Comments on: Astronomy questions from sixth graders, part 3 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:45:12 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Seed's Daily Zeitgeist: 5/22/2008 - General Science http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90703 Seed's Daily Zeitgeist: 5/22/2008 - General Science Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:43:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90703 [...] Astronomy questions from sixth graders, part 3 Phil Plait answers: How do planets form? Does Mars have polar ice caps? [...] [...] Astronomy questions from sixth graders, part 3 Phil Plait answers: How do planets form? Does Mars have polar ice caps? [...]

]]> By: Science For the Kids!! « THE SKEPTIC DAD http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90702 Science For the Kids!! « THE SKEPTIC DAD Sat, 31 May 2008 01:07:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90702 [...] 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part [...] [...] 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part [...]

]]> By: Aristotle Pagaltzis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90701 Aristotle Pagaltzis Fri, 23 May 2008 01:47:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90701 I have watched all 4 installments so far, and my only quibble is with your answer to “How do we measure temperatures on distant planets?” – you say that light can split into colours, and that we can learn a lot from that, but the explanation sounds almost magical or at least certainly not tangible. It wouldn’t have cost much time to add that the composition of colours is because different atoms emit different colours, and then punt on the rest of the explanation, just to give the kids a feel that there is a clear and tangible connection and that the process for deriving all this information from light is not at all mysterious. This is my only criticism in terms of didactic value; you handled all the other questions beautifully, and the series would certainly be plenty educational not just for kids, but for many an adult as well. Keep it up. :-) I have watched all 4 installments so far, and my only quibble is with your answer to “How do we measure temperatures on distant planets?” – you say that light can split into colours, and that we can learn a lot from that, but the explanation sounds almost magical or at least certainly not tangible. It wouldn’t have cost much time to add that the composition of colours is because different atoms emit different colours, and then punt on the rest of the explanation, just to give the kids a feel that there is a clear and tangible connection and that the process for deriving all this information from light is not at all mysterious.

This is my only criticism in terms of didactic value; you handled all the other questions beautifully, and the series would certainly be plenty educational not just for kids, but for many an adult as well. Keep it up. :-)

]]> By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90700 StevoR Thu, 22 May 2008 16:12:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90700 Oh well only a slight italics stuff-up this time .. :-( <blockquote> <i> <b> IRONMANAustralia </b>on 21 May 2008 at 11:14 am @John Weiss: “The major planets are all named for Roman gods, except Uranus which is Greek for some reason.” They couldn’t think of any puerile jokes about, “Caelus”? </i> </blockquote> Actually, the proper spelling & pronunciation of that Greek God is Ouranos - "Oo- RAh-Noss" - which should be adopted now to end all those asinine bits of humour. 8) Well, its better than re-naming it Urectum as suggested in <i> Futurama!</i> ;-) Oh well only a slight italics stuff-up this time .. :-(


IRONMANAustralia on 21 May 2008 at 11:14 am @John Weiss:

“The major planets are all named for Roman gods, except Uranus which is Greek for some reason.”

They couldn’t think of any puerile jokes about, “Caelus”?

Actually, the proper spelling & pronunciation of that Greek God is Ouranos – “Oo- RAh-Noss” – which should be adopted now to
end all those asinine bits of humour. 8)
Well, its better than re-naming it Urectum as suggested in Futurama! ;-)

]]> By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90699 StevoR Thu, 22 May 2008 16:05:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90699 <b> The Bad Astronomer</b> I'm sure its great but on dial-up with a really slow old computer and no sound ... Well all I can do is aks for a transcript please. I'm surely not the only one who can't get U-tube, etc .. Any chance of that, please? Anyway it sounds like fun - & regulars here will know I need to try & practice brevity - so I've decided to have a go myself : *** The questions asked in Part 3 are: 1) How do planets form? Me : Over a very long time & with great difficulty but a little like how the (liquid metal T-1000) terminator re-forms in <i> terminator II </i> ... Or how a snowball forms or a really huge ball of bluetack or .. <i> (But hey I'm trying to be brief so no more ..) ;-) </i> 2) Does Mars have polar ice caps? me : Yes. ;-) 3) What’s a meteoroid? me : A "shooting star" before it becomes a shooting star - that is a meteor -not Isaac Asimov's <i> 'Shooting Star </i> which was 'Lucky Starr's' spaceship & ..<i> Uh-oh, here we go again ! </i> ;-) 4) How do we measure temperatures on distant planets? me : Very, very lo-oong thermometors! ;-) (Okay, sorry no, I think its RADAR or spectroscopy of materials followed by thermal calculations or summin' so just listen to the <b> Bad Astronomer </b> on this one folks! ;-) ) 5) How large is the asteroid belt? me : Depends how you count it .. Very to staggeringly to unbeleiveable to well.. from just outside Mars to just inside Jupiter's orbits. I think. 6) What happened to "Planet X"? It made the astronomical cricket XI as a superb spin bowler! ;-) <i> (Hmm... The Yanks'll have no idea on that one - but the Brits and my fellow Aussies will know exactly what I mean! ;-) ) </i> Actually 'Planet X' or planet 10 is the <b> 'ice dwarf' class planet Eris </b> formerly nicknamed "Xena" and comes right after the <b> ninth planet : Pluto! </b> <i> & the IAU and other anti-American, orbitally-mechanically-blinded chumps can take a lo-oong walk off a short pier! <em> Pluto is too a planet! </em> ;-) 7) Can the Earth blow up? me : Just wait until they turn the Large Hadron super-Collider atom-smasher </i><i> & (Higgs Boson & Earth smasher too?) on & then we'll find out ... ! :-O :-( </i><i> So where are questions 8 , 9 & 10 this time??? </i> *** Yes, I know, I'm <b> not </b> giving up my day job .. But if anyone did find this mildly amusing then I've also commented on the other sets of questions linked here too if anyone wants to read & hopefully enjoy those too .. ;-) <i> Just in case there's a smart arr ... donkey .. answer shortage! ;-) </i> The Bad Astronomer I’m sure its great but on dial-up with a really slow old computer and no sound … Well all I can do is aks for a transcript please. I’m surely not the only one who can’t get U-tube, etc ..

Any chance of that, please?

Anyway it sounds like fun – & regulars here will know I need to try & practice brevity – so I’ve decided to have a go myself :

***

The questions asked in Part 3 are:

1) How do planets form?

Me : Over a very long time & with great difficulty but a little like how the (liquid metal T-1000) terminator re-forms in terminator II … Or how a snowball forms or a really huge ball of bluetack or .. (But hey I’m trying to be brief so no more ..) ;-)

2) Does Mars have polar ice caps?

me : Yes. ;-)

3) What’s a meteoroid?

me : A “shooting star” before it becomes a shooting star – that is a meteor -not Isaac Asimov’s ‘Shooting Star which was ‘Lucky Starr’s’ spaceship & .. Uh-oh, here we go again ! ;-)

4) How do we measure temperatures on distant planets?

me : Very, very lo-oong thermometors! ;-)

(Okay, sorry no, I think its RADAR or spectroscopy of materials followed by thermal calculations or summin’ so just listen to the Bad Astronomer on this one folks! ;-) )

5) How large is the asteroid belt?

me : Depends how you count it .. Very to staggeringly to unbeleiveable to well.. from just outside Mars to just inside Jupiter’s orbits. I think.

6) What happened to “Planet X”?

It made the astronomical cricket XI as a superb spin bowler! ;-)

(Hmm… The Yanks’ll have no idea on that one – but the Brits and my fellow Aussies will know exactly what I mean! ;-) )

Actually ‘Planet X’ or planet 10 is the ‘ice dwarf’ class planet Eris formerly nicknamed “Xena” and comes right after the ninth planet : Pluto!

& the IAU and other anti-American, orbitally-mechanically-blinded chumps can take a lo-oong walk off a short pier! Pluto is too a planet! ;-)

7) Can the Earth blow up?

me : Just wait until they turn the Large Hadron super-Collider atom-smasher & (Higgs Boson & Earth smasher too?) on & then we’ll find out … ! :-O :-(

So where are questions 8 , 9 & 10 this time???

***

Yes, I know, I’m not giving up my day job .. But if anyone did find this mildly amusing then I’ve also commented on the other sets of questions linked here too if anyone wants to read & hopefully enjoy those too .. ;-)

Just in case there’s a smart arr … donkey .. answer shortage! ;-)

]]> By: Sili http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90698 Sili Thu, 22 May 2008 12:37:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90698 I really liked the explanation of the <em>real</em> Planet X (or should that be IX now?). I didnt' quite know/remember that. Silly little complaint - I know you're excited and stuff, but could you perhaps consider cutting back on the "actually"s a bit? I really liked the explanation of the real Planet X (or should that be IX now?). I didnt’ quite know/remember that.

Silly little complaint – I know you’re excited and stuff, but could you perhaps consider cutting back on the “actually”s a bit?

]]> By: wright http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/comment-page-1/#comment-90697 wright Thu, 22 May 2008 05:04:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/21/astronomy-questions-from-sixth-graders-part-3/#comment-90697 This is such a magnificent series, Phil. It's great to see some respondents planning to use these mini-lectures as supplements to their teaching. Given that there's so much misinformation online, material like this is all the more vital. Yeah, you messed up on Titan's atmosphere, but you owned up to it, as you have your other mistakes. That's more than a lot of folks who make mistakes are willing to do, especially online. This is such a magnificent series, Phil. It’s great to see some respondents planning to use these mini-lectures as supplements to their teaching.

Given that there’s so much misinformation online, material like this is all the more vital. Yeah, you messed up on Titan’s atmosphere, but you owned up to it, as you have your other mistakes. That’s more than a lot of folks who make mistakes are willing to do, especially online.

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