Astronomy

Proficiency #1
I can analyze galaxies and the differences between galaxies. I will compare the Milky Way Galaxy to other types of galaxies.     (Essay)




Ever wondered what galaxies really are? When you hear about the Milky Way, do you think of the delicious caramel candy bar? Or do you think of the massive galaxy that harbors thousands of stars? There are three specific types of galaxies in the universe. They are known as Spiral, Elliptical, and Irregular galaxies. They all are different, yet the same in many ways.
The most common galaxy is the Spiral Galaxy. This galaxy is made up of three components; a bulge, a disk, and a halo. The bulge is the big bright sphere located in the center of the disk. This part of the galaxy is made up of the oldest stars and matter. In between the bulge and halo, the disk is located. The disk is made up of gas, dust, and the newer stars in the galaxy. This is where the most stars are located, because this is where they are produced. Lastly, the halo can be found on the outside of the disk. This component of a spiral galaxy consists of dark matter, so it is not visible to the human eye.

                The second galaxy in the universe is known as an Elliptical Galaxy. These galaxies are much larger than any other galaxy in the solar system. Unlike the Spiral Galaxy, Elliptical Galaxies do not rotate.  They just stand still in space, frozen in time. This galaxy does also does not produce many stars, because of lack of gas and dust. Almost all of the stars are very old, so some Elliptical Galaxies give off a reddish glow. As I said before, Spiral Galaxies consist of a bulge, disk, and halo, yet an Elliptical does not. These galaxies have no disk, but instead a bulge in the center, which is not always round, but more football shaped. And a halo that is brighter towards the middle and get significantly dimmer as you get closer to the outside.

                The rarest galaxy is known as an Irregular Galaxy. It is so rare, because it is basically the “leftover” galaxy. Usually these galaxies are created, when two or more galaxies collide with each other, and make a new one. Every type of Irregular galaxy is different, so you cannot say if they always have a bulge, halo, or disk. They usually do not rotate, but there are always some exceptions. Some Irregular galaxies can be thousands of years old, and others could be millions.  



                Our galaxy is known as The Milky Way. This is a Spiral Galaxy, and is the only galaxy that is visible from Earth. The Milky Way is almost 100,000 lights years across, yet is still smaller than most Elliptical Galaxies. This Galaxy is full of dust and gas, and is constantly producing stars. The Milky Way is estimated to be almost as old as the Universe itself, which is 13.7 billion years. Also, this huge galaxy is always made of many different galaxies conjoined into one. And in all, it has over 200 billion stars.

                There are millions of galaxies in space, and science has been able to narrow all of them into three different categories. Next time you look up at the night sky, see if you can spot the Milky Way, that is over 20,000 miles away from our home. I wish I could see all of the galaxies up close in the night sky. But that will never happen, because they are millions and millions of miles away, deep in the pit of the universe. 
Bibliography

"Elliptical Galaxies." SDSS SkyServer DR7. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. 

"Irregular Galaxy." Universe Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. . 


"Spiral Galaxies." SDSS SkyServer DR7. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. . 


"Spiral Galaxies." SDSS SkyServer DR7. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. . 


"The Milky Way Galaxy." SEDS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <="" messier="" more="" seds.org="">

Proficiency #2 
I can identify key technological advancements that helped in making our knowledge of space expand. My research will show the past, but I will also predict what future advancements may stretch our limits even more. (Timeline) 




Bibliography:


  •    "Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia."Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Forty-inch telescope, Yerkes Observatory." The University of Chicago Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Happy Birthday to Sir William Herschel! « ferrebeekeeper."ferrebeekeeper. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Image: The Leviathan of Parsonstown." Amazing Space. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Molecular Expressions: Science, Optics and You - Timeline - Hans Lippershey."Molecular Expressions: Images from the Microscope. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       Movement. "AllPosters.com - The World's Largest Poster and Print Store!." AllPosters.com - The World's Largest Poster and Print Store!. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Mt. Graham International Observatory." Mt. Graham International Observatory. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Palomar, After 50 Years | San Diego History Center." San Diego History Center | Our City, Our Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "Telescopes Timeline — National Geographic Magazine ." National Geographic Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

       "VUVOX - slideshows, photo, video and music sharing, Myspace codes." VUVOX - slideshows, photo, video and music sharing, Myspace codes. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

Proficiency #3
I can research the history of constellations. My research will delve into the stories and the myths associated with each constellation. I will create my own constellation either changing the story of a real constellation or creating one on my own.   (Prezi)



Proficiency #3 on Prezi


The Story of Sebastian and Leo the Lion
Ever looked up at the sky, and noticed a knight in shining armor? Ever wonder why this knight in shining armor holds the “golden sword?” Well, that is the story of Sebastian, the greatest in all of the land. His story originated from the ancient Greeks, and is told by many today. This humble man, riding his prestige, will forever be known as the “Great One!”
This tale of the “Great One,” starts out in old world Greece, where the princess of the land is loved by many, many men. She is always wooed and swept off her feet everyday by several men, hoping they will be the chosen one who the princess falls in love with, so they can someday rule the small city, known as “The Great City.”
Now, the princess did not take smack from anyone. She was sassy, rude, and did not like all of the attention the boys gave her. She finally figured out, that if she were to lock the stalker men up, she would never have to deal with them again. So she did just so, and her plan was working successfully!
Until one cold, rainy day, when all of the stalker men managed to push with all of their might on the steel bars, to eventually break them open. Now, you have to remember that these strange beings had been crammed into that small cell, so they were not the happiest. So, these rude men decided to get even.
The only way the thought of getting even, was to give the princess what she deserved, which was death. So they decided to kidnap her, while she was talking a peaceful nap, and stuff her into a huge cage in the center of the city with Leo the Lion. At first she was frightened, but that al turned to rage. She begged and pleaded for the men to let her out, but they all had no mercy, for she had always been despicable to them. So they watched and laughed and even threw rocks at this rude princess.
She thought that this was the end of her, until a scrawny little man named Sebastian saw what was going on. He did not have any clue why nobody would help this young lady, for he had no reason to be mad at her, because he was always to chicken to even approach her. So he decided this would be the perfect time to make a move on her, and show her that he could be her hero!
He ran to his father’s metal store, and demanded that he make the best metal suit in the land. He did just so, and as a gift, the father gave his son a golden sword, which could kill a beast in one faithful swipe. The boy was honored his father would give him such a gift, and was determined to kill the beast.
When Sebastian got there, things were not looking to good for the poor princess. She was all beaten and battered by Leo, and was on her last leg, when her knight in shining armor appeared. It was an intense battle, but the scrawny man, with all of his might, managed to slay Leo the Lion in one faithful hit.
The princess was so delighted that Sebastian had saved her life when nobody else cared; she instantly fell in love with him. She demanded that they were to get married at once, and when they did, they lived happily ever after in the big kingdom, and Sebastian will be forever known as “The Great One!”
When the “Great One” got too old to walk, the Greek gods decided that he deserved to go straight to the stars, so he can be remembered forever, for being such a brave hero. You can see Sebastian on his favorite horse, in his metal armor, with his golden sword pointing to the North Star. And, just so there is no conflict, Leo the Lion is way on the other side of the night sky, safe and sound. 


 Bibliography
  • " AbsoluteAstronomy.com." AbsoluteAstronomy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .
  • " Zazzle | Custom T-Shirts, Personalized Gifts, Posters, Art, and more." Zazzle | Custom T-Shirts, Personalized Gifts, Posters, Art, and more. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .
  • "Universe Today." Universe Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

Proficiency #4
I can analyze the origins of our solar system. Starting with the sun, my research will emphasize how our solar system formed, the differences between inner planets and outer planets, and analyze the future of our sun in the solar system. (Animoto)








Bibliography

  •   "Death of the Sun - Zoom Astronomy." ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Differences between the Inner and Outer Planets - Bob the Alien's Tour of the Solar System ." Bob the Alien's Tour of the Solar System. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Jupiter Fact Sheet." Welcome to the NSSDC!. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Mars Fact Sheet." Welcome to the NSSDC!. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Neptune Fact Sheet."Welcome to the NSSDC!. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Saturn Fact Sheet." Welcome to the NSSDC!. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Saturn and Uranus." To visit View from the Right, go to. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "The Origin Of The Solar System." csep10.phys.utk.. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2019. .


  •   "The Outer Planets | Scholastic.com." Teaching Resources, Children's Book Recommendations, and Student Activities | Scholastic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "The Sun | Scholastic.com."Teaching Resources, Children's Book Recommendations, and Student Activities | Scholastic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Venus Fact Sheet." Welcome to the NSSDC!. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •   "Define:inner planets - Google Search." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011.    .


  •    "Earth." SolStation.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .


  •    "Mercury."SolStation.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011. .

Proficiency #5
I can effectively explain the different theories of the universe. I will discuss theories starting from Ancient Greece through the theories discussed in present day. I will analyze all theories and make a judgment based on my research on which is most valid. ( Timeline) 





Bibliography

  •    " Remote Sensing Tutorial Page 16-1." The Remote Sensing Tutorial. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .


  •    "Geocentric Theory." Universe Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .


  •    "The Endless Universe: Introduction to the Cyclic Universe (ActionBioscience)."ActionBioscience - promoting bioscience literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .


  •    "The Milky Way Galaxy." The Worlds of David Darling. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .


  •    "What is the Big Bang Theory?." wiseGEEK: clear answers for common questions. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .


  •     "Cool Science News: Explosion From Edge of Universe Seen." Cool Science News. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .



Proficiency #6
I can analyze the differences between comets, asteroids, meteors and moons. I will research orbits and discuss differences of what we see from the Earth’s surface (phases). I will analyze the effect the moon’s orbit has on our planet. I will predict what would happen if Earth had a 2nd moon or the distance to the moon was increased or decreased. (PowerPoint)

Second Slide: Asteroids

·         Vary in Size
·         Biggest Asteroid: 580 miles wide
·         Most commonly seen close to Mars and Jupiter “Asteroid Belt”  
·         Made of mostly rock and metal
·         Much larger than a meteorite
·         Orbits Sun

Third Slide: Comets
·         Relatively small
·         Is a frozen mass of ice and mostly dust
·         Larger than a meteoroid
·         As it gets older, starts to look more like an Asteroid
·         Orbits Sun in an “elliptical” orbit

Fourth Slide: Meteoroids/Meteors/Meteorites
Meteoroid: Small chunks of stone that is caught in the Earth’s orbit and capable of entering its atmosphere
Meteors: When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it becomes a meteor. Meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, which causes friction to heat the surrounding area, causing their atoms and molecules to become luminescent. This is also known as a “shooting star.”
Meteorites: Due to gravity, if a meteor does not totally disintegrate in the atmosphere, it has to come down eventually. So, when the meteor hits the Earth’s surface, it because a meteorite.
Fifth Slide: Our Moon
·         Made out of mostly rock
·         Has many dents and holes, due to comets, asteroids, and meteoroids smashing into it
·         Is airless
·         Effects Earth’s orbit and motion

Sixth Slide: Phases of the Moon
·         New Moon -
·         Waxing Crescent
·         First Quarter
·         Waxing Gibbous
·         Full Moon
·         Warning Gibbous
·         Last Quarter
·         Warning Crescent


Bibliography: 

  • "Asteroids: Zoom Astronomy."ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Canadian astronomers on hunt for meteor from NetWorlddirectory."NetWorlddirectory - Main Page... N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Comets." Cornell Astronomy. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Comets - Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com."Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Home Page - Planetary Systems Lab - 693." Science @ Goddard. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "How Asteroids are Formed | Paranormalknowledge.com."Paranormalknowledge.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Meteors - Science for Kids!."Kidipede - History for Kids - Homework Help for Middle School. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "Moon Phases Calendar / Moon Schedule." Moon Information Resource And Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • "NASA - Hubble Shoots The Moon ." NASA - Home . N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • oceans, deforming the, as the Earth rotates under this ocean bulge, and it causes a high tide. "The Moon And Tides."HiWAAY Information/Internet Services | Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .


  • planets, crusts of the terrestrial. "Meteors, Meteorites, Meteor Showers - Crystalinks." Crystalinks Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <="" www.crystalinks.com="">











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