Scout and Girl Scout troops both offer astronomy merit badges. When a family’s interest continues
suffi ciently to buy a telescope, test preferred models at many potential settings before fi nalizing a purchase. According to the online guide, a fi rst telescope should provide high- quality optics that limit diffraction (the spreading of light as it passes through the lens system to the eye) and a sturdy, smooth-working mount. More advanced telescopes have built-in computers and motors that can be programmed to point at specifi c spots in the sky.
Rising Stars on Earth If trying to emulate Galileo is a challenge, youngsters can relate and aspire to the cadre of young scientists profi led in Astronomy magazine’s “Astronomy’s Rising Stars” story in July, available via most public libraries. Being a “self-described computer nerd” led Mark Krumholz, Ph.D., an associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics in his 30s at the University of California- Santa Cruz, to conduct massive-star
formulation simulations. By “plugging in the laws of physics and turning the crank,” he has shown why some stars heat gas around them to appear much larger than others. Colors vary, as well. Stargazing was the catalyst for Anna
Frebel, Ph.D., an assistant physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge. “I consider myself fortunate that my initial passion led to becoming a professional astronomer,” says this scientist, who is credited with discovering the most chemically primitive star; the oldest known star as of 2007, at about 13.2 billion years; and the red giant star S1020549.
Whether early steps lead to a later career or as a heavenly hobby, helping to convert a child’s, “What’s that?” to a happy, “I know what that is,” becomes worth encouraging. As Bertoch observes, “Kids have an innate excitement about what’s out there.”
Randy Kambic, in Estero, FL, is a freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.
Faraway Fun Facts
Stars appear to twinkle from light distortions caused by temperature differences in our atmosphere. The lifespan of most stars is billions of years. Ancient peoples saw patterns among the 2,000 stars visible to the naked eye and gave them names like The Big Dipper, Cassiopeia and Scorpius.
A “shooting star” is actually a meteor with a trail of gases and particles.
The Moon’s surface is pitted with thousands of craters from long-ago meteor strikes.
Saturn’s rings are composed mostly of billions of ice particles and rocks.
Jupiter is by far the largest studied planet; after the Moon and Venus, it’s usually the brightest object in the night sky.
Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury and Mars, as well as Pluto, are named for Roman gods—Venus was the Roman goddess of love.
Planets and the Moon don’t emit light— they refl ect light from the sun.
Source: Don’t Know Much About the Universe, by Kenneth C. Davis
October 2013 21
Space Songs
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfi eld caused an Internet sensation when he sang David Bowie’s Space Oddity in the International Space Station last May. Here are some other celestial tributes:
Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Champagne Supernova, Oasis Eclipse, Pink Floyd Here Comes the Sun, The Beatles Moondance, Van Morrison Soak Up the Sun, Sheryl Crow Staring at the Sun, U2 Walking on the Moon, The Police Walking on the Sun, Smash Mouth We Are All Made of Stars, Moby
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