PV Gap

Dorothy Said:

I am a kid and want to know how to start a career in astronomy?

We Answered:

If I were you, I'd go to the local community college and try to enroll in an Astronomy class. Most community colleges should have Astronomy courses, some even have planetariums (mine did). You can go to a community college if you're in high school. Just look up what you need to do to get in. Usually the school has it up on their website or you can go talk to a counselor at the college. I really suggest you do this because 1. it looks good when you apply for college, 2. it will get you used to what college is like, and 3. the units for the college can transfer to high school credits; you might be able to knock a year (or at least a semester) off your time in high school.

Astronomy is a sub-field of Physics. Major in Physics, this is what will get you into Astronomy. You're going to need to take about 3-4 Physics classes, Chemistry, and take Trigonometry and Calculus (I, II, & III). Not only that but you're going to really need to learn this stuff. You will need these things to know what is really going on out there. Physics and Chemistry will allow you to understand the concept of what you are looking at and why it is happening the way that you see it and Math will allow you to determine sizes and distances and allow you to back up your theories and predict what will happen.

You also need to start thinking about what college you want to go to. MIT and CalTech are both really good schools for the sciences (up on the top 5). Yeah, you SHOULD start doing it now. Most kids don't worry about it until their last two years of high school and when the time comes for them to decide on a college, they have no clue and they start to worry. Take the SATs (or ACT) too. You can take it as many times as you want but I don't recommend it because it becomes expensive and because colleges don't really like that. Take it at least 3 times. Once now (in your freshman/sophomore year) so you know what to expect, again six months before you apply for college, and one more time before you apply for college (if you're not happy with your scores). I would also go online and look at any groups that you can join, such as the Society of Physics Students. You should also go to observatories. Do anything you can, such as community work, volunteer work, work at a observatory, to get experience. I wouldn't just do any work though. Remember, any volunteer work you do should be about your future career as an astronomer. Your goal is to get yourself into a good college and colleges really like volunteer work.

Astronomers are unique. The only thing they study is light. This is the only thing they can study. They can't go out and grab a sample of a star or put a black hole under a microscope to look at things. This is unlike most scientists who can go out and grab a sample and take it back to their labs.

If you need help, talk to your school counselor and they will help you out BUT, do not expect them to hold your hand and guide you. Ask them for ADVICE. Don't take what they say as definite. Remember, you're not the only kid that they need to help. Most of the work (99% of it) is going to be up to you. You need to look up what college you want to go to after high school and think about how you're going to get there. You HAVE to start now, in your freshman year. Once you hit your junior year in high school, it will already be too late. I did that and I regret it. I have to go to a $hitty school and have to do an extra year of college because I didn't do well. I really hope you take my advice, these are all things I wish I would have done to better prepare me for college.

Also, reading up on Astronomy wouldn't hurt. Go pick up a book or look up stuff online. Astronomy is a really interesting subject, especially when you get up to star formation, black holes, neutron stars, and General Relativity.

Carole Said:

Where do I find the copyright date on websites?

We Answered:

I looked at your 3rd (Neptune) and 4th (Uranus) links and both of those images were taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft and so I'd say that the Neptune image would be...

© NASA/JPL 1989

and the Uranus image would be...

© NASA/JPL 1986

and as you probably know, the © means "copyright"

Hope this helps!



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Donald Said:

how many planets are there usually inside a solar system?

We Answered:

We know some other stars have some planets... but that's about it so far. We don't know enough about other solar systems yet because we can't see the planets that far away. I suspect there could be many more planets than 9. So far, we can only surmise that a sun must have a planet because we see the star wobble from it's gravitational tug. This only tells us about larger planets orbiting a sun.

Some look at Jupiter as a (sort of) mini solar system.
Jupiter has 63 named moons. (most of them are small, but not all) If a planet can have that many moons, I don't see why a star couldn't have that many planets.

>> there can only be one star in that solar system right? <<

Usually, but that's not a rule that can't be broken.

Two stars can orbit each other, or rotate about a center point. (we've seen that)
That would be a sun system or solar system. They may or may not have planets.
If they did have stable planets orbiting, the orbits would likely be far out from the suns.

Irma Said:

Why not teach both sides and let the kids decide?

We Answered:

>>chemistry or alchemy

Yeah, THERE we go! The periodic table of course is "just a theory". We can let people choose to believe in the 4 elements instead.

And American college students wonder why all of their math and science professors are from other countries...

Ted Said:

Is this telescope for children or for adults or for both?

We Answered:

This time of year, people seem to put the cart in front of the horse. In this case, buying a telescope and then asking if its good or not. 99 times out of a 100, it's not - if they don't know a thing about telescopes in the first place.

This one happens to be "o.k." for simple usage (you sort of lucked out). However, get her this book - it has a good chapter on how to buy a telescope and is a great introductory guide to the hobby of astronomy -
http://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practic…

Telescopes are one of those items that you get what you pay for. If you go cheap, your doing morte harm than good.

Marcia Said:

I'm looking for a good book on tons of information on the universe?

We Answered:

Hey.

I. like you, love Space. I have done since about 4-5.

I think you should look at these books:

Deep Space:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN…


This book has amazing pictures, and as you can tell from the reviews it is beautiful. I have this book, and it does have alot of detail, Im 19 and this gives me all the Info i want, it's not patronizing or basic at all! And the pictures make you go, WOW.


Another book i own is:

Cosmos:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN…


This book is HUGE. Seriously, it doesn't fit on my shelf! it's the size of a coffee table, and have the most amazing pictures ever! so clear and stunning, this also has alot of information in it(non of it is basic) and is very cheap (It's RRP is £50)

I recommend both those books so much :)



Other's have suggested Stephen Hawkings books, but unless you can understand hard maths and complex Physics, i don't recommend it..(I only just understood it)

If you think you can hack it, try:

The Universe in a nutshell.
A brief history of time.


Good luck :)

Rick Said:

Is anyone else sick of Scientists and Teachers saying Pluto is no longer a planet?

We Answered:

I have no problem with people of any profession calling things what they are, not mot misinforming people that something fits a definition that it celarly does not.