Mon Mar 17,2025 SAINT PATRICK ASTRONOMY
On this Saint Patrick’s Day, let’s talk about the astronomy of medieval Ireland. In the fifth century the Irish used stone circles that, like the famous Stonehenge of England, could predict sunrise and sunset positions and the beginnings of seasons. The early Church relied on Irish astronomers to help establish the dates of Easter and other religious feasts, as witnessed by the sixth century Irish monks. The 7th century monk Aibhistin suggested a connection between the tides and the phases of the moon. And then there are the Celtic constellations: Leo the Lion which appears in the east after sunset, was An Corran, a sickle or reaping hook. The Irish saw Orion the Hunter as the hero Caomai, the Armed King. And Polaris, the North Star was called an Gaelin, the light that brings you home.
Tue Mar 18,2025 ROBERT GODDARD’S ROCKET
Ninety-nine years ago, the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket was launched, by Robert Goddard, who invented it. Rockets had been around for a long time – the Chinese were using them eight hundred years ago. But all rockets up to March 16, 1926, were solid-fuel, using a kind of gunpowder as the propellant. The problem with those rockets was that once ignited, the rocket fuel continued to burn until it was used up – no off switch. With liquid fuel it was possible to start, stop, restart, throttle the engine up or down - in other words, liquid-fueled rockets were easier to control, and safer too. The New York Times back then said he was wrong, that rockets wouldn’t work in space. Evidently they were mistaken, because, thanks to Robert Goddard, we’ve sent rockets outward to the moon, to the planets, to the stars.
Wed Mar 19,2025 SEASONS MYTH
The 23 and half degree tilt of the earth as it rotates and revolves about the sun causes the sun’s daily path to slowly change through the year. In Greek myth, Persephone, the daughter of the earth goddess Demeter, was stolen by the underworld god Hades. In her sorrow, Demeter neglected the earth - the crops died, the air grew cold, and winter came to the land. When Persephone was rescued, Demeter caused the earth to bloom, and spring returned. But Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds while she was with Hades, so had to return to the underworld for six months of the year; then autumn and winter start again. The constellation Virgo the maiden represents Demeter, and the bright star Spica that shines in the southeast after sunset, is a spike of wheat she holds in her hand.
Thu Mar 20,2025 SPRING BEGINS
Today, Thursday March 20th, marks the vernal equinox – that’s the fancy term for the beginning of spring. At 5:01 am Eastern Daylight Saving Time, the sun appeared at the top of the sky as seen from the earth’s equator along the north shores of Lake Victoria in Africa. Astronomers plot the sun's position in the sky as it drifts past the background of distant stars due to earth’s revolution. When it reaches the spot where the sun's direct rays touch upon the earth's equator, spring begins. Now the sun rises due east and sets due west; this is also one of the two times in the year when people pretty much all around the world have roughly equal amounts of daylight and darkness – about twelve hours each. The term equinox, from the Latin meaning "equal night", reflects this phenomenon.
Fri Mar 21,2025 INDIAN STARS OF THE EARLY SPRING
Native American Indians had different names for the constellations in the sky. Orion the Hunter was called Long Sash by the Tewa Pueblo Indians of the American southwest. The bright stars of Gemini - Castor and Pollux, were his place of decision, which led to the long journey up into the sky country. The Praesepe star cluster in the constellation Cancer the Crab, was the headdress of Long Sash. The bright star Arcturus in Boötes was a constellation all by itself, the hero Waupee of the Shawnee tribe. But the Great Bear, Ursa Major, the most distinctive part of which we recognize as the Big Dipper today, was also seen by the Senecas and other members of the Iroquois nation as a great bear, Nyah-gwaheh, although with a short tail, unlike that of Greek mythology.
