WEDNESDAY, October 28, 2009 - What is a Star?/Familiar Constellations with Dr. Erika Grundstrum
Targeted Audience: students in grades 4 – 12
Join Dr. Erika Grundstrum to discuss Stars and Constellations.
a) A star is a massive, luminous ball of plasma that is held together by gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth. Other stars are visible in the night sky, when they are not outshone by the Sun.
b) Constellations are the more prominent visible stars that seem to form a pattern in that area. The most prominent stars on the celestial sphere are grouped together into constellations, and the brightest stars gain proper names. Examples are Orion (which appears like a human figure with a belt, often referred to as "The Hunter"), Leo (which contains bright stars that outline the form of a lion), Scorpius (which can seem reminiscent of a scorpion), and Crux (a cross).
Time: 9:00 and 10:00 AM (CENTRAL time zone)
Format: 45-minutes formatted into 30-minute presentation, and then 15-20 minute Q & A
Cost: $75 per site
Questions: Chandra Allison, at (615) 322-6511 or email chandra.allison@vanderbilt.edu
REGISTER: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/virtualschool/registration.htm
