What good is astronomy?

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What good is astronomy?

• Calendar
• Time
• Shade
• Driving Conditions
• Hunting
• Navigation

Earth Orbit Seasons Sundial Shaded
Parking Glare Shadow Moonlight North South East
West
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Sun Moon Stars Planets
When is the sun out? Are all days the same
length? Is the moon out tonight or today? How are
planets different?
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Inspiration

• Romance
• Art
• Music
• Literature

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Astronomy/Disaster

• Dinosaur Extinction
• Asteroid Impact
• Can we prevent our own extinction?

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Astronomy/Tragedy
Moonlight Titanic Visibility of Icebergs
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Astronomy/Warfare
Glare Pearl Harbor They came from the west, but
circled around and attacked from the east. Glare
From Rising Sun
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Astronomy/Warfare
Moonlight Afghanistan Bombing of Afghanistan
began on moonless night. They couldnt see US
planes.
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Astronomy/Warfare
Moonlight Sinking of Indianapolis
Ship Delivered Atom Bomb Attack Defense Against
Attack
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Method of Astronomy

• Observe
• Summarize
• Model/Theory
• Test Model
• Other Models
• Accepted as Law

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History

• Prehistoric
• Geography
• Ancient
• Heliocentric Revolution

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History

• Prehistoric
• Geography
• Ancient
• Helicentric Revolution

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Prehistoric

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth

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Constellations

• Familiar Groupings of Stars
• Named After Mythical Characters
• Stars Always in Same Place in Constellation

• Constellations Always in Same Order in Sky
• Stars Usually Not Related

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Constellations
Move Throughout Night Predictable Motion
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Prehistoric

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth

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Prehistoric

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth

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Prehistoric Astronomy

• Calendar Development
• Observation of Stars at Sunrise/Sunset

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Sunset and the Stars
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Ecliptic
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Prehistoric Astronomy

• Calendar Development
• Observation of Stars at Sunrise/Sunset
• Horizon at Sunrise/Sunset

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Sunrise Calendar
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Prehistoric Astronomy

• Calendar Development
• Observation of Stars at Sunrise/Sunset
• Horizon at Sunrise/Sunset
• Shadows Rise/Noon/set

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The Sun and the Seasons

• Noon Sun High in Summer
• Noon Shadows Short

• Noon Sun Low in Winter
• Noon Shadows Long

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Sunrise and Sunset

• Sunrise in the East?
• Sunset in the West?
• Noon Shadows
• Hours of Daylight

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Sunrise and Sunset

• Shaded Parking
• Glare

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Tonight

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth

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Circumpolar Stars
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Geography and Seasons

• Arctic Circles
• Tropics
• Day and Night

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Tonight

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth

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Eratosthenes in Syene
Sunlight
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Eratosthenes in Syene
Sunlight
Reflection
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Eratosthenes in Alexandria
Sunlight
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Eratosthenes
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Eratosthenes
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Eratosthenes
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Tonight

• Constellations
• Celestial Sphere
• Seasons/Calendars
• Ecliptic
• Navigation
• Shape of Earth
• Size of Earth