APOD 2.8

This stunning photograph shows an observatory in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia in the foreground. The middle layer of the image depicts the scenery of that region, which contains the highest mountain in Europe. Through the clouds, the Milky Way can be clearly seen. Though the cloud cover would probably make it a poor night for observing the sky, it helps create a really remarkable image.

Quarter 2 Observations 2

This quarter, I have continued my observation of the heavens in the following ways:
-I have gone out on most clear nights and looked up at the stars, identifying constellations and celestial objects.
-I observed Venus and Mercury as they approached their closest point in the sky
-I witnessed an Iridium flare as I was driving home
-I observed that the positions of the stars changes drastically with latitude while I was in Virginia over the holiday break.

APOD 2.7

This is an image of the Geminid Meteor Shower, viewed from high in the mountains in China. In the sky are a few familiar constellations, but the object of the photograph is the fireball in the lower right of the frame. This is a small meteor which burned up in the atmosphere and was most likely the size of a pebble. Meteor showers are truly amazing and I am sad that I missed the Geminid shower, but I got a great view of the Perseid Meteor Shower in rural Minnesota.

APOD 2.6

This image depicts the Flame Nebula, a stunning formation that is lit by the nearby star Alnitak, in Orion's belt. The star is a blue supergiant, one of the most incredible types of stars in existence. With a radius greater than our solar system and a temperature far exceeding that of our sun, the energy emanating from this object is simply astounding. If this star were not several hundred parsecs away, it would easily be one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Quarter 2 Observations 1

In the first half of this quarter, I made many observations in the night sky including:
-Observing the sky on nearly every clear night and observing the daily shift in the positions of stars
-Also every night becoming familiar with constellations and being able to identify them
-Observing the sky from a different latitude while on a trip to Tennessee
     -I noted that the positions of stars were very different and I had trouble identifying some                       constellations.
-Observing the motions of Mars and Jupiter as they moved across the sky

APOD 2.5

This is an image of the lunar surface, focusing on the 95 km wide crater Plato, with the lunar alps to the right. The lunar alps were formed, not by tectonic activity like the alps on Earth, but by impacts from meteors which deformed the moon's surface. These mountains are still very impressive, with a length of 160 km and the highest peak reaching over 3 kilometers high.

APOD 2.4

This image depicts Europa, one of Jupiter's four Galilean moons. These moons are by far the largest of Jupiter's moons, the four together comprising 99% of the mass of all of Jupiter's dozens of natural satellites. Europa is covered in ice and is believed to have an ocean of liquid water just beneath the surface. This moon is one place of particular interest for astronomers in the search for extraterrestrial life.

Astronomer Biography - George Airy

Marcel Griffioen

Astronomy, Per. 5

Mr. Percival

8 January 2014

Astronomer Biography – George Airy

George Biddell Airy was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, England on July 27^th, 1801 and died in Greenwich, England, on January 2^nd, 1892, the eldest of four children. He attended Byatt Walker’s school at Colchester but was not particularly well-liked as he was introverted and snobbish. He learned basic subjects along with his classmates, and won some friends through constructing peashooters and other toys. At age twelve, he met his uncle, Arthur Biddle, who was a well-educated man and saw in him an opportunity to escape his current life which he found restrictive. At his request, his uncle almost literally kidnapped him, and he spent nearly half of his time with him over the next few years, during which he made several well-known acquaintances. He was then accepted to Trinity College in Cambridge.

During his time at Cambridge, he developed the habit of carrying a notebook at all times in which he did mathematics and translations in Latin and Greek daily, and wrote down all of his thoughts. He also met his future wife while attending Trinity, proposed to her, and was denied by her father, then proceeded to repeatedly propose to her for six years until he was finally allowed to marry her.

After graduating, he became a professor at Cambridge and ascended through the ranks of professors until he came to be in charge of the observatory. After several years as the caretaker of the Cambridge Observatory, he left to become astronomer royal at the observatory in Greenwich. As caretaker of this observatory, he turned it into a well-oiled machine which carried out its orders and did not allow much in the way of individual thought. During his time at Greenwich, he was also consulted about the potential discovery of Neptune, and was initially skeptical, but upon the discovery of the planet credited Le Verrier with its discovery.