Universo Viviente
Related Articles
MSU St. Andrews’ next Virtual Family Astronomy Night is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 2. The topic of this event will be “Astronomy: How the Calendar Became”, focusing on how the modern Western calendar was established.
Those interested in participating are asked to register at msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YIs9rvkbRs6gzufqGrDTHg to receive the Zoom login. They can register up until the start time of the presentation or even during the meeting to participate.
Why don’t days, weeks, months or years divide evenly? Why do the months have different numbers of days? Did you know that most days (sunrise to sunrise) don’t last 24 hours? Or that the equinox doesn’t have the same 12-hour day and night times? Have you heard that, even in the modern Western world, different calendars have been used for centuries, which did not agree on the date, or even on the year? Why do we have regular leap years – and do we skip some anyway? Why do we have leap seconds?
Why is December (the name means 10) the 12th month? Why does the new year start on January 1? (For most of history, that wasn’t the case.) Did you know that Halloween and even Groundhog Day (Wednesday, February 2) are dates determined by astronomy? Also, what are the planets and constellations doing this month?
There will be time allotted for live Q&A throughout the event. ASL interpreting is also featured at the event.
Presenters will show how ancient civilizations measured things like the length of a month or a year and determined the cardinal directions of north, south, east and west (did you know the directions are based on astronomy, not on the compass?), with great precision. , all without the use of telescopes or even clocks.
Presenters will follow the evolution of the schedule as it has changed over time: sometimes better, sometimes less. Along the way, presenters will provide answers to all the questions raised above. Finally, the monthly technology update will focus on recent activity from the sun.
As always, presenters will demonstrate how to find lots of fun things in the sky this month, noting how part of the winter sky features more of the brightest stars than any other season, explaining how to use the constellation Orion as a pointing system for locating many other stars and constellations, and sharing how four bright planets will line up in the morning sky this month.
Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities. Disability accommodations can be requested by contacting 989-374-9904.
