Comments on: Stars and Planets in their Proper Motions

by: JKS

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 02:42:26 +0000

Thanks Starfoxy!

by: Starfoxy

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 18:10:10 +0000

Wow! Thank you all for your suggestions! I’ve got a rough idea of what I’ll talk about, and I’m gonna start drawing up an outline, and as I do I’ll answer the questions you posted here. Thanks again!

by: JKS

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 06:20:14 +0000

I am an expert on the planets because my 6 year old son is. I think that the planets being named mostly after Roman gods, and which gods, is interesting. Saturn in the God of time. Mercury is the god of travel, PLuto is the god of the underworld.
I think that it is interesting that our days of the week are named after the Sun, Moon, Saturn, (plus some Norse gods like Thor).
I think it is interesting that Uranus’s moons are named after Shakespeare characters.
I think that it is interesting to hear why we can’t live on other planets and to know the basic characteristics of each planet.
I think that there are some BEAUTIFUL pictures of planets from the Voyager 1 & 2 that were taken in the last 10 or so years so many adults really haven’t seen them.
I have a hard time with constellations. I can never find the north star. I can only find the big dipper.
I’m not really interested in the big bang. It sounds like it would start an evolution discussion LOL.
Sky is blue - yes. Angle of the sun - yes. Phases of the moon - yes.
Life of a star are how old our sun is and what will happen to it- yes.
Old theories and how they were disproven - yes.
You would completely lose me at waves and light and stuff like that. I wouldn’t understand, or if I did I would forget 5 seconds later.

by: jen

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 05:20:33 +0000

i’d like to be reminded of how you find N S E and W by looking for the north star.

i also like to hear about planets in the sense of a solar system. who orbits who.

differences between planet and stars.

colors and why they are.

myths and history are always great.

i think you’ve got it covered really.

can you come and teach my relief society enrichment?

by: Stephen M (Ethesis)

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 22:50:10 +0000

I’d cover two things:

“Explain a few complex but very cool things, like why the sky is blue, what the northern lights are, behaviors of black holes”

and

the progression of the equinox, and why the ancients were so impressed with astronomy.

by: Tanya

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 19:37:15 +0000

I agree there are some great thoughts. I have always had some interest but have never explored it as fully as I once thought I would have. I know at one point Astronomy had a draw for a career.

Perhaps why do planets orbit the way they do. Why eliptical and not circular. What defines a planet over other objects, Like why the debate about “planet X?” is it really a planet or something else and how is that determined.

I like the expanding universe as well, but I also think how looking at stars can help understand the past. That to me is one of the most fascinating part of science.

by: Michelle

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 19:20:14 +0000

Uh, I don’t think I know enough to ask intelligent questions! The ones you listed sound good to me! I would also love to hear any thoughts or feelings relative to Al. 30:44 as you paraphrased in the subject of this post: “all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”

What about something simple like “Why do stars twinkle?” Why don’t planets twinkle? How can you tell which planet is visible? (Does that depend on time of year, etc.?) Is Venus typically more visible than Mars? Why? Is the position of Venus consistent based on time of year, or does it vary? (I love trying to find Venus, hence my fixation there.)

Why does the Big Dipper appear bigger in the winter than in summer?

I love the universe expanding bullet, the practical phenomenon bullet and the complex and cool explanations bullet.

Please do share what you decide to share! I love learning from smart people!