Mapping Process

Question 1

Given that we are trying to map the Milky Way from the inside, the fact that we’ve deduced as much as we have is pretty amazing.

Thinking about that mapping process and the use of astronomy in all part of the electromagnetic spectrum from radio to X-ray and gamma ray, explain which aspect of the Galaxy’s structure do think is our most interesting – or hardest to understand – discovery?

200 words, this is just a discussion post.

Question 2

Next to the Sun, the brightest object in the sky is the Moon. The Moon also one of the more dynamic celestial objects, changing appearance and position every night. In a 2 to 3 paragraph essay, answer the following questions:

• What are the phases of the Moon and why do the different phases occur?
• What is the appearance of a total solar eclipse? What conditions allow a solar eclipse to occur?
• What is the appearance of a total lunar eclipse? What conditions allow a lunar eclipse to occur?

Question 3

For centuries, people had no simple explanation for what causes the apparent retrograde motion of the planets in the sky. Today, we have a straightforward explanation, but it can still be a tough topic to understand.

What confuses you most about the concept of planetary retrograde motion (or does it all make perfect sense to you)?