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RTB Blogs - Maureen's Musings
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Maureen's Musings - Thursday, December 25th, 2008
In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published his masterwork of astronomy, De revolutionibus orbium coelestiu On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, thereby giving the world its first “scientifically-based” case for heliocentrism.
Maureen's Musings - Friday, December 19th, 2008
It saddens me that my children may grow up seeing only eight planets on the posters at school, whereas I grew up with nine. On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reached a verdict on the debate over Pluto’s status. Since Pluto has not “cleared the neighborhood around its orbit” it was demoted to the position of dwarf planet.
Maureen's Musings - Thursday, November 27th, 2008
Another Thanksgiving is upon us. Many American families, gathered around a golden brown turkey, will participate in the tradition of asking each member of their group to name something for which they are grateful. And I’ll bet things like family, friends, and God rank as some of the top answers. How about Neptune? The eighth planet from the Sun probably won’t come to mind; nonetheless, it is definitely something to be thankful for.
Maureen's Musings - Friday, October 31st, 2008
Houses glow with twinkle lights and decorations, seasonal treats fill store shelves, everyone’s getting into the holiday spirit. Is it Christmas?
No. It’s Halloween.
Maureen's Musings - Friday, September 12th, 2008
Though its name has been Latinized, Uranus is the only planet in the solar system named for a Greek, rather than Roman, deity. And the name is only the beginning of Uranus’s peculiarities.
Maureen's Musings - Monday, August 25th, 2008
Outfitted with beautiful rings of ice and dust, Saturn stands as one of the most iconic planets in our solar system. Along with Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, this celestial ornament works as a shield between Earth and too much bombardment by comets and asteroids.
Maureen's Musings - Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Named after the king of the Roman gods, Jupiter is considered as a king of planets. Its enormous size, entourage of 63 moons, and gravitational power all befit a regal planet.
Maureen's Musings - Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
With the 2008 Olympics in Beijing just days away, it is appropriate that the next planet in this series derives its name from a mythological deity known for his own athleticism and patronage of mortal sportsmen. Mercury, messenger to the Roman gods, is easily recognizable, as is Hermes, the Greek deity from which Mercury was pilfered. Both versions feature winged-shoes and/or -cap and a caduceus, among other symbols.
Maureen's Musings - Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Safe to say Batman has come a long way since the days of Adam West and Burt Ward. He's cooler, tougher, and thank goodness he doesn't wear spandex anymore. But in addition to giving up the tights and corny bat-gadgets, Batman has become darker.
Maureen's Musings - Friday, July 11th, 2008
My sisters and I may have been raised in the same home, by the same parents, but we've each turned out different from one another.
Like human sisters that grow into distinctive individuals, "sister planets" Earth and Venus are radically different. They are nearly the same size (Earth is the bigger of the two) and study indicates that, like Earth, Venus was once covered by liquid water. But, current research shows two celestial bodies with drastically disparate environments.
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