Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Exploring the Universe through the Curriculum for Excellence Dr Martin Hendry Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Institute for Gravitational Research Dept.

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Exploring the Universe through the Curriculum for Excellence Dr Martin Hendry Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Institute for Gravitational Research Dept."— Presentation transcript:

1 Exploring the Universe through the Curriculum for Excellence Dr Martin Hendry Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Institute for Gravitational Research Dept of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow

2 Timetable for the day: 1. Introductions and background10.15 – 10.30 2. Science and the Curriculum for Excellence:10.30 – 12.30 Overview of experiences and outcomes; General strategies for engaging able pupils; Some ‘big’ science questions for exploring; Support and resources. 12.30 – 1.15 SNAP Associate Tutor Day, December 3 rd 2009 3. Spring 2010 science challenge 1.15 – 2.45 Overview of theme and goals; Criteria for identifying participants; Role of the project mentors. Lunch 4. Summary and wrap-up 2.45 – 3.00

3 Did we really land on the Moon?... Dr Martin Hendry University of Glasgow

4 Mankind’s greatest adventure?... Between July 1969 and December 1972, 12 astronauts walked on the Moon.

5

6

7 Apollo 11

8 FOX TV Documentary “Conspiracy Theory: Did We Really Go to the Moon?”

9 The Hoax Claim It never happened

10

11

12 3. shadows aren’t parallel? 2. no stars? 1. waving flag? 3. shadows aren’t parallel?

13 4. film played fast looks like on Earth 2. no stars? 1. waving flag? 3. shadows aren’t parallel?

14 6. lit in the shade? 7. Dust problems 5. Lens crosshairs behind things? 8. Radiation footprints no blast crater

15 now you see it! now you don’t? 9. Identical backgrounds

16 10. fuel jets? now you see it! now you don’t? 9. Identical backgrounds

17 7. Dust problems 1. waving flag2. no stars3. non- parallel shadows 5. crosshairs6. lit in the shade 9. similar backgrounds Convincing? 8. radiation

18 7. Dust problemsDust problems 1. waving flagwaving flag2. no starsno stars3. non-parallel shadowsnon-parallel shadows 5. crosshairscrosshairs6. lit in the shadelit in the shade 9. similar backgroundssimilar backgrounds Convincing? 8. radiationradiation 4. Slowed filmSlowed film 10. No jetsNo jets

19 1. The Waving Flag

20 1. The Waving Flag What the TV Show says

21

22 What could be causing the flag to wave? Is there anything strange about the Apollo flag? What would a flag really do on the Moon? Some questions to think about Back to main menu

23 1. The Waving Flag

24 Would the flag wave on the Moon, where there’s no atmosphere?

25

26 1. The Waving Flag

27

28 Labor Day in Johnson City, TN

29

30 Back to main menu

31 2. No stars

32 2. No stars

33

34 Should we see stars in the Apollo photographs? What determines if we see stars in any photograph we take at night? What sources of light were there on the Moon? How would these have affected the Apollo photographs? Some questions to think about Back to main menu

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42 3. Non-parallel Shadows What the TV Show says

43

44 Some questions to think about Do we expect the shadows in photographs to run parallel to each other? If there were bright lights in a studio, what would we expect the shadows to look like? How could we test out these ideas for ourselves? Back to main menu

45

46 3. Non-parallel Shadows

47

48

49

50

51

52 Back to main menu

53 4. Film slowed down

54 4. Film slowed down What the TV Show says

55

56 Does the Apollo film, slowed down, really look like the astronauts are on Earth? If they were on Earth, how manoeuvrable would their spacesuits have been? Some questions to think about Back to main menu

57 4. Film slowed down

58 Back to main menu

59 5. Disappearing Crosshairs What the TV Show says

60

61 Some questions to think about What are the crosshairs supposed to be? Is there any pattern to the photos where they appear? If so, what does this tell us about a possible explanation, and a way to test our ideas? Back to main menu

62 5. Disappearing Crosshairs

63

64

65 Back to main menu

66 6. Lit in the Shade? What the TV Show says

67

68 Some questions to think about What are the sources of light in the photos? Would we expect deep shadows on the Moon? What factors affect the shadows we see on Earth? Back to main menu

69 6. Lit in the Shade?

70

71

72

73 Back to main menu

74 7. Dust problems? What the TV Show says

75

76 How rapid would the Lunar Module descend? Would we expect it to make a blast crater? What factors will affect how much dust gets thrown up by the Lunar Module engines? How would this dust behave on the Moon? Back to main menu Some questions to think about

77 The final descent of Apollo 11

78 7. Dust problems? No blast crater?

79

80 7. Dust problems?

81 Simulating the LEM descent

82

83 7. Dust problems? Driving the lunar rover

84

85 Back to main menu

86 8. Radiation

87 Some questions to think about Where does the radiation in space come from? What kinds of radiation are there? What would these different types of radiation do to the astronauts? What if we were going to Mars, instead of the Moon? What if we were onboard the International Space Station? Back to main menu

88 Charged particles from the Sun reach the Earth and are trapped in the Van Allen radiation belts 7. Radiation

89

90 Shielding against radiation 7. Radiation

91 8. Radiation

92

93 Back to main menu

94 9. Identical Backgrounds? What the TV Show says

95

96

97 How far can we see on a clear day? How do we tell how far away things are? What happens to our view of nearby things when we begin to move? What about our view of distant things? Some questions to think about Back to main menu

98 9. Identical Backgrounds?

99

100 Ridge

101 9. Identical Backgrounds?

102

103 Back to main menu

104 10. No fuel jets? What the TV Show says

105

106 Do all fuels burn with the same colour of flame? What factors determine the flame that we see? When might we not see a burning flame? What effects might a fuel jet have that we don’t see? Back to main menu Some questions to think about

107 10. No fuel jets?

108

109 Back to main menu

110 What do you think?... moon@astro.gla.ac.uk www.astro.gla.ac.uk/users/martin/moonhoax/

111 “Proof” that Moon Landings Happened All the live video footage was tracked by a network of “dishes” during the Apollo missions

112 “Proof” that Moon Landings Happened Over 382kg of moon rocks brought back All the live video footage was tracked by a network of “dishes” during the Apollo missions

113 “Proof” that Moon Landings Happened Over 382kg of moon rocks brought back Over 130 separate lunar ranging studies rely on reflectors left behind by astronauts All the live video footage was tracked by a network of “dishes” during the Apollo missions

114

115 Gravity measured from original footage checks out at ~1/6 th Earth’s gravity, as expected

116 What do you think?... moon@astro.gla.ac.uk

117 SNAP Associate Tutor Day, December 3 rd 2009

118

119

120

121

122

123

124 Project summary to date: More than 50 schools participated so far Wide range of activities undertaken – exploring diverse scientific topics: gravity and forces, colour and spectroscopy, atmospheric pressure and evaporation, air resistance, geometry and optical illusions, radiation, distances and scaling relations. Excellent grasp of experimental methodology: control principle, importance of reproducibility, documenting of procedures, consideration of alternative hypotheses. Varied and innovative presentation styles: laptops, short video segments, demonstrations, models, posters, etc… The participants had fun! SNAP Associate Tutor Day, December 3 rd 2009


Download ppt "Exploring the Universe through the Curriculum for Excellence Dr Martin Hendry Astronomy and Astrophysics Group, Institute for Gravitational Research Dept."

Similar presentations


Ads by Google