Outer space posts

Where is the sun? August 12, 2015
If you ask “Where is the sun?” to Wolfram Alpha, you get a cool astronomy diagram! In my case, I had to add on “in Chicago”, because Wolfram Alpha thought I was in Florida, based on our internet provider at…
Are you more likely to go to a symphony or a modern art exhibit? June 22, 2012
In a WBEZ interview about how techno music is like classical music, Mason Bates, composer-in-residence for both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony, gives an example of how people are afraid of the symphony. At minute 11:48…
What would an ewok trade to get the Death Star’s laser pointer? August 9, 2010
The commanding officer of the first Death Star has a laser pointer. He’s willing to trade it to you. What would you offer to the Death Star Commander? Now, let’s add another layer to this. Let’s say you are an…
Just what is temperature anyways? July 16, 2010
It’s pretty cool that we can measure the hotness of the air. Thank you Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. The heat index got up to 102 in Chicago yesterday. How do those numbers add up? What if the temperature number always started…
Do you think the people on Mercury sent a rover to Venus? March 31, 2010
Did the people on planet Mercury sent a rover to planet Venus yet? We know Venus has sent probes to Earth. We Earthlings sent rovers to Mars. You KNOW Jupiter sent a rover to Saturn. Just look at Jupiter. They…
Full moon? Nope. The full sun is makes me crazy. August 5, 2009
The full moon makes people crazy? But what about when the moon isn’t out yet? The sun is out now. That’s what makes people crazy during the day. The full sun. Wait. The sun is full all the time? Oh…
What is the official word for “earthquake cracks?” March 18, 2008
Image courtesy from lrargerich via creative commons license Earthquake hits! Cracks form in the ground! What are those cracks called? And it’s not the “fault line.” The fault line is the plates underground and stuff. I’m talkin’ about right on…
What is your favorite planet and dinosaur? December 14, 2007
(image courtesy northwestern.edu) (image courtesy aerospaceweb.org) What is your favorite planet? What is your favorite dinosaur? My answer is in the comments. Please leave your answers in the comments.
What could my aluminum foil ball be? January 16, 2007
I’ve been carrying around an aluminum foil ball around in my pocket for that past week, and I’ve gotta say, it’s been a ball! I will hold the ball with my hand in my pocket and imagine various scenarios: I…
Found on Mars: What is this? January 26, 2006
An unusual two-toned rock on Mars was found a few days ago. What could this be? It looks like: Ancient crystal covered in snow Transformers foot Ancient tool Dinosaur egg What do you think it is?
why is it cooler up on a mountain? March 11, 2005
While I’m in Colorado right now, here’s a little moutain trivia. It gets 5∆ícelsius colder for every 1000 feet you go up (called the lapse rate). Actually we don’t directly get warm by the suns rays. The earth absorbs the…
Speed of the earth spinning? November 3, 2004
There’re many things we don’t really know. It’s an illusion that we know anything at all. If a group of aliens were to stop me and ask, “Say, bud, how many miles an hour does the earth spin at the…
Which muppet is George W. Bush most like? November 3, 2004
A lot of people voted for Bush, because they like who he is. Straightforward. But his administration runs the show. He just gets up there all hokey dokey and looks all cute for the cameras. Look at me, I’m human…
where are the stars? December 28, 2003
Is there something that city dwellers are missing by not being able to see the stars every night? Do we miss the context of where we live?