kpoes constellation contemplation

KPOE’s

KPOE’sPlanning Your Tour

KPOE’sPlanning Your Tour

Constellations Do: - Organize Chaos - Tell Time- Help with Navigation- Tell Important Stories

Constellations Are: - Patterns of stars - That change with time- And move predictably- Cultural Icons

KPOE’s

Challenges: - Change with time & date

- Don’t look right

Solutions: - Prepare seasonal versions- Practice! - Pick best looking ones- Fuel imagination with good stories well told

Planning Your Tour

KPOE’s

In 1922, the International Astronomical Union standardized 88 constellations. 48 classics from Greek mythology where “cropped” and 40 “no story” additions were added:

14 named by Dutch sailors exploring southern seas 3 ship parts and 12 tools / inventions 1 lizard, 2 dogs, and 2 cats to “fill the gaps”

Restoring the Ancient Sky

KPOE’s

Why? - Reduced size made them better reference points - Boundaries were drawn (1930)- Sky became like jigsaw puzzle

Why Learn & Interpret pre-1930 sky? - Coordinate system (RA & Dec.) used universally- Originals look better

Restoring the Ancient Sky

KPOE’s

Cygnus “The Swan”

Restoring the Ancient Sky

KPOE’sRestoring the Ancient

SkyPegasus “The Winged Horse”

Andromeda “The Princess”

KPOE’s

Scorpius “The Scorpion”

Restoring the Ancient Sky

KPOE’s

1

2

3

4

4.5

“Little Dipper”

“Big Dipper”

Star Hopping

KPOE’s

NӨ=Xº

Navigation

370N

N38o

N34o

N36o

Lisbon

Madeira

KPOE’s

150

11pm

450

1am

00

10pm

300

12pm

600

2am

750

3am

900

4am

Telling Time

3600 / 24hr =150 of rotation per hour

KPOE’s

“Big Dipper”Ursa Major

Mythology (Greek)

KPOE’sMythology (Greek)

Ursa Minor “Baby Bear”

Ursa Major“Mama Bear”

KPOE’s

“Great Bear & Hunters”Ursa Major

Mythology (Greek)

KPOE’s

00

July

300

August

600

September

900

October

Change of Season

3600 / 12 months =300 of revolution per month

KPOE’sReference Points

“Big Dipper”Ursa Major

M51Whirlpool

Galaxy

Hubble Deep Field

10,000 galaxies

M82Cigar Galaxy

?

M81Bode’s Galaxy

KPOE’s

Photo by Tyler Nordgren

Galaxy becomes plural!

M82Cigar Galaxy

M81Bode’s Galaxy

“Mr. Universe”Edwin Hubble

The Drake (kev) equation for life:1:1,000 stars have rocky planets1:1,000,000 rocky planets spawn life1:100 with life evolves “intelligence”= 10 civilizations per galaxy

10,000 galaxies in HUDF12.7 million HUDFs to fill sky (N&S)

= 1,270,000,000,000 civilizations?

KPOE’sPreserving the stories

Ursa Minor “Baby Bear”

Ursa Major“Mama Bear”

5.0 lm

KPOE’sPreserving the stories

4.0 lm

Ursa Major“Mama Bear”

Ursa Minor “Baby Bear”

KPOE’sPreserving the stories

3.0 lm

Ursa Major“Mama Bear”

Ursa Minor “Baby Bear”

KPOE’sPreserving the stories

2.0 lm

Ursa Major“Mama Bear”

KPOE’sPreserving the stories

KPOE’s

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