Episode 6: Herschel Telescope
April 9th, 2007Produced by the SouthWest Science Foundation.
Copyright ©2001-2007
Episode 5: Rainbows
March 23rd, 2007Today is my day off, lunch is over and I have a little time to rest. The morning has been beautiful with bright sun light. As I stroll outside, the neighbor calls to me over the vine covered fence and asks if I have noticed the clouds building higher. “do you think it’s going to rain?”, he asked. “it does look a little threatening”, was my reply. An hour later I felt a few sprinkles. Then it began to rain harder. Soon I noticed the rain had decreased, so I went to the large, front window and looked toward the east. A bright, full, primary rainbow was in the foreground with dark clouds and hills farther east. A faint secondary rainbow was also visible.
Rainbows are perhaps the most spectacular light show to be seen in the sky. In genesis the rainbow is described as the token of the covenant which God made with Noah that flood waters shall never again come and destroy all flesh.
When sunlight shines upon falling rain, beautiful arcs of colored bands are formed as the raindrops act as tiny prisms. The incoming light is refracted into the spectrum of colors. The primary rainbow consists of vivid colors of red on the outside of the arc and violet on the inside. In the secondary rainbow the colors are not so bright and are in reverse order. The arc of a rainbow is always about 40 degrees on the inside, and 42 degrees on the outside.
Because clouds generally move from west to east, rainbows are most often seen in the east during afternoon showers. Clear skies to the west allow the sun to shine while rain continues to fall in the east.
Written by Donald Henderson
ScienceQuest and Script (c) 2001 SouthWest Science Foundation
Episode 4: The Constellation Orion
March 16th, 2007One of the most spectacular constellations visible in the winter sky is Orion. The name may have originated from the greek word arion, which means warrior. There are four bright stars that represent the giant warriors shoulders and feet. The most striking feature of Orion is his belt, where three evenly spaced stars are at an angle to the rest of his body.
The sword of Orion, seen below the belt, contains the great Orion nebula. This diffuse mass of interstellar dust and gas is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of a diffuse nebula. With binoculars, you can see a faint haze surrounding a tiny cluster of stars. In a small telescope, you can see the misty nebula with faint wisps expanding beyond the four central stars. Those four stars cause the gaseous nebula to glow and without them we wouldn’t be able to see this magnificent object. With a large telescope the nebula expands to fill the eyepiece. Its beauty and grandeur are awe inspiring even for the experienced astronomer.
Our heavens have continually inspired great thinkers and poets. And in the words of g.p. service, “here are found…stars apparently completed, shining like gems just dropped from the hand of the polisher, and around them are masses, and eddies, currents and swirls of nebulous matter yet to be condensed, compacted and constructed into suns….”
When the Southwest Science Center is completed, it will feature a public observatory. A large telescope will show visitors the heavens on clear evenings. Throughout the winter months, Orion will be a favorite target.
Written by Brent Bennett
ScienceQuest and Script (c) 2000 SouthWest Science Foundation
Episode 3: The Atmosphere – Part 2
March 15th, 2007About 350 years before Christ the greek philosopher Aristotle wrote a book called Meteorologica. It contained information about the atmosphere, astronomy, geography and chemistry. It had as much information as was known at that time about the weather and climate.
Meteorology became known as the science of studying the atmosphere. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place and climate is the average of weather events as they occur over long periods of time. Even with all the studies over the centuries, current scientists who understand physics, mathematics and chemistry still have a high degree of astonishment and marvel at the balance of nature exhibited in meteorology over hundreds and thousands of years.
It’s astonishing how the cycling of the permanent natural atmospheric gases stay in balance. Nitrogen is about 78 percent of the atmosphere and oxygen accounts for about 21 percent. Nitrogen is cycled by the decaying matter of plants and animals. This gas is removed by biological processes which involve soil bacteria. Oxygen is produced by the photosynthesis of plants. It is removed from the air by the decaying of organic matter and by combining with other substances to produce oxides. Animals use up oxygen by taking it into the lungs and then releasing carbon dioxide.
A breath of air contains millions of molecules. Other very important gases in the atmosphere which play an important role in human existence are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, argon and ozone. Since the beginning of time, the cycling processes of our atmosphere have maintained an incredible balance to sustain life on our planet.
Written by Donald Henderson
ScienceQuest and Script (c) 2001 SouthWest Science Foundation
Episode 2: The Atmosphere – Part 1
March 14th, 2007What is the earth’s atmosphere, and why is it so important? It is the gaseous mass or envelope that surrounds the earth, and is held in place by our gravitational field.
No matter where we travel on the face of the earth we can breathe comfortably because our atmosphere is remarkably constant. Except for man-made pollution it’s almost the same at all times in all places on the earth.
There is one component of the atmosphere that does vary. It is the invisible gaseous water vapor. Even when our air is very humid, water vapor makes up less than five per cent of the total volume of air.
The atmosphere is made of just the right elements so there is always enough to breathe and survive. Air is also important in other ways to help us sustain life. For example, for growing the food we eat, providing materials for the clothing we wear, and collecting moisture in the form of clouds that produce rain and snow and give us the water we need. Air is also necessary for the combustion of fuels. And if it were not for air, you could not be driving your car or even hearing the sound of my voice.
Yes, our atmosphere is essential to our survival, it provides the beauty of the blue sky, the magnificent formations of clouds, and our stunning sunsets and sunrises. It also protects us from the harmful rays of the sun. So next time you feel the air say thanks to this remarkable and essential part of our daily lives!
Written by Donald Henderson
ScienceQuest and Script (c) 2001 SouthWest Science Foundation