ASTRONOMY
Photo credit: NASA
(The use of NASA photos in no way implies that NASA has endorsed or been connected with this publication.)
Copyright 2007
By Mason Emerson
This is about astronomy. Astronomy is the study of objects
beyond the atmosphere of our planet Earth. Ancient humans
used their eyes to study stars and constellations or groups of
stars. Galileo Galilei of Italy studied the stars and planets
with a telescope. Our sun has many planets in outer space, for
example, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
Esto es sobre astronomia. Astronomia es el estudio de
objectos mas alla de la atmosfera de nuestro planeta la Tierra.
Hace muchos anos los humanos antiguos utilizaron sus ojos
para estudiar estrellas y constelaciones o grupos de estrellas.
Galileo Galilei de italia estudio las estrellas y los planetas con
un telescopo. Nuestro sol tiene muchos planetas en espacio
exterior, por ejemplo Mercurio, Venus, Tierra, Marte,
Jupitero, Saturno, Uranus, Neptuno, Pluto.
Some planets like Saturn have rings of rock and ice around
them. Between Mars and Jupiter are asteroids. Meteors
which hit the Earth are called meteorites. Big comets or
showers of small meteorites may have killed dinosaurs and
destroyed civilizations. Groups of stars are galaxies. Our
galaxy is called the Milky Way, and it is larger than most
galaxies.
Algunos planetas como Jupitero tienen anillos de piedras y
hielo alrededor de ellos. Entre Marte y Jupitero estan
asteroides. Los meteoros que golpean la Tierra se llaman
meteoritos. Cometas grandes o lluvias de estrellas (es decir de
meteoritos) tal vez han matado a los dinosaurios y destruyeron
a las civilizaciones. Grupos de estrellas son galaxias. Nuestra
galaxia se llama la Via Lactea, y es mas grande que la mayoria
de las galaxias.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Black_hole_quasar_NASA.jpg
There are novas, quasars and black holes. A black hole as big
as the earth’s orbit around the sun is at the center of our
galaxy. It is where gravity draws in all matter and light in its
vicinity. A quasar is light from matter before it enters a black
hole.
Hay novas, quasares y agujeros negros. Un agujero negro tan
grande como la orbita de la Tierra alrededor del sol esta al
centro de nuestra galaxia. Es donde la gravidad tira adentro
de su mismo toda la materia y la luz en la vecenidad. Un
quasar es luz de la materia antes de que entra en un agujero
negro.
There is much dark matter between stars and galaxies. Some
huge parts of the universe are dark because there is no matter.
Possibly 80% of all matter is invisible dark matter. Scientists
speak of matter and anti-matter, energy and dark energy.
Many stars have planets. Some planets have water. Perhaps
some also have organisms.
Hay mucha materia oscura entre estrellas y galaxias. Hay
partes grandes del universo que son obscuras porque no hay
materia. Posiblemente 80% de toda materia es materia
obscura e invisble. Los cientificos hablan de materia y antimateria, la energia y energia obscura. Muchas estrellas tienen
planetas. Algunos planetas y lunas tienen agua. Tal vez
algunos tambien tienen organismos.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307182745.htm
The following information is from Wilkinson Microwave
Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) of NASA. It came after a study
lasting five years.
La informacion que sigue es de. Wilkinson Microwave
Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) de NASA. Vino de una
investigacion que duro cinco años.
dark matter
dark energy
atoms
materia oscura
energia oscura
atomos
63%
-.001%
12%
photons
fotones
15%
neutrinos
neutrinos
10%
TIME
TIEMPO
380,000
years after
universe began...
años desque de
cuando empezo el
universo
23%
72%
4.6%
not
available
-1%
2008 A.D.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307182745.htm
It appears for example that originally our universe had more dark
matter and atoms. Today there is more dark energy. In fact it is 72%
of the entire universe. There are not as many photons and neutrinos
now either.
Parece por ejemplo que originalmente el universo tuvo mas
materia oscura y atomos. Hoy hay mas energia oscura. En
realidad es 72% del universo entiro. No hay tanto de fotones y
neutrinos hoy tambien.
Some scientists use giant radar systems to search for signs of
intelligent life on other planets. We call this process SETI.
Humans have gone to Earth’s moon, and robots have explored
Mars. A theory by Stephen Hawkings and other scientists is
that our universe is only one of many universes which together
form a multiverse.
Algunos cientificos usan sistemas grandes de radar para
buscar senales de vida inteligente en otras planetas.
Llamamos este proceso SETI. Humanos han ido a la luna de la
Tierra, y robotas han explorado marte. Una teoria por
Stephen Hawings y otros cientificos es que nuestro universo es
solamente uno de muchos universos que juntos forman un
multiverso.
New galaxies; courtesy of nasa.gov
We know that our universe has countless stars with planets.
We also know some of these other planets, called exoplanets,
have water. This means there may be living organisms on
some of them. Many scientists think probably most stars have
some planets or earth-like planets, according to Wesley Traub
a NASA scientist. 55 Cancri has at least five planets. It’s 41
light years away. Gigantic stars may also have planets with
life forms.
Sabemos que nuestro universo tiene innumerable estrellas con
planetsas. Sabemos tambien que unos de las otros planetas,
llamados los exoplanetas, tienen agua. Esto significa que tal
vez hay organimsos vivos en unos de ellos. Muchos cientificos
creen que problamente la mayoria de las estrellas tienen unos
planetas o planetas como la tierra, segun el Wesley Traub un
cientifico de NASA. 55 Cancri tiene a lo menos cinco planetas.
Esta 41 años-luz lejos. Estrellas giganticas tal vez tienen
formas de vida tambien.
Pleides; courtesy of nasa.gov
Some NASA scientists think there may also be water on Mars.
In ancient times some of the water may have come from its
interior. Also, some NASA scientists say there may be planets
with trees that in general are purple, yellow or red. For
example see this pretty CalTech illustration by Doug
Cummings.
Unos cientificos de NASA creen que tal vez hay agua en Marte.
En antiguos tiempos tal vez algun agua venia del parte interior
del planeta. Ademas de esto, unos cientificos de NASA dicen
que tal vez hay planetas con arboles que en general tienen el
color morado, amarillo u rojo. Por ejemplo vean esta
ilustracion hermosilla CalTech por Doug Cummings
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/11planetcolors/
The star closest to our own solar system is Epsilon Eridani,
about 10.4 light years away. It is younger, a little smaller,
cooler and fainter than our sun. It has two asteroid belts.
Epsilon Eridani is closer to Earth and more like our sun
overall. Its age is about 800 million years old, only one-fifth the
age of our sun. It may have three planets and possibly more.
La estrella mas cercano nuestra propia esistema solar es
Epsilon Eridani, casi 10.4 años de luz lejos. Es mas jovena, un
poco mas pequeña, frigida y apenas visible que nuestro sol.
Tiene dos cinturones de asteroides. Epsilon Eridani es mas
cercano a la Tierra y mas como nuestro sol en general. Su
edad es casi 800 millones de años, solamente quinto de la edad
de nuestro sol. Tal vez tiene tres planetas y posiblemente mas.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081027121317.ht
m
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Space exploration will continue. On the Moon’s surface are
probably 1.1 million metric tons of Helium 3. About 25 tons of
it can supply the U.S. with all the energy it needs for a year. It
would cost $100 billion or $4 billion per ton. About one-fourth
of the Helium 3 is in the maria, large dark areas formed by
ancient volcanoes. To mine it will require heating it to remove
oxygen.
La exploracion del espacio exterior continuara. En la
superficie de la luna hay probablemente 1,1 toneladas metricas
de Helio 3. Casi 25 toneladas de eso puede proveer a los EEUU
todo la energia que necesita para un año. Costaria $100 mil
millones o $4 mil millones por una tonelada. Casi un cuarto de
Helio 3 esta en la maria lunar, areas obscuras y grandes
formadas por volcanes antiguos. A minarlo requiere la
calentar para eliminar el oxigeno.
China’s Ouyang Ziyuan says China will mine Helium 3 on the
moon then send it to Earth to use it as energy three times a
year. Many say China will mine more gold than South Africa
in 2012, and Helium 3 is more rare than gold.
Ouyang Ziyuan de China dice que China va a minar Helio 3 en
la luna entonces enviarlo a la Tierra para usarla como energia
tres veces cada año. Muchas personas dice que China minara
mas oro que SudAfrica en 2012, y Helio 3 es mas raro que oro.
There is also a military reason. The nation which has weapons
above the weapons of its foes can destroy the weapons of it
foes. Therefore the U.S. wants to return to the moon, China
and Russia have plans for moon bases, India and Japan are
also doing much in outer space, and doubtlessly other nations
and private companies will go there.
Hay tambien una razon militar. La nacion que tiene armas
por encima de las armas de sus enemigos puede destruir las
armas de los enemigos. Por lo tanto los EEUU quiere regresar
a la Luna, China y Rusia tienen planes para bases lunares,
India y Japon tambien hace mucho en cuanto al espacio
exterior, y sin duda otras naciones y compañias van a ir por
alli.
An Astronomical Unit is the distance from the sun to the
Earth. From Neptune outwards about 50 Astronomical Units
is the Kuiper Belt. There are many small bodies or planets in
this region including Pluto.
Una Unidad Astronomical es la distancia del sol a la Tierra.
De Neptuno afuera a eso de 50 Unidades Astronicales es el
Cinturon Kuiper. Hay muchos cuerpitos o chiquitos planetas
en esta area incluyendo Pluton.
LEARN MORE
http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2758835.ece
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070711_water_planet.html
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_tharsis_011
009-1.html
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_science_find
ings_000622.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0704/11planetcolors/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070823/ap_on_sc/universe_hole
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6933841.stm
http://www.astronomynow.com/
http://www.space.com/
http://media-newswire.com/release_1057210.html
http://www.nationalufocenter.com/artman/publish/article_191.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium_3
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1598005.html?menu=
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/02/20/mars-ocean-water.html
FUTURE EXPLORATIONS FOR SETI
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3f/Keplerpacecraft.019e.jpg
NASA’s Kepler mission will search for extra-solar planets
Copyright 2008
By Mason Emerson
The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) continues. The
American Association for the Advancement of Science met in early 2008
in Boston, Massachusetts. Scientists there suggested that 20 to 60% of
stars like our own sun may have planets with life. They also suggested
there may be many planets or moons of other planets in our own solar
system with life.
For example they have used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to study
heat from dust around stars like our own but of different ages. Hot dust
implies that large rocky bodies are colliding and forming into new
planets. Such dust has also been found one to five times the distance
from our sun to Earth. The dust also appears in young stars but not in
stars older than 300 million years.
They believe our solar system may have hundreds or thousands more of
very small objects or planets like Pluto, but we cannot see them because
they are in a distant region of space around our sun which is called the
Kuiper belt. Evidence is growing that the Kuiper Belt has several
planets the size of Earth or Mar planets and possibly 42 tinier bodies
sometimes called dwarf planets or minor planets.
For example Eris, also known as UB313, was discovered in 2003, and it
is larger than Pluto. It has a moon named Dysnomia. Lila and Santa
were found in 2006. Lila was found about 97 billion miles from Earth.
Santa is about 930 miles in diameter and has a moon.
Besides a lot of such dwarf planets, the Kuiper Belt may also have some
planets the size of Mars and Earth or the gas giants like Jupiter and
Saturn. The dwarfs are probably made of just rock and ice. The larger
planets in the distant Kuiper Belt may have gas envelopes, and some
may have wet warm interiors. Scientists think Pluto, Jupiter’s moon
Europa, and many moons around other planets probably have an
interior ocean.
They will be looking for planets in other solar systems that are in the
Goldilocks Zone. It is an area which is not too hot or too cold to
support life. The raw materials for life are common, and water is
probably the most common molecule in the universe. Organic
molecules are already known to be common in all parts of the universe.
One possibility is that meteors fall upon a planet, depositing the organic
seeds of life, the pan-spermia theory.
The Allen Telescope Array located about 290 miles northeast of San
Francisco will be helping in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence,
other alien life forms, and astronomy in general. Professor Glenn
White of Open University has noted that a European Space Agency
mission called Darwin, will launch a flotilla of telescopes in 2018, to scan
500 stars over five years within a distance of 60 light years.
Prof Glenn White of Open University said a European Space Agency
mission called Darwin will be launched in 2018 as a flotilla to scan 500
stars over five years within a distance of 60 light years. He added that
aliens could now be hearing wave transmissions from Earth that began
in 1927 now gone out over 80 light years away, meaning aliens on
hundreds of habitable planets may be listening to us.
One recently found planet is 20.5 light years from Earth in the Libra
constellation, 1 ½ times the size of Earth, may have water on its surface
and temperatures zero and 40°C. It is 14 times closer to its star Gliese
581 than Earth is the our sun but its star is much cooler. It was found
by a European team using a giant telescope on a mountain top at La
Silla, Chile.
Scientists first found water on a planet outside Earth’s solar system in
1999. The planet named Osiris is some 150 light years away. It was
also the first known exo-planet to have an atmosphere. Instruments on
Earth measured how much water was being absorbed into Osiris’
atmosphere by how much light was reflected. It is classed as a "hot
Jupiter" because made of gas and orbits so close to its parent star in the
Pegasus constellation that its atmosphere is boiling away into space at
1,100C.
Dr Seth Shostak of the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence group
has said: "We'll know we are not alone between the years 2020 and
2025. His group is building 350 telescopes to listen for ETs. Shostak
believes aliens could already be listening to Earth and alien life may
have landed in clumps of bacteria cells.
One planet found near the centre of the Milky Way, is known as OGLE2005-BLG-390Lb, is 20,000 light years away, and it has a surface
temperature estimated at no more than -173°C. It orbits a star onefifth the size of our sun, has a thin atmosphere like ours, but its frozen
seas likely cover a rocky surface. It was found by the "microlensing," a
technique noted by Albert Einstein in 1912 which is where a star's light
is used as a lens.
Scientists at UCSC want to closely investigate Alpha Centauri B.
Computer simulations show it may have one or more planets with the
right temperature for water and life. In 2005 an extrasolar planet
under three suns was discovered in the constellation Cygnus. Scientists
plan to also search for life on planets orbiting stars that are giants
compared to our own sun during NASA’s Space Interferometry Mission
(SIM).
LEARN MORE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SETI
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/02/080219-planetslife_2.html
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2363460.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2303615.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2282433.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2134313.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1782710.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1707760.html?menu=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UB313
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1698131.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1598005.html?menu=
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1483410.html?menu=
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/08/030804075326.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050715222557.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307121613.htm
ASTRONOMY AND FUTURE
PREDICTIONS
We can make some reasonable predictions about the future of
our planet Earth and the universe by knowing the past.
Scientists at Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology, including
Professor William Napier, used a computer model of our solar
system's movement. They found that every 35 to 40 million
years as it moves up and down through the plane of the galaxy,
it passes through the densest part of the plane. There
gravitational forces from the surrounding giant gas and dust
clouds cause comets to plunge into the solar system.
Podemos hacer algunas predicciones razonables sobre el futuro
de nuestra planeta la Tierra y del universo por medio de saber
el pasado. Los científicos en el Centro para Astrobiologia en
Cardiff, incluyendo el profesor Guillermo Napier, utilizaron
un modelo de computadora para el movimiento de nuestra
Sistema Solar. Encontraron que cada 35 a 40 millones de años
como se mueve hacia arriba y hacia abajo a través del plano de
la galaxia, pasa a través de la parte más densa del plano. Allí
las fuerzas gravitacionales de gas y nubes de polvo gigantes
hacen que los cometas hunden en la Sistema Solar.
Some collide with our planet the Earth. This is possibly why
most dinosaurs died about 65 million years ago. Earth is now
close to another such period of time. Comet impacts both
destroy life but also throw micro-organisms into space and
across the universe.
Algunos chocan con nuestro planeta la Tierra. Éste es
posiblemente la razon para que la mayoría de los dinosaurios
murieron hace cerca de 65 millones de años. La Tierra ahora
es cerca de otro tal período de tiempo. Los impactos de
cometas ambos destruyen la vida pero también lanzan
microorganismos en espacio y a través del universo.
The 2005 Deep Impact mission found organic and clay
particles in the comet Tempel 1. One theory for the beginning
of life is that clay particles helped change simple organic
molecules into more complex structures. The 2004 Stardust
Mission to Comet Wild 2 found different types of complex
hydrocarbon molecules from which life may begin.
La Misión Profunda de Impacto 2005 encontró partículas
orgánicas y de arcilla en el cometa Tempel 1. Una teoría para
el principio de la vida es que las partículas de arcilla ayudaron
a cambiar las moléculas orgánicas simples en estructuras más
complejas. La Misión 2004 de Stardust al Cometa Salvaje 2
encontró diversos tipos de moléculas complejas de
hidrocarburo de las cuales la vida tal vez pudó comenzar.
Radioactive elements can keep water in liquid form in comets
millions of years, and the billions of comets in our solar system
and across the galaxy have much more clay than early Earth
had. The mathematical probability that life began on Earth
instead of in a comet are only one in one trillion trillion.
Elementos radiactivos pueden mantener el agua en forma
líquida en cometas para millones de años, y los mil millones de
cometas en nuestra Sistema Solar y a través de la galaxia
tienen mucho más arcilla que la Tierra temprano tenía. La
probabilidad matemática que la vida comenzó por la Tierra en
vez de en un cometa es solamente uno en un trillón de trillones.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502092145.htm
Research by University of Toronto astronomers including
Professor Ray Jayawardhana shows planets can begin not only
around stars but also objects called planemos that are not
much larger than Jupiter or 100 times less massive than our
sun. Some planets that circle planemos even have their own
moons. Disks of dust and gas that are forming into planets are
also common around failed stars called “brown dwarfs.”
Investigaciones por astrónomos de la Universidad de Toronto
incluyendo profesor Ray Jayawardhana muestran que los
planetas pueden empezar no solamente alrededor de las
estrellas pero también de objetos llamados los planemos que no
son mucho más grandes que Júpiter o 100 veces menos masivas
que nuestro sol. Algunos planetas que circundanlos planemos
aun tienen sus propias lunas. Los discos de polvo y gas que se
están formando en lplanetas son también comunes alrededor
de las estrellas falladas llamadas los "enanos marrones."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060605190412.htm
Cosmology is the study of how the universe began and what
will happen to it in the future. There are different scientific
theories. The Big Bang theory is that the universe began with
an explosion called the Big Bang and it will expand forever.
Eventually even the atoms will separate. The Oscillating
Universe theory is that the universe repeatedly forever expands
in a Big Bang, collapses, expands in a Big Bang and collapses.
Cosmología es el estudio de cómo el universo comenzó y de qué
le sucederá en el futuro. Hay diversas teorías científicas. La
teoría de Big Bang es que el universo comenzó con una
explosión llamada la Gran Explosión y se ampliará para
siempre. Eventualmente los átomos se separarán. La teoría
del Universo Oscilante es que el universo para siempre se
amplía en varias ocasiones en una explosión grande, se
derrumba, se amplía en una explosión grande y se derrumba.
Some scientists believe our universe is only one of possibly an
infinite number of universes which are called a Multiverse. In
this theory it is possible there have been and will be an infinite
number of Earths or almost Earths. Of course, there are
many other theories about the future and past of the universe
or multiverse.
Algunos científicos creen que nuestro universo es posiblemente
solamente uno de un número infinito de universos que se
llaman un Multiverso. En esta teoría es posible que ya habian
sido y será un número infinito de Tierras o casi-Tierras. Por
supuesto, hay muchas otras teorías sobre el futuro y pasado del
universo o del multiverso.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology
A PHOTO BOOK
Inner planets
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Terestial_planets_comparisons.jpg
Mercury
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Reprocessed_Mariner_10_imag
e_of_Mercury.jpg
Venus
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/image_gallery/solar_system/graphics/mgn_venus_globes.jpg
Mars – From Nasa.gov
Green Aurora at Lake Superior
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/images/Aurora/2big.gif
This shows Jupiter.
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/image_gallery/solar_system/graphics/jupite
r_gany.jpg
Saturn
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/gallery/image_gallery/solar_system/graphics/satur
n.jpg
Uranus
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/image/uranus_voy2.jpg
Neptune
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/image/neptune_voy2.jpg
Pink and blue Aurora
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/images/Aurora/4bg.gif
Horsehead Nebula – From Nasa.gov
Spiral Galaxy M83 – from Nasa.gov
Star Factory Messier 17 – from Nasa.gov
Trifid Nebula – from Nasa.gov
NGC 2442 Galaxy In Volans - from Nasa.gov
Spaceshuttle - from Nasa.gov
WORDFIND ... BUSCAPALABRAS
astronomy; the study of; objects beyond; atmosphere; ancient
humans; used their eyes; stars and; with a telescope; Mercury;
Venus; Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; rings of rock; around them;
between; asteroids; galaxies; novas quasars; blackholes; dark
matter; radar; SETI; Hawkings; mutiverse; exoplanets; purple
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K
H
O
L
E
S
M
X
A
R