B. asked:


Astronomy is a REAL SCIENCE that studies outer space and celestial objects in outer space. Astrology is made up trash for the sole purpose of cheating people out of their money by telling them things they wish to hear and then making them pay for the pretty words. There is no real science what so ever with astrology. Why can't the astrology people stay in their ENTERTAINMENT section under Horoscopes and quit giving wrong answers for the real Astronomy questions? Why?

Asher

Alex F asked:


Okay, since 8 grade I've always had the idea of pursuing the idea. From my 8 grade science class, watching the Universe and the science channel and especially getting literally 100% on my astronomy section of my 8 grade science star test, I've always had the passion to pursue the goal. I've studied much of cosmology and biology of the universe since, and my sophmore year I thought of the idea of teaching astronomy. Fat forward a little, I've always wanted to, but dropped the idea of going to college for a while, as many other kids do. I've finally come to realty and realized you just can't skin channels, even if you know exactly what you want to do in life. So I finally looked into it and found that you have to take a lot of hard math classes to get a phd in astronomy. I'm really not all that good at math at all, and my goal is and always was the biology of astronomy(evolution of the universe, biology of the chemistry of other worlds, classifications of stars, what makes life on other planets, how life could evolve on alien worlds, what makes a successful civilization ext.) But I know what I have to do, and I do have some help with the math part I'll have to do. My questions are: Besides my help from my math connections, what can I do personally myself to prepare to take and as astronomy math classes I need such as physics, astrophysics ext. How hard are these classes exactly, any mental advice (don't need criticism need advice) okay, i've recently discovered what I want to teach can be classified as extra terrestrial evolution. Like I said I want to teach the biology about the universe. from experts or people who know, could apply this with an actual astronomy degree with some biology, or am i just better off majoring completely in bio. There are different types of bio, is there a field for extraterrestrial bio???? any advice, experience ext greatly appreciated thanks to anyone who helps!

Yosef

3SpEcIfIcl7 asked:


I want to go into Astronomy in my college/university years, and I want to know which school in (or near) Michigan have good schools for studying in Astronomy.

Saul

bob b asked:


I'd really like to introduce my kids (under 7) to astronomy. Each time they look at the sky, they always ask what constellations I see. I always show them the dipper and Orions belt. Other then those two, I really can't spot any others. I was given a book on astronomy which shows all the constellations as well as the myth behind them. However, I do find it very hard to locate them. Are there any tips to assist? Are there any pc programs available that could be configured for the city you live in that would show the various constellations for a given day and time from our location. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Jadon

Me asked:


What is the difference between a belt and a zone in astronomy? I've got this: difference between belts and zones is the increased opacity and vertical extent of clouds in zones relative to their belt counterparts... But seems hard to understand at the moment. Thank you.

Mohammad

The Poor Widow asked:


Would you have a problem if a teacher were to explain to kids that he was going to teach nothing in his class but cold, hard science, and that his grade would be based on how well he understood the science being taught...but allowed that there are "other ideas" out there, and if the kids are interested, not for credit, not recommended, but only presented as an alternative, and only if the kid wants to study on his own, and knows he's not going to be graded on it...refers him to some books that explain other notions? The chemistry/alchemy argument, for instance...let the kid know that we are doing chemistry in this class, but if you want to explore alchemy, here are some titles that might interest you...or the astronomy/astrology argument...we are doing astronomy in this class, but if you are interested in knowing a bit about astrology, here are some titles you might be interested in. I don't get why there would be an objection, unless "science" is hiding something... and the "scientific community" is afraid that the kids will unearth their ugly little secrets. Understand, please, I don't think this is true for a moment, but that is the impression that is given by the unique stubbornness to give even an inch on this issue. What's the deal? I doubt if any parent who has a child studying chemistry would object to his/her reading books on alchemy "on the side"...or if any parent who has a child studying astronomy would object to the student reading about astrology. Or wouldn't you want your kid to expand his education on his/her own? Seriously, what are you afraid of? If your kid is even average in intelligence, and if he's been taught "critical thinking skills", can't you trust him/her to make his/her own choices? Why or why not??

Lacey

Squeegee Beckingheim asked:


Who’s Been Sitting in My Chair? Let it be known that the first desk in the third row of room two is a great desk. “The fake woodwork on the table part of the desk is so well done,” said Millie Jones, homeroom occupant of this desk, with a slight laugh. This reporter, who happens to reside in the same temporary quarters during grammar class, concurs completely. A desk is not the only thing Millie Jones and this reporter have in common. We are both thirteen years old and in the eighth grade at St. Francis Borgia Grade School. Miss Jones hopes to, one day, open “some sort of bakery or cake decorating place” with her 16-year-old sister, Hannah. She also adds that opening a boarding kennel, restricted to dogs only, might be fun. “No cats allowed!” she remarked lightly about her future kennel. “I once read this article,” Millie explained, after being asked why she was not feline friendly, “about how cats have some of the same characteristics as snakes- such as slit-shaped pupils and a similarly shaped head as snakes. I found that kind of creepy.” Though she already has many options to choose from, she said she has some other ideas for her career and that she’s “open to everything”. Millie went on to mention a possible profession in zoology or other sciences. “Astronomy is really cool and oceanography looks really fun,” Jones told excitedly. She is even considering following in the footsteps of her father, who is a teacher of environmental health at Saint Louis University. Millie has a natural flair for writing, a skill that will be beneficial to her in the future, no matter what occupation she chooses. Her love of writing emanates directly from her love of reading. The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, The Sight, by David Clemente Davids, and “anything by Sharon Creech” are some of her favorite titles. While other children play soccer and volleyball, Millie Jones participates in Canine Freestyle Frisbee competitions with her two-year-old Border collie named Finn. She and Finn became interested in this sport during the summer of 2005, after realizing that Finn had an incredible talent for catching Frisbees in his mouth. Millie and her dog have since joined the Missouri Disc Dog Club and partaken in many competitions. In Canine Frisbee competitions, a human/dog duo performs a two-minute routine, set to music, with their dog, using as many as twenty Frisbees, performing as many as two hundred throws. “Frisbees used in competitions are very different from the hard, plastic Frisbees that kids play with. These Frisbees are much softer and more flexible than a regular Frisbee,” she told. Finn and Millie regularly practice such throws as ‘around the back’ and a ‘hammer’. Beside plain throws, one can perform many different ‘moves’. “A vault,” Millie clarified, “is when your dog runs up your back, jumps over your head, and catches a Frisbee.” She really enjoys working with Finn and plans to continue participating in Canine Freestyle Frisbee competitions. When asked which celebrity she would most like to meet, Millie thought, and answered with an unusual question. “Can he be dead? I don’t know if this guy is dead or not, but I’d choose Alex Stein. He is the guy that started the sport of Canine Frisbee with his dog, Ashley.” Millie’s life is very much centered around Finn and her involvement in Frisbee, but there are other animals who lay claim a key to her heart. Jones also has an annoying eight-year-old Silky Terrier named Daisy, two chickens named Buffy and Jody, who lay eggs for breakfast every morning, an incredibly old rabbit Fern, and two very mean parrots, Kiwi and Martini. “Kiwi bites me,” Millie winced. “When I was younger and I cried, he would laugh at me using the laugh he learned mimicking my brother, Rory’s laugh and adding in his own clucks and chirps. Now, it all sounds pretty funny.” Jones’s love of animals and the outdoors has driven her to make it a lifetime goal to take an around-the-world excursion. “If I had a chance, I would definitely take a trip around the world and stop at any place that looks interesting from the sky. I’d especially want to spend a lot of time at the rainforest. I would take a lot of pictures, too!” When asked what color in a coloring box she would be, she immediately asked, “First, it depends, am I a crayon or a colored pencil?” With an art-teacher-mom, the distinction between colored pencil and crayon makes a big difference. With clear instruction that she was a crayon, Millie immediately exclaimed she would be electric blue. Why electric blue? She responded that there was not much of a ‘why’ behind her answer; electric blue just seemed the color that most suited her… and just so happened to resemble the color of the sky on a perfect day for practicing Frisbee with Finn. Who’s been sitting in my chair? An animal-loving, book-reading, electric blue eighth-grader, by the name of Millie Elise Jones- that’s who! I'm in 8th grade and this is for a journalism class. *THE NAMES OF PEOPLE IN THIS STORY ARE NOT THE NAMES OF ACTUAL PEOPLE (well theoretically, they might be the names of real people.. but you know what I mean)*

Ryan

Sebolains asked:


I used to think I knew the difference. After studing astro physics I realized it was - or included - everything I thought that astronomy was. Thanks a lot to whom can answer .

Kale

Al Fizi asked:


My professor told me that astronomy is the mother of all sciences. All throughout civilizations past and present, stars and constellations were critical in navigation and even designing monuments. I just think by now the average person should be able to look up and spot something identifiable in the night sky. Seems like we're taught the offspring of science. I could be wrong, but I bet more people know 10 Commandments than 3 constellations. I'm just saying, as old as astronomy is, by now this subject should be as important as English!

Andreas

George N asked:


Science fair projects are meant to solve problems, not to show how something works. I'd really like to do a science fair project in the astronomy category but I can't think of any problems that could be solved by me in astronomy. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate seeing them.

Mateo