Sources

Jacob D.

http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/science-dark-matter-earths-cataclysms-mass-extinctions-02522.html

Anthony V.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/intl_world/space-black-hole/

MHSSCIENCE DEPT.

170 RIDGEDALE AVENUE, MADISON, NJ 07940

P1 / RANDOM FACT 1

Saturn would float if you would put it in water.

P2 / RANDOM FACT 2

If you would place a pinhead sized piece of the Sun on the Earth you would die from standing within 145 km (90 miles) from it.

P3 / RANDOM FACT 3

Space is not a complete vacuum, there are about 3 atoms per cubic meter of space.

P4 / RANDOM FACT 4

The odds of being killed by falling space debris is 1 in 5 billion.

Uni-Matter DailyMHS MARCH 2015

Dark Matter- Why the Dinosaurs Died

Dark matter, we know next to nothing about

it, other than the fact that it makes up

approximately 27% of the universe,

according to NASA’s current model of the

universe. The matter we know of, stand on,

and see every day takes up only 5% of the

universe, with dark energy taking up the

remaining 68%- all of these figures coming

from Albert Einstein’s gravity theory. But the

focus of this article is the 27%, and why it

could have possibly led to the end of the

dinosaurs so many years ago. Studies have

shown one full rotation around the Milky

Way Galaxy takes about 250 million years,

and that it goes through the Galaxy’s disc

every 30 million. Through further analysis,

Professor Michael Rampino, of New York

University has found that these times have

also correlated to times of >> CONT. PAGE TWO

Dark matter, we know next to nothing about it...“ ”

Articles:

Kylie T.

http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-current.html

Celestial Events:

Joanna L.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/starwheel+disk.pdf

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/starwheel+sleeve.pdf

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-resources/video-using-star-charts-and-star-wheels/

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/make-a-star-wheel/

Astronomy Activity:

Robert K.

Newsletter Design:

Scientists Discover Black HoleFEB. 26th 2015 - Researchers in China discovered a 900

million year old black hole, 12 billion times bigger than the

sun. "The existence of such black holes when the Universe was

less than one billion years old presents substantial challenges to

theories of the formation and growth of black holes and the

co-evolution of black holes and galaxies," said teams from

China’s Peking University and the University of Arizona. They

also said the black hole -- named SDSS J010013.02 -- was six

times larger than its biggest known contemporaries. Researcher

Xue-Bing Wu of Peking University and his colleagues first

sighted the black hole using a telescope in Yunnan, China, and

used additional telescopes around the world to examine it.

In a media release, the University of Arizona said that the black

hole powered "the brightest quasar of the early universe." Team

member Fuyun Bian, from the Australian National University,

said that the light from a quasar was thought to push back material behind it and limit the

growth of black holes. "This quasar is very unique," the University of Arizona quoted lead

researcher Wu as saying. "Just like the brightest lighthouse in the distant universe, its

glowing light will help us to probe more about the early Universe."

-Article by Anthony .V

Dark Matter>> CONT. FROM PAGE ONE

comet impacts as well as mass extinctions of

life. Professor Rampino has noted that while

going through the disc, the dark matter heavily

concentrated there disturbs pathways of

comets- who usually don’t even come close to

our Solar System- pushing them in our general

direction and potentially coming into contact

with Earth.

Even more remarkably, he says, is that this

dark matter can also build up within the earth’s

core with every dip through the Galactic Disc.

This buildup of dark matter particles could be

annihilating other dark matter particles in the

core, causing heat and in turn, increase

volcanic eruptions, mountain building,

magnetic field reversals, and changes in sea

level, which as Professor Rampino has found,

are at their peak every 30 million years- the

same time at which Earth passes through the

Galactic Disc. Earth’s history, all throughout it

has these marks of large scale events of death

and destruction- many of which the cause are

Professor Rampino has noted that while going through the disc, the dark matter heavily concentrated there disturbs pathways of comets.

“”

unknown. It could mean that dark matter not only

holds the key to the answer to these events, such as

the extinction of the dinosaurs, but it could also

mean dark matter itself has a direct influence on

life on Earth.

Celestial Events in March

Full Moon

M A R C H 5

M A R C H 6

Purpose:

ASTRONOMY ACTIVITY - MAKING A STAR WHEEL

New Moon

M A R C H 2 0

M A R C H 2 0

The NASA Dawn spacecraft will encounter the dwarf planet Ceres.

March Equinox - will occur around 6pm EST.

M A R C H 2 0

Total Solar Eclipse will been seen in the North Atlantic & Arctic Oceans between Greenland & Northern Russia.

-Article by Jacob D.

Making a Star Wheel which will allow people the ability to find and observe the stars and constellations of the sky.

Hand- made tool indicating the different stars in the constellations and the constellations themselves!

Materials:

ScissorsStaplerComputer and Printer

Instructions: Print out the two parts of the Star Wheel that are found on this link http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/starwheel+disk.pdf http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/starwheel+sleeve.pdf

Both links are cut-outs of the Star Wheel. Once both parts are printed out, cut out the “Sky Map” by trimming away the gray corners so that you’re left with a circle 8 inches across. Then, cut out the “outer sleeve” but make sure you keep the large white rectangle at the bottom; also, cut out the white oval in the middle.

To make the Star Wheel, fold the white rectangle at the bottom of the outer sleeve so it’s underneath the front. Then staple the rectangle to the front at the locations marked by short white lines to either side of the oval. Now slip in the circular sky map so it shows through the oval.

-by Joanna L.

Using the Star Wheel:Pick the date and hour you want to observe, and set the Star Wheel that the date matches the

time indicated along the edge of the outer sleeve. Using white hours when standard time is in

effect and orange hours when clocks are set for daylight-saving (summer) time.

The Star Wheel’s large oval shows the whole sky and the oval’s curved edge represents the

horizon you’re facing. Once outside, hold the Star Wheel out in front of you and look at the

yellow "Facing" labels around the oval. Turn the entire wheel so that the yellow label for the

direction you're facing is on the bottom, with the lettering right-side up. If you're unsure of your

directions, just remember where the Sun sets; that’s the west.

Now the stars above the map's horizon should match the real stars in front of you. Remember

that star patterns will look much larger in the sky than they do on the map. The farther up from

the edge of the oval the stars appear, the higher up they'll be shining in your sky. Stars in the

center of the oval will appear directly overhead.

Once you've set the date and time, turn the Star Wheel so the

'Facing' label at the bottom of the oval matches the direction in

the sky you're looking.Total Solar Eclipse