Mon Jul 17, 2023 SYZYGY
We can’t see the moon today because it’s at syzygy. “Syzygy” is a great word; it’s when there are three celestial objects in a position where they line up. In the case of the earth, moon and the sun, syzygies happen every two weeks, at new moon like today, or at full moon, like we had on July 5th. A new moon syzygy is called a conjunction because the sun and moon are together in the sky. A full moon syzygy is called an opposition because the moon is on the opposite side of the sky from the sun. Most earth-moon-sun syzygies are rough alignments because the moon’s orbit of our planet is offset by 5 degrees from the earth’s orbit of the sun. but about every six months, during what’s called an eclipse season, the orbital planes of the earth and the moon intersect with the syzygy points (the intersections are called nodes,) and then you have a perfect syzgy which results in an eclipse.
Tue Jul 18, 2023 ROBERT HOOKE
Robert Hooke, born on July 18, 1635, is best known for his pioneering work in analyzing insects, plants, all manner of things in nature, using a microscope. He made a lot of sketches, and first described the cell-like structure of living organisms. He was also a mortal enemy of Isaac Newton. In fiction, Sherlock Holmes had to combat Professor Moriarty; Superman had to fight Lex Luthor; and Batman had to deal with the Joker. For Isaac Newton, it was this guy – Robert Hooke. Newton had built a small reflecting telescope, the first of its kind, and he was persuaded to share his experiments on how the eye sees light. Hooke, who had done some work in this area, strongly criticized Newton, and Newton didn’t like it. Hooke also claimed to have worked out the laws of gravity long before Newton’s published work, Principia. Thus began a life-long battle between the two.
Wed Jul 19, 2023 APOLLO 11 LAUNCH
On July 16, 1969, three astronauts were launched into space. On July 20th they would reach the moon. Six other men had preceded them, beginning with Apollo 8’s Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders; but they simply orbited the moon, they did not land on it. Beginning with the first rockets into earth orbit in the late 1950’s, then in America the manned training and preparation flights: a single astronaut aboard the Mercury spacecraft; two astronauts who orbited the earth in each of the Gemini missions, learning how to dock with other spacecraft, figuring out the best ways to maneuver while in a spacesuit outside the capsule; the loss of good people – Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee, Ed White – in the Apollo 1 fire. Then to fix what had gone wrong, and continue the struggle, until at last the moon was within our reach. We went to the moon not because it was easy, but because it was hard.
Thu Jul 20, 2023 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION – JULY
Can you identify the twelfth largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Ursa Major and Leo Minor; on the south by Hydra, Sextans, Crater the Cup and Virgo; on the west by Cancer the Crab; and on the east by Virgo again and Coma Berenices. We’ve discovered planets orbiting many of its stars. This part of space is also the source of a meteor shower which peaks in mid-November. Many beautiful galaxies are found within its borders, one of which is a favorite of mine – the hamburger galaxy. In myth, the Babylonian hero Gilgamesh fought it, and so did Hercules, who defeated it after a month-long battle. And it’s also associated with the prophet Daniel. This evening the crescent moon and the planets Venus, Mars and Mercury appear nearby its brightest star Regulus. Can you name this constellation, the fifth sign of the zodiac? The answer is Leo the Lion.
Fri Jul 21, 2023 APOLLO 11 LANDING ANNIVERSARY
Fifty-four years ago today, Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left the surface of the moon, returning to the Columbia command ship in lunar orbit. Their spacecraft, named Eagle, had touched down on the moon the day before - July 20th, 1969. At 4:18 pm that day they landed on the southern edge of Mare Tranquilitatis, the Sea of Tranquility – a huge lava flow of dark basaltic rock. At 10:56 pm, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, followed by Buzz Aldrin about ten minutes later. They were outside for two-and-a-half hours, setting up several lunar science experiments and collecting about fifty pounds of moon rocks. Shortly before 2 pm Eastern Daylight Time on July 21st, they blasted off from the moon and rejoined Command module pilot Mike Collins who was on board the Columbia in orbit. All three came back to earth on July 24th.
