moon was Neil Alden Armstrong followed immediately by fellow Apollo 11 crewman, Edwin Eugene ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, Jr. on July 20, 1969. While most folks know of Neil Armstrong and many recognize Aldrin as Buzz Aldrin, few know that a 3rd astronaut accompanied the men and remained in orbit […]
Why is the Moon Bigger on the Horizon?
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008First of all, let’s clear up that the question is all wrong. The moon doesn’t shrink as it passes over us. It isn’t actually bigger on the horizon. It does appear to be, though, doesn’t it? A rising moon on the horizon looks huge compared to one hanging high in the heavens. Almost double the […]
Why Is The Sky Blue?
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008What child hasn’t wondered and asked this question. Answering it isn’t all that hard but it helps if you have a good enough understanding of visible light and wavelengths to explain the concept. Lacking that, it’s just important to understand that visible light (there are more spectrums of light than just those you see) comes […]
Next Entries »