Astronomy & Our LivesAstronomy & Our Lives

or…or…

What could learning about the What could learning about the planets and stars possibly planets and stars possibly

have in common with my life have in common with my life now??now??

Astronomy & Our LivesAstronomy & Our Lives There are more connections between There are more connections between

astronomy than you realize…astronomy than you realize…• Days of the Week?Days of the Week?• Months of the Year?Months of the Year?• Time itself!Time itself!• Words, words, words,Words, words, words,• Products, products, and more productsProducts, products, and more products• A sense of who we are.A sense of who we are.

Seven Days of the WeekSeven Days of the Week SundaySunday - the Sun’s day, of course- the Sun’s day, of course MondayMonday - the Moon’s day- the Moon’s day TuesdayTuesday - ?- ? WednesdayWednesday - ??- ?? Thursday Thursday - ???- ??? FridayFriday - ??#$- ??#$ SaturdaySaturday - ???%^?- ???%^?

Seven Days of the WeekSeven Days of the Week SundaySunday DomingoDomingo DimancheDimanche SunSun MondayMonday LunesLunes LundiLundi MoonMoon TuesdayTuesday MartesMartes MardiMardi MarsMars WedWed MiercolesMiercoles MercrediMercredi MercuryMercury ThursThurs JuevesJueves JeudiJeudi JupiterJupiter FridayFriday ViernesViernes VendrediVendredi VenusVenus SaturdaySaturday SabadoSabado SamediSamedi SaturnSaturn

Seven objects are easily seen to move in regular Seven objects are easily seen to move in regular patters in front of the stars across the skies patters in front of the stars across the skies

during the year during the year

MoonthsMoonths of the year… of the year… A “A “monthmonth” of time is around the ” of time is around the

same time as it takes the moon to same time as it takes the moon to repeat its phases from full to full.repeat its phases from full to full.

Many cultures still use lunar Many cultures still use lunar calendars for religious festivalscalendars for religious festivals• EasterEaster• Ramadan & Islamic New YearRamadan & Islamic New Year• Chinese New YearChinese New Year• Tết Tết

Time itself…Time itself… ““Clockwise” from the motion of the Clockwise” from the motion of the

sun’s shadow over a sundial!sun’s shadow over a sundial!

Early morning sun casts a shadow towards the “9” side of a clock face…

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Time itself…Time itself…

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By noon, the overhead sun casts a (smaller) shadow towards the “12” side of a clock face…

Time itself…Time itself…

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By afternoon, the setting sun casts a (longer) shadow towards the “3” side of a clock face…

Words, words, words…Words, words, words… ““asteraster” = star (from Latin)” = star (from Latin)

• AstronomyAstronomy, , AstrologyAstrology• DisasterDisaster!! “dis-aster” – going against the “dis-aster” – going against the

stars can be bad!stars can be bad! ““cosmoscosmos” = order” = order

• CosmologyCosmology – the study of the order of the – the study of the order of the universeuniverse

• CosmeticsCosmetics – putting your face “in order” – putting your face “in order” ““Meteorology”Meteorology” – the study of – the study of weatherweather??

Products, products, products!Products, products, products! CarsCars

• Ford: Taurus, Galaxy, Mercury Comet…Ford: Taurus, Galaxy, Mercury Comet…• Chevy: Astrovan, Nova, Vega…Chevy: Astrovan, Nova, Vega…• Plymouth Satellite, Pontiac Sunfire, Oldsmobile Starfire… Plymouth Satellite, Pontiac Sunfire, Oldsmobile Starfire… • Subaru, Saturn…Subaru, Saturn…

FoodFood• Sunchips, Sunny Delite, Mars bars, Moon cakes, StarkistSunchips, Sunny Delite, Mars bars, Moon cakes, Starkist

Products & CompaniesProducts & Companies• Comet cleanser, SUN mirosystems, Visa STAR network…Comet cleanser, SUN mirosystems, Visa STAR network…

TV & Movies galore…TV & Movies galore…

A sense of who we are…A sense of who we are… Astronomy allowed us to develop Astronomy allowed us to develop

agriculture, create calendars, agriculture, create calendars, maintain our history, navigate, maintain our history, navigate, explore…explore…

Trying to understand nature led us to Trying to understand nature led us to develop technologies absorbed into develop technologies absorbed into our culture…our culture…• Lasers, GPS, Cell Phones, ComputersLasers, GPS, Cell Phones, Computers• Weather Satellites, Velcro, Tang…Weather Satellites, Velcro, Tang…

Key Questions for YOU…Key Questions for YOU… How does science work?How does science work?

What do we gain, as humans, by What do we gain, as humans, by asking questions of Nature?asking questions of Nature?

Is the quest for knowledge worth the Is the quest for knowledge worth the costs?costs?