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FOAP Newsletter February 2025 |
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February 1, 2025 Dear Members,
I am very pleased to offer congratulations to the new members of the FOAP Board of Directors, elected during the January 25 Annual Member Meeting. They will join FOAP’s leadership team in promoting and supporting Arlington's David M. Brown Planetarium as an accessible community resource for all people to learn, engage, and be inspired by the wonders of science and the universe. Please join me in congratulating the following new board members:
Daren Bakst, Kate Beller, Nicholas Jackson, Jim Thorne and Aman Udani.
Also elected to three-year terms are returning board members:
Amy Kaminski and Dana Ott.
These new members' addition to the board is a significant acknowledgment of their expertise and leadership qualities, in addition to their commitment to overseeing and representing the interests of the Friends of Arlington’s Planetarium. We welcome them with our appreciation for volunteering. February is a shorter month and FOAP has a lot happening - read on! Theresa Schweser
President |
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Dome Fest Film Festival
We hope you’ll visit the planetarium this month for FOAP's 2nd Annual Dome Fest Film Festival. On February 22 and 23 there will be free screenings of short full dome films, featuring those created by Arlington Public School students! Check the website for show times and Dome Fest details.
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David M Brown Public Planetarium Shows for February!
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The Friends of the Arlington Planetarium (FOAP) will be hosting full dome planetarium shows about Matters of Time in the Universe as well as our 2nd Annual Dome Fest Film Festival on Saturday, February 22 (6:30 and 8:00pm) and Sunday, February 23 (1:30 and 3:00pm).
Show details and an advance ticket sales notice will be released to members next week. |
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Dr. Jim and the Moon Diggers Performing in March! Mark your calendar for a spacetacular musical program with Dr. Jim and the Moon Diggers. Join the Friends at the Planetarium on March 16th to enjoy the show! |
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Time Dilation By Kiddle
According to the theory of relativity, time dilation is a difference in the elapsed time
measured by two observers, either due to a velocity difference relative to each other, or by being differently situated relative to a gravitational field.
As a result of the nature of spacetime, a clock that is moving relative to an observer will be measured to tick slower than a clock that is at rest in the observer's own frame of reference. A clock that is under the influence of a stronger gravitational field than an observer's will also be measured to tick slower than the observer's own clock.
Such time dilation has been repeatedly demonstrated, for instance by small inconsistencies in a pair of atomic clocks after one of them is sent on a space trip, or by clocks on the Space Shuttle running slightly slower than reference clocks on Earth, or clocks on GPS and Galileo satellites running slightly faster.
Time dilation has also been the subject of science fiction works, as it technically provides the means for forward time travel.
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Theoretically, time dilation would make it possible for passengers in a fast-moving vehicle to advance further into the future in a short period of their own time. For sufficiently high speeds, the effect is dramatic. For example, one year of travel might correspond to ten years on Earth. Indeed, a constant 1 g acceleration would permit humans to travel through the entire known Universe in one human lifetime.
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Time dilation explains why two working clocks will report different times after different accelerations. For example, at the ISS time goes slower, lagging 0.007 seconds behind for every six months. For GPS satellites to work, they must adjust for similar bending of spacetime to coordinate with systems on Earth
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Jokes for Kids Only!
Q. What do you give an angry alien?
A. Lots of space.
Q. What is the farthest you can travel for free?
A. Around the Sun – and you do it every year.
Q. How much money is the moon worth?
A. A dollar – because it has four quarters.
Q: Why did the sun go to school?
A: To get brighter! Q. How does NASA know there is life on Mars?
A. They keep finding parking tickets on the rover. |
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What's in the Sky this Month? By Mike Rhee |
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For those willing to brave the cold weather, a clear February night sky brings the full glory of the winter Milky Way. Take a look at what February’s sky has in store for us. Read More...
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Gaia Milky Way Mapper Ends Science Observations By Kathi Overton
After 11 years of observing our galaxy, the European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope has finished the scientific observation part of its mission. Stationed in deep space, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, Gaia used three scientific instruments to chart the positions, distances, movements, and other data about two billion stars and other objects in the Milky Way. The data processed so far has enabled scientists to create the most detailed and precise map of the galaxy to date.
There is still a tremendous amount of data from the observatory that has yet to be analyzed. The fourth large data release from the mission is anticipated in 2026. Later this year the decommissioned telescope will be parked in a heliocentric orbit, far from other spacecraft. |
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Planets On Parade! By Kathi Overton
If you haven’t had an opportunity to look at the evening sky recently, be sure to do so soon! A so-called “planetary alignment” began in January, and continues through this month. In reality, the planets are always “aligned” along the ecliptic plane, but right now there are multiple planets visible in the night sky at the same time. For much of February the planets Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars will be visible in an arc across the sky in the early evening. Late in the month, just after sunset, Mercury will also be visible. Uranus and Neptune are also in the evening sky right now, but a telescope is needed to view them. Be sure to catch a glimpse of the planetary parade! |
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Parker Solar Probe “Touches the Sun” and Survives!
On December 24th, 2024, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made its closest approach yet to the Sun. The probe, flying at a speed of 692,000 km per hour (430,000 mph), is the fastest human made object in history. It flew inside the Sun’s superhot corona, only 6.1 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) from the surface. The probe seems to be in good operating order after its close encounter, and is in the process of transmitting the scientific data it collected during the pass. The next two close passes of the mission are scheduled for March and June of this year. |
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Photo Caption: Artist concept of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun
Photo Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
URL for more info:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/2025/01/02/nasas-parker-solar-probe-reports-healthy-status-after-solar-encounter/ |
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Commercial Space News By Kathi Overton
On January 16th, the 7th test flight of the SpaceX Starship began normally, but ended with a spectacular explosion of the ship eight minutes into the flight. The most likely cause seems to be an oxygen/fuel leak in the area above the engine firewall. Bright streaks of debris rained down over the Caribbean, and several commercial airline flights were diverted or delayed to avoid risk of collision.
Also on January 16th, Blue Origin launched its ship New Glenn on a test mission that the company described as successful. The upper stage of the rocket reached orbit and conducted planned tests, but the 1st stage booster was lost after failing to land on a ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. An investigation into the cause is underway. |
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Photo Caption: Blue Origin ship New Glenn launches from Cape Canaveral, January 16,
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Blue Origin
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Photo Caption: Close up of New Glenn engines during launch on January 16, 2025
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Blue Origin |
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Straight from the International Space Station |
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Photo by NASA Astronaut on the ISS |
Astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague suit up for an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), also known as a space walk. |
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Photo by NASA Astronaut on the ISS Astronaut Suni Williams looking through the ISS airlock.
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Photo by NASA Astronaut on the ISS |
Astronaut Suni Williams floats through the ISS airlock.
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Photo by NASA Astronaut on the ISS View of the ISS taken Astronaut Suni Williams during an EVA.
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Photo by Astronaut on the ISS
Astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague working on a repair during their EVA. |
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This message has been sent to you from the Friends of Arlington's Planetarium.
Friends of Arlington's David M. Brown Planetarium
P.O. Box 7029
Arlington, VA 22207 USA
Copyright (C) 2025 Friends of Arlington's David M. Brown Planetarium (FOAP). All rights reserved.
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