Slide Two: The Milky Way
The Milky Way is considered to be one of the many Spiral Galaxies. All of the planets lie about halfway out from the center. It takes approximately 200 million years for the Milky Way to completely rotate. Our galaxy is made up of at least 100 billion starts as well as a ton of dust and gas. The center is actually very hard to see because of all the dust and gas that covers it. The Milky Way is so incredibly large that it would take up to 100,000 years just for light to cross from one side to the other. Believe it or not, the Milky Way actually belongs to a group of at least 40 other galaxies. Out of those 40, two are spiral galaxies -- the Milky Way and Andromeda
Slide Three: Spiral Galaxies
The reason for a spiral galaxies name is simply because when you look at one, you see a whirlwind of spirals. These spirals are actually circling waves that allow new stats to form. If you look at these spirals, you can easily see that they glow, but what exactly causes them to glow? Well, the spirals themselves don't actually glow, but some of the very large stars cause everything around it to glow which gives the effect that the spirals are glowing. The whole galaxy doesn't glow though because the large stars that are created in the waves don't live very long. Because of their size, they end up burning all of their fuel very quickly. In most cases, these stars die before the even have the opportunity to leave the wave. The smaller stars are usually have a long enough lifespan to leave the waves that they formed in.
Slide Four: Elliptical Galaxies
The stars that are frequently found in Elliptical Galaxies are usually very old. The reason for this is because Elliptical Galaxies don't create new stars like Spiral Galaxies do. Generally, these are smaller galaxies, but in some cases they can be quite large. Smaller Elliptical galaxies tend to contain only a few thousand stars, but larger ones can hold billions of stars. If the stars are very close together in an Elliptical galaxy, it can often give the illusion of one giant star. Because these type of galaxies are so bright, i would be light day and night if the Earth was located in this type of galaxy.
Slide Five: Irregular Galaxies
Irregular galaxies are basically all the galaxies that aren't included in the Spiral and Elliptical galaxy categories. They can have an shape, size, color, ect. It is likely that some irregular galaxies were once Spiral or Elliptical galaxies until they had some sort of accident such as crashing into another galaxy that completely changed them. However, for most irregular galaxies, that isn't the case. Some just never evolved that way.
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Proficiency Two: 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. (Prezi)
Bibliography --
- "define:Hubble Telescope - Google Search." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&defl=en&q=define:Hubble+Telescope&sa=X&ei=ITJdTd_QFYHBtgflrJDPCg&sqi=2&ved=0CBkQkAE>.
- "Hubble Telescope." Welcome To Kidskonnect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/15-science/83-hubble-telescope.html>.
- "Rover (space exploration) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_(
- "StarChild: The Space Shuttle." StarChild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/space_level2/shuttle.html>.
- "Space Shuttle." Surfing the Net with Kids: Educational site reviews and kids games. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.surfnetkids.com/space_shuttle.htm>.
- "Space Shuttle." Welcome To Kidskonnect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/15-science/101-space-shuttle.html>.
- "The Space Shuttle - Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com." Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.kidsastronomy.com/space_shuttle.htm>.
Proficiency Three: 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.
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Proficiency Four: 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 and the solar system. (Power Point)
Slide Two: It is believed by scientists that the formation of our solar system occurred when a cloud of dust and gas were disturbed. This explosion would have created waves in space which in return would squeeze the cloud of gas and dust. The squeezing would then cause the cloud to collapse as gravity pulled the gas and dust together to create a solar nebula. Eventually, the cloud began to spin. During this process, the cloud would get denser and hotter. Finally, when the cloud started to thin out, particles formed clumps. These clumps are what we call the planets and moons of our solar system.
Slide Three: The sun is extremely vital to all of the life on Earth. Without it, everything would freeze to death. For the most part, the sun is a big gas ball. It may appear to have a solid surface, but actually it has the complete opposite. The part that the sun is visible is where the gas becomes so dense that you cant see through it. For about 4.6 billion years, the sun has been giving the Earths its warmth. In the beginning, people thought that a burning fuel was thought to be source of the suns energy, but later astronomers discovered that if the sun was simply burning, it would only last for about 10,00 years. Eventually, astronomers came up with the theory that the sun was simply shrinking.
Slide Four: Inner planets are the planets that are more closely spaced than the outer planets. They are smaller, denser, and rockier. Because of those characteristics, astronomers also gave them the same Terrestrial Planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all inner planets. Also, these planets are much hotter and are the only planets that are know to support life.
Slide Five: The outer planets (except for Pluto) are all very large and made of mostly gas. These planets have deep, massive atmospheres and that is why some people refer to them are gas giants. They're atmosphere blends very smoothly with the other layers of their interiors. The outer planets include Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
_________________________________________________________________Slide Two: It is believed by scientists that the formation of our solar system occurred when a cloud of dust and gas were disturbed. This explosion would have created waves in space which in return would squeeze the cloud of gas and dust. The squeezing would then cause the cloud to collapse as gravity pulled the gas and dust together to create a solar nebula. Eventually, the cloud began to spin. During this process, the cloud would get denser and hotter. Finally, when the cloud started to thin out, particles formed clumps. These clumps are what we call the planets and moons of our solar system.
Slide Three: The sun is extremely vital to all of the life on Earth. Without it, everything would freeze to death. For the most part, the sun is a big gas ball. It may appear to have a solid surface, but actually it has the complete opposite. The part that the sun is visible is where the gas becomes so dense that you cant see through it. For about 4.6 billion years, the sun has been giving the Earths its warmth. In the beginning, people thought that a burning fuel was thought to be source of the suns energy, but later astronomers discovered that if the sun was simply burning, it would only last for about 10,00 years. Eventually, astronomers came up with the theory that the sun was simply shrinking.
Slide Four: Inner planets are the planets that are more closely spaced than the outer planets. They are smaller, denser, and rockier. Because of those characteristics, astronomers also gave them the same Terrestrial Planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all inner planets. Also, these planets are much hotter and are the only planets that are know to support life.
Slide Five: The outer planets (except for Pluto) are all very large and made of mostly gas. These planets have deep, massive atmospheres and that is why some people refer to them are gas giants. They're atmosphere blends very smoothly with the other layers of their interiors. The outer planets include Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Proficiency Five: 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. (Poster)
Bibliography --
When it comes to the question of how the universe was created, there is no clear answer. As astronomers look deeper and deeper into the subject, more theories are pondered upon. Many people have their strong opinions on this matter, but I do not. I can not create an opinion on a subject that I have so many wonders about. The Big Bang Theory is by far the most commonly known, but the Big Crunch Theory and Geocentric Theory are also popular.
If you brought up the subject of the Big Bang Theory, most people would instantly know exactly what your talking about. Do they really know the details about the theory though? This theory is basically exactly what it sounds like. A very long time ago, the universe started out as a singularity. Eventually, a huge explosion occurs and within seconds after, the universe begins to expand. This expansion was extremely quick; faster than the speed of light. What began as a super hot, dense mass evolved into our existing universe over a period of 15 billion years. This theory is the most trusted by astronomers.
Although theorists have thought to prove this theory incorrect, it is still pondered upon. This theory suggests that the universe will eventually stop expanding and collapses upon itself within a matter of seconds. The expansion of the universe could potentially cease because the gravitational attraction of all the matter in the observable horizon is high enough, then it could stop the expansion and reverse it. Over time, the universe would be compressed back to a gravitational singularity. Time would completely stop in the singularity and nobody knows what would happen after.
The Geocentric Theory was believed by the Ancient Greeks such as Aristotle and Ptolemy. What they believed was that the Earth was the center of the universe. Instead of Earth orbiting the sun, the sun would orbit Earth along with everything else in the universe. It was thought that Earth did not move yet everything else in the universe did. Although this theory was proved wrong long ago, it is still a good idea to take it into consideration so that Astronomers can learn from it and move on.
Over the years, our knowledge of the creation has expanded. As much as we do know about it, there are many things that we are not completely sure about. The creation of the universe is one of those things. Nobody knows whether we will know the truth about it, but all we can to is continue to research and keep moving forward from theories that have been proven inaccurate.
Bibliography --
- "Conformal Cyclic Cosmology is new Theory about the creation of universe by cosmologist of Oxford University, Roger Penrose Conformal Cyclic Cosmology is new Theory about the creation of universe by cosmologist of Oxford University, Roger Penrose – newstod." News Today News is The Best Today News Provider. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://newstodaynews.com/conformal-cyclic-cosmology-is-new-theory-about-the-creation-of-universe-by-cosmologist-of-oxford-university-roger-penrose/13218/conformal-cyclic-cosmology-is-new-theory-about-the-creation-of-universe-by-cosmologist-of-oxford-unive>.
- Contrast, and the big bang makes light. "Making the Elements in the Universe : Starts With A Bang." ScienceBlogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011 <http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2009/06/making_the_elements_in_the_uni.php>.
- "Geocentric Model." Universe Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. <http://www.universetoday.com/32607/geocentric-model/>.
- "Kids.Net.Au - Encyclopedia > Big Crunch." Kids.Net.Au - Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. <http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/bi/Big_Crunch>.
- "The Endless Universe: Introduction to the Cyclic Universe (ActionBioscience)." ActionBioscience - promoting bioscience literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. <http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/steinhardt.html>.
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Proficiency Six: 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. (Prezi)
Bibliography:
Bibliography:
- "define:asteroid - Google Search." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:asteroid&sa=X&ei=1p01TZ6xKIOdlgf-v4X9CQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB4QkAE&safe=active>.
- "Comets - Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com." Astronomy For Kids - KidsAstronomy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://www.kidsastronomy.com/comets.htm>
- "Where Do Asteroids Come From?." Answers.yourdictionary.com - Answers to questions. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://answers.yourdictionary.com/science/where-do-asteroids-come-from.html>.
- "How Asteroids and Comets Formed - Formation of the Solar System, Creation of the Asteroid Belt." Science Clarified. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Comets-and-Asteroids/How-Asteroids-and-Comets-Formed.html>.
- "planets." Kumphyk9. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.kumphyk9.com/gabe/meteors.html>
- "Meteors - Science for Kids!." Kidipede - History for Kids - Homework Help for Middle School. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.historyforkids.org/scienceforkids/physics/space/meteor.htm>.
- "What is the difference between an asteroid, comet, meteoroid, meteor and meteorite?." Space Projects - Space Information - Space Shop. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. <http://www.aerospaceguide.net/whatisanasteroid.html>.
- "Meteoroids and Meteorites."Views of the Solar System. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. <http://www.solarviews.com/eng/meteor.htm>.
- "Meteors, Meteoroids, and Meteorites." Courtney Seligman, Professor of Astronomy, Author. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. <http://cseligman.com/text/meteors/meteors.htm>.
- Romans, the. "The Moon l Phases, Orbit and distance from the Earth." The Nine Planets Solar System Tour. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. <http://nineplanets.org/luna.html>.
- "Moon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon>.
