My Trip to the David Dunlap Observatory

Last week I went up to Toronto, Ontario Canada for spring break (I know I went the wrong way...). I met up with members from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) who have recently been put in charge of running the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) north of the city.
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The story of their telescope sounds similar to ours in Cincinnati - it was started by the University of Toronto - who then wanted to sell it - who sold it to a private developer - who was influenced by the astronomical community to allow the RASC to run it - who now conduct education programming. In fact, the RASC said that they were modelling their programs after ours. And they have a big hook: they have the largest telescope open to the public (its mirror is 74 inches in diameter!). They let me move the giant scope and even let me take a look at Mars and the Moon. It was easily the largest telescope I have ever looked through.
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The RASC was a great host - it's amazing how astronomers all over the world are all so alike. I'm so glad this amazing institution is still up and running. For more check out: www.theddo.ca Click on any of the pictures for a close-up view.
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International Sidewalk Astronomy Night

On Saturday March 20 there were telescope all over the Tri-state. This was part of a world-wide effort to bring telescopes to public places. "Have telescope, will travel," is the motto of the Sidewalk Astronomer. Telescopes were set up in unlikely places - Newport on the Levee, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, outside of a Blockbuster video store. I was right downtown on Fountain Square and even with the enormous light pollution, I was able to give a clear view of the Moon to passers-by. It's a lot of fun to see people just walking by with no idea what that thing is next to you (the telescope). And when you ask, "Wanna see the Moon?" you get some mixed reactions. After people overcome their apprehension and get a look, everyone is moved!
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So if you see something that looks like a cannon on a sidewalk near you, but people are looking through it, stop over and say hi to your neighborhood astronomer.


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Future Exploration Poll

The future of manned space missions is at a crossroads. NASA may be focusing on unmanned missions while the private sector may be taking a more active role with manned missions.

Critics believe that NASA is a waste. "We should be spending money on Earthly problems instead." As federal projects go, NASA funding is one of the small potatoes. The budget for NASA is less than 1% of the U.S. annual federal spending. Studies have shown that this funding acts more like an investment with a high return of interest in the form of jobs, new technologies, and spin-off products. For a list of many industries that owe credit to NASA, see: www.thespaceplacee.com/nasa/spinoffs.html

Space missions can inspire whole generations. The Apollo missions to the Moon gave us defining moments of the 20th century. Will reaching Mars have the same impact in the 21st century?

Some say we should return to the Moon first to practice a trip to Mars. Others say, if Mars is the goal why not go directly to Mars without a detour. And a third camp says, "Follow the water," and Europa, a moon of Jupiter, has a liquid ocean under its icy surface.

If you were in charge, what would you do and why?

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1) Return to the Moon

2) On to Mars

3) Drill through the ice of Europa

4) None of the above

Share your comments on what the future of exploration should focus.

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Cincinnati Observatory in LEGO Form

I was forwarded this great rendition of the Cincinnati Observatory in LEGO form. This detailed replica was designed by William Lynch of Cincinnati Bricks and is on display at Kenwood Town Center at the LEGO Store. Everything about it is accurate including the two spindly pine trees, the new handrails, and skinny window on the left. I'm not sure which of the LEGO people is supposed to be me, but I assume that I am the cowboy. Click on the picture for a closer look.

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Pisces the Fish

Enough 2012 stuff, let's get back to the constellation mythology.

To the left of Aquarius is the zodiac constellation Pisces the Fish. If you thought Aquarius was hard to find, Pisces is even worse. The stars are all so faint that they are only visible from a dark sky away from city lights. There is a ring of stars for one fish that's tied by a string a stars to another fish left and then up from the first fish. It looks like an "L" drawn with the base too long. Where the cord bends, you will find a star called Al Rischa which means, "The Knot of the Band."

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The story behind Pisces is related to the one about Capricornus. A long time ago the gods were terrorized by a roving monster named Typhon. He was such a horrible creature with 100 dragon heads instead of fingers. When Typhon came around all of the gods hid by changing into animals. Apollo turned into a crow, Diana into a cat, and Venus and Cupid (the gods of love) turned into fish. They jumped into the Euphrates River to escape Typhon but tied their tails together so that that would never be parted.

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Pisces is part of a very watery part of the sky that includes Aquarius the Water Bearer, Piscis Australis, and the fish-half of Capricornus. I don't believe in astrology but the Sun does go through Pisces from March 12 to April 18. If you were born between those dates, according to an astronomer, you're a Pisces.

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The 2012 Movie Was Hilarious!

Spoiler alert: This review will mention things that happen in the movie so, oh, who am I kidding? You can see the plot coming a mile away.

As comedies go, the movie 2012 was hilarious. I laughed out loud – mostly at how scientifically flawed it was. Essentially the movie was John Cusack and friends out-divining an earthquake in a limo, out-flying the city of Los Angeles as it fell into the Pacific Ocean, literally out-running a volcano when Yellowstone erupted, out-flying the ash cloud, outflying the destruction of Las Vegas, and finally out-sailing a tsunami that submerged the Himalayans. When the laws of physics broke, I broke out into laughter.

Now to the science: There was some – 95% wrong. They started in a deep mine where astronomers are actually trying to measure cosmic rays but the overactive Sun was heating up the core of the Earth. There was even a boiling well (that produced no steam BTW). This heating will eventually cause “crustal displacement,” and change the face of the Earth. After all, “this is the biggest solar season ever,” some unnamed scientist says in the movie. Good gag, but in reality we are experiencing the quietest solar season in the past 100 years.

There is brief mention to a rare planetary alignment which takes place every 640,000 years and a youtube video of the planets aligned with the galaxy. Conspiracy theorists love this but it is simply not true (see the post below). Later in the movie the magnetic field of the Earth decreased 80% in four hours. This type of decrease could happen but would take hundreds to thousands of years.

Some other funny science in the movie: the poles flip putting the South Pole in Wisconsin, Hawaii melts, and China moves 1,000 miles closer to the US in less than a day. Plus how they transported giraffes and rhinos to the ark in the mountains cracked me up!

Now to the Mayans and their prediction of doom on December 21, 2012: The movie barely mentions it in a quick 20 second scene. No details just, “The Mayans predicted the end of the world.” So no Mayans - no astronomy. Cool.

As someone a little edgy to answer the wave of 2012 hysteria that will build up over the next 3 years, the movie was surprisingly reassuring. It presented such a crazy, absurd, and impossible vision that it ceased being scary. It was almost as if it was happening to another planet or in another dimension. There is nothing to debunk because it was all so fantastical. And there is nothing to be scared of from 2012 – unless you’re afraid of laughing yourself to death.
You were warned.

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2012 Hoax: The Real Story

I'm sorry but I need to take a break from constellation myths to comment on 2012 hysteria. The new #1 asked question at the Cincinnati Observatory is, "What will happen December 21, 2012?"

Answer: Nothing.

The world will not end. Forget what you read on websites. Don’t believe the horrible Hollywood movie.

The Ancient Mayans knew great things about astronomy, could predict eclipses and cycles of Venus. But their calendars predict neither gloom nor doom. In fact their calendar cites an event to occur 2000 years in the future. They just flip their calendar over and start again every so often (like we do every year). The last time it flipped was August 11, 3114 BC. The world survived that date just fine.

In case you hear otherwise here are some facts:
1) We do not have a second Sun that will come near us called Nibiru
2) No asteroid is scheduled to hit us in 2012
3) The Earth's magnetic field is fine
4) The pole shift may be happening but it takes years and years and won't change anything
5) The continents will not move 1000 miles and Florida will not be on the North Pole
6) The Sun is not crazy-active, nor will it be in 2012
7) The Sun is not lining up with the center of the galaxy (that happened in 1999)
8) The planets will not align on that day

I do have one prediction for December 21, 2012:
It will be seasonably cold in Cincinnati. So will the next day.

I'll have a full review of the movie 2012 next week. Spoiler alert: It was about as believable as when Bugs Bunny sawed off Florida in Rebel Rabbit. "Take it away, South America!"
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