...Context Johannes Kepler was born in the midst of an exciting and confusing time for Europe. The continent was entering the Renaissance, a reawakening of thought across the continent. By the time of Kepler's birth, the Renaissance had reinvigorated European culture, politics, philosophy, religion, literature, and science. The authority of the Catholic Church was challenged for the first time in centuries by the reformer Martin Luther, who pointed out the wrongs that he felt the Church had committed. Luther's rebellion spurred the Protestant Reformation, in which Luther and his followers freed themselves from the authority of the Church, creating a new sect of Christianity. Kepler, a Protestant, often found himself caught in the midst of the resulting tension between Catholicism and Protestantism. Catholics frequently persecuted him. A similar challenge of scientific authority was also in progress, a radical shift in thought that later became known as the Scientific Revolution. Scientists in all fields were beginning to question the wisdom of the ancient philosophers who had molded their disciplines. They gradually began rely on objective facts and observation and to turn away from the mysticism, religion, and unfounded theorizing that had previously dominated the field. This drastic change in scientific practices and beliefs was most apparent in the field of astronomy. Physics and astronomy had been dominated by the work of Aristotle, a philosopher from the time of ancient...
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...about the one where three old dogs teach new tricks? I’m sure you have heard that one, anyone who knows about our solar system can thank the three old dogs. Well, they’re not dogs at all, and at their time they weren’t old but in our time their long gone. Of course, I am speaking about Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Kepler. Funny thing is each one of them challenged and changed their predecessor's work, for the better of course, but we will get to that later. We have these three men to thank for a whole lot of new tricks. To name a few would be, our solar system, the way we form our maps, and we can’t forget the numerous mathematical formulas used to make ideas come to life. In this research paper, we will touch base on the lives of three great astronomers and the tricks they have taught us. We will also see how astronomers of today contribute to our everyday lives. Some say that our first astronomer was a great astronomer. Other say, “Ptolemy was the only great astronomer of Roman Alexandria.” (Brown, 2016) It’s all a matter of opinion, but what we cannot deny was Ptolemy was a great astronomer of his time and today. We do not know much about Ptolemy’s personal life. What we do know about him came from his work. He was born around 85ce in Egypt to a Greek family even though he bore a roman name. To say Ptolemy was diverse is an understatement. He was also diverse in his studies being he was a mathematician, geographer, and astrologer. We know he was a Roman citizen, due...
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...Mars Exploration Rover and Kepler Space Telescope May Prove Existence of Extraterrestrial Life On September 28, NASA’s mars exploration rover, Opportunity, made a ground-breaking discovery, finding evidence of water on Mars. The rover found small spheres of the minerals hematite and jarosite. On earth, hematite generally forms from water, and jarosite in the presence of water. Opportunity also captured images of layers on rocks, generally formed by water erosion. Evidence of water on the Red Planet had been previously discovered by a former University of Arizona student Lujendra Ojha in 2010. When examining high resolution images of the Mars sent the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, steaks could be seen on the surface of the planet. The streaks, called Recurring Slope Lineae, were more prominent during summer months on mars, then faded during the winter season. During examination of the images sent from the orbiter, they found evidence of hydrated salts, which contain water molecules within them. Water is a vital part of the existence of life, so with the discovery or water on Mars, scientists are optimistic that there is a possibility of life on the planet. Alfred McEwen, a...
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...Johannes Kepler was many things. A couple of things you will learn about is his early life, His academic record, his career in astronomy and mathematics, and one thing he’s is famous for. Johannes kepler was born on December of 1571, in Germany now a days. He was a sickly child from poor parents. When Joannes was a wee little his father died fighting as a mercenary in Holland. His mother ran an inn with her dad. Kepler was originally schooled in Latin because that was the language of academics. After that, he went to the Protestant Seminary of Maulbronn because he wanted to become a minister. After he finished that he went to the University of Tubingen to study Greek, Hebrew, theology, and philosophy. But of all of those, he really stood...
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...Will Human Life on Earth Come to an End? In 1993 science‐fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson published Red Mars, the first of his Mars trilogy. Red Mars is set in the year 2026. At the beginning of the novel, the spacecraft Ares departs. Aboard the Ares, the space colonists are bound for Mars. The voyage to Mars is portentous. On Earth, corporations are coming to dominate global governance. Nation states still fly their flags, but they owe their allegiance to the transnational corporations. The “trans‐nats,” as the transnational corporations are called, are the real agents of the global economy. They have the power and ability to extract natural resources from the earth. The increasing competition among trans‐nats and growing human population means more and more resources are being removed. This situation threatens the feasibility of life on the planet. Robinson played out this idea over the course of three books. By the end of Red Mars, a world war has erupted on Earth. The second book in the trilogy, Green Mars, documents the terraforming of the red planet. (Terraforming is a science‐fiction term for adapting another planet or moon into a planet that can sustain life in the same way Earth can. This process involves creating an appropriate biosphere, atmosphere, and surface topography on the new celestial body.) The third book in the trilogy, Blue ...
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...valuable pieces of information to astronomical big picture. As Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin brilliantly putted in her 1976 speech " [...] The old scientist cannot claim that the masterpiece is his own work. He may have roughed of part of the design, laid on a few strokes , but he has learned to accept the discoveries of others with the same delight that he experienced on his own[...] (Astronomy Today, Chap. 16, p 383) What we know today about the universe is a collective work of many generation of dedicated man and woman who continue to add new insight of astronomy great spectrum of universe. Some scholars may add a little, some may add a lot, yet some may change our understanding of a matter in question. Such man were Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton. Those man are credited with revolutionizing the study of astronomy. The heliocentric theory formulated by Copernicus caused strong turmoil within astronomy, physics and cosmology. Many man of science considered it as contrary to Aristotle’s physics and the Bible. However, some astronomers were engaged in...
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...you think these attempts will bear positive results? Offer some probable place where we can migrate to.” INTRODUCTION: "We know of just one planet where life exists -- Earth. When we search for life outside our solar system we focus on finding planets with characteristics that mimic that of Earth," said Elisa Quintana, research scientist at the SETI Institute at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. Using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered the first Earth-size planet orbiting in the "habitable zone" of another star. The planet, named "Kepler-186f" orbits an M dwarf, or red dwarf, a class of stars that makes up 70 percent of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy. The discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that planets the size of Earth exist in the habitable zone of stars other than our sun. The "habitable zone" is defined as the range of distances from a star where liquid water might pool on the surface of an orbiting planet. While planets have previously been found in the habitable zone, the previous finds are all at least 40 percent larger size than Earth and understanding their makeup is challenging. Kepler-186f is more reminiscent of Earth. Although the size of Kepler-186f is known, its mass and composition are not. Previous research, however, suggests that a planet the size of Kepler-186f is likely to be rocky. REACTION: Nowadays, Astronomers aims to find Earth-like planet. As a student, I found it interesting that Astronomers find way...
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...first goes in the primary lens and then the light goes into the eye lens and into the pupil to magnify the image. 13. 14. Binoculars Harmony of the Worlds Summary This video helps to better understand the work of Johannes Kepler. Kepler’s made three laws of planetary motion. Kepler’s first law states that every planet goes around the sun in an ellipse. The second law states that every planet covers the same area in the same time. The third law can be said as P2=a3. Johannes Kepler had the material to make the observations right and to explain why planets seemed to go in a loop shape sometime going forward, other times turning back as if the planets changed their mind and wanted to turn back. All Kepler needed to make his observations correct were Tycho Brahe’s observations. Kepler tried to figure out a way to get his observations. The idea struck his mind. Kepler had received a letter from Tycho earlier saying that he was invited to visit Tycho. Kepler did not know if he wanted to go but Kepler decided to go. Kepler could not believe what Tycho’s life was like. He was having a big feast and loads of wine all over the table. Kepler had enough Tycho did not talk to Kepler about his observations. Soon a few months later Tycho died and Kepler tried to take the observations from Tycho’s family. Soon he had tested the formula for an ellipse and the formula matched the observation that Tycho made perfectly In conclusion this talks about the observation Tycho made. He made...
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...Society. Galileo supported Copernicus and developed the science of motion. In the twentieth century, Alexandre Koyré introduced the term scientific revolution, centering his study on Galileo, and the term became widely popular in his Origins of Modern Science by Butterfield. The Scientific Revolution was known all over Europe as an international phenomenon; scholars from all over took part in it. The most-important leading figures were Nicolaus Copernicus (Father of Modern Astronomy), Tycho Braye, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton. Some of the important discoveries of this time period and their effects were; Copernicus discovered that earth and all the planets revolve around the sun. Before Copernicus discovery astronomers believed, the earth was the center of the universe, and the sun and planets revolved around it. Tycho Braye discovered new stars that are known as supernovae in 1573. He was well-known throughout his life as an alchemist and astronomer. Kepler contributed the three laws of planetary motion, which helped Isaac Newton later on. These...
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...1 Living on another planet: How would we do it, why, and where? GS 1140 2 Part 1 3 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), was formally launched on October 1, 1958, with its headquarters in Washington DC. This was the creation of a pronounced history of distinctive scientific and technological triumphs in human space flight, aeronautics, space science, and space applications. NASA had originally believed itself to be the leader in space technology and missile development however when the Soviet Union satellite Sputnik 1 was successfully launched into space while the first two US launches had failed they were proved to be wrong. This led to the Sputnik crisis. Immediately the space race began and NASA quickly employed possibilities for human space flight. Project Mercury was NASA’s first prestigious program, which was exploring whether or not humans could survive in space. With Project Mercury’s success Project Gemini was to follow, with a spacecraft built for two astronauts. With Project Apollo in 1969, Apollo 11 was launched and NASA put the first astronauts on the moon. Several test projects were to follow in the early 70’s. The Space Shuttle program was born in 1981 and it still continues today to assist with the building of the International Space Station. In addition to their heroic achievements NASA’s humanitarian efforts are unmatched. This year NASA will begin to provide educational camps for underprivileged middle school children...
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...interferometers. Discuss major discoveries that were possible after detection of radio waves from space and how they changed our understanding of Universe. 2. The Earliest Evidence for Life Review the earliest evidence for life on Earth. What form does the evidence take and where is it found. Discuss the controversies relating to some of this evidence and give your conclusion on the earliest date at which we can be confident that life was present on Earth. 3. Atmosphere Evolution on Rocky Planets Compare evolution of atmosphere on Earth, Venus and Mars, and explain differences in current atmospheric conditions on these planets. Describe how the Earth’s atmosphere helped life to originate, survive and develop, and how has life affected the atmosphere over time. 4. Life in Extreme Conditions Explain what extremophile life forms are and where they are found on Earth. In view of what we have learnt about extremophiles discuss the possibility of extraterrestrial life in different places of our Solar system. 5. Key Space Missions Choose ONE of the following space missions and give an account of the mission describing the challenges it had to overcome and the mission’s achievements. Describe in particular how it has influenced our understanding of the possibilities of past or present life in the solar system. o The Viking dual orbiter/lander mission to Mars. o The Galileo orbiter/probe...
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...There Exist Intelligent Life Forms on Other Planets Name Institutional Affiliation There Exist Intelligent Life Forms on Other Planets When it comes to reflecting on the state of the universe, the most prevalent question on people’s minds is, “Is there anyone else like us out there?” Even though scientists have been scrutinizing electromagnetic waves emanating from outer space for decades, and are still to find conclusive evidence of life on other planets, this does not resolve the issue. This universe is so vast; discovering other forms of life is akin to searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Nevertheless, there are persuasive reasons to believe that ultimately scientists will discover some, possibly even in this solar system. The intent of this paper, therefore, is to list reasons why some people believe that there exist other intelligent life forms in the Universe. Ever since scientists grasped the enormity of the universe, they have intuited that other intelligent life form must exist someplace, either in this galaxy or some other galaxy very far away (Peterson, 2000, p.92). If the universe is composed of billions of galaxies and if every galaxy holds billions of stars, and if just a tiny proportion of those stars contains Earth-like planets, then thousands- maybe even millions- of alien civilization must be present across the cosmos. Recently, telescope projects and deep-space satellites have identified...
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...Who are those scientists? Write briefly on their achievements in sciences. * Aristotle (384-322 BC) Aristotle was born in North Greece to a physician of Royal family of Macedonia; He studied philosophy in in Plato’s Academy in Athens. After leaving Athens, Aristotle travelled and had some study on biology. As he returned to his home town he opened a school there name Lyceum. During the Athens dominance on Macedonia, he left his land to save his life and soon after his departure from Macedonia he died. There are 150 philosophical materials written by Aristotle. His writings includes lectures also on philosophy, biology, physics and politics. He had contribution in Zoology as well, his observations about sea organisms like Octopus, cuttlefish were accurate and fact on those early times. Arsitotle first segregated the genera of living organisms, categorized the animals into two categories. He also had contribution in Metrology. * Aristarchus (310-230 BC) He was one of the great astronomer and mathematician of the Greece history. He was the first one to give the concept of sun as center of the universe. He claimed that sun is the main source of flame. He contributed towards calculating the distance between sun and moon. He was strong in geometry in give resources and knowledge of that time, but his research and work on astronomy made the base for today’s advancements in this field. * Nicolas Copernicus (1473 – 1543) Nicola Copernicus was also one of the leading...
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...Numerous people confuse astrology with astronomy when they actually have several differences. Mankind's known history of the universe and today's scientific knowledge are ways to tell the two apart. Astronomy is the study of matter outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Astronomy studies the chemical and physical properties of outer space. Astrology also studies the effects of apparent influence of the stars on human life. The position and movement of stars throughout the night sky determine the effects. Although astrology and astronomy both study celestial objects, astronomy is different because astronomy studies the actual bodies and the physical effects their motions have on the Earth and other planets. Before the time of astronomy, most people believe the Earth was flat. Most cultures also believe they were in the center of the universe and all life gravitates around them. Aristarchus is one of the first people to voice his belief that the world revolves around the sun and not the other way around. People ridicule such outrageous remarks, so they disregard Aristarchus’ vision for some time. That is until around the 1500s, when Nicolaus Copernicus creates the first heliocentric model of our solar system. In this model, the sun is not the center of the model, but actually slightly off center towards one side. Galileo is extremely well known in the astronomical world. He introduces the law of time and how objects at such given distances can be easily measured by time. Galileo creates...
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...The mission is worth all the money we have Luckily I am in favor of spending money in order to explore space. Exploring space and trying to find new planets that could even possibly have other life forms. This could answer so many questions that humans have always had about space and what every human speculates through life. With all the money we blow on nonsense things or the money we blow that actually destroys our planet this would be a much better cause to spend money on. Spending money on new telescopes like the Kepler telescope, it can go into space and take pictures a lot closer. The only way we can find out if there are new planets like ours, we have to have equipment like the Kepler telescope this telescope can see things that others can’t. Just like in our power point we can’t see other planets that might already be here or are forming due to how bright the stars are that are near it with the distance. We have to wait for the planet to orbit that star and create a black shadow in order to see it. We wouldn’t know things like this unless we have the funds for it. There are so many reasons to spend money on space exploration. We get to see how a human body can with stand the space environment like the astronauts that are in space now. We also get to investigate other planets and this could lead to so much more discoveries. We could find out about new materials, maybe even new medicine, and even new ways to improve our own environment like having cleaner water...
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