Luna 9, Feb. 3, 1966
The moon has always had a special place in human imagination. We first imagined it a god. When we finally started seeing it as a place, we have dreamed of going there.
Feb 10 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
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Perseus, blah, blah, blah
I had a humbling experience at last Friday’s program at Perkins Observatory. As I gave the usual talk, I paused dramatically to begin my “big finish,” and a six-month-old babe in arms named Gabriella began to speak. “Blah, blah, blah, blah,” she babbled cheerfully. The audience erupted with laughter, and so did I.
Feb 3 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
Do you really want to be a star?
Orion, the Hunter, dominates our winter nights. In February, you’ll find him almost due south around 8 p.m. His left shoulder is marked by the red supergiant star called Betelgeuse, pronounced “beetle-juice,” a name that means “the armpit of the giant.” So if your loved ones ask you why you’re crazy enough to go outside on these cold winter nights, just tell them you’re going to look at a giant’s armpit. That ought to give them pause.
Jan 27 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
Pluto is, isn’t, is, a planet
A question at Perkins Observatory by a very intelligent fourth grader reminded me recently that certain scientific controversies never really go away.
Jan 20 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
Learning to see
As with any worthy endeavor, it takes time to become a good stargazer. Even the smallest telescopes and binoculars are spaceships to other worlds, but you have to learn to run the controls.
Jan 13 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
Dogs in space
Sirius, the Dog Star, is deeply a part of our modern mythology. People still refer to the dog days of summer, but few know that they are referring to the brightest star in the nighttime sky. In August, Sirius rises with the sun. The ancient Greeks believed that the intense glow of the star added to the sun’s heat, leaving us with those nasty, late-summer days.
Jan 7 2013 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »
Dogs in space
Sirius, the Dog Star, is deeply a part of our modern mythology. People still refer to the dog days of summer, but few know that they are referring to the brightest star in the nighttime sky. In August, Sirius rises with the sun. The ancient Greeks believed that the intense glow of the star added to the sun’s heat, leaving us with those nasty, late-summer days.
Time (keeps on slippin’ into the future)
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is the time we think about time, and it’s about time that we reflect on this most puzzling aspect of astronomy.
Dec 31 2012 | Posted in Tom Burns | Read More »