Don McCarthy's Question of the Week

Please see attachment here.

Don McCarthy's Questions of the Week

Compute the Earth's radius using the picture of the boat's wake.

How could you measure the weight of a car by looking at its tires?

Meeting Minutes 4/14

• Saturday Earth day activity at Biosphere 2 with our model display and solar observing. There's a car leaving at 6:45 am but event does not start until 10 am so a second car will be leaving.
  
• Friday we have a local group project meeting between 12-5 pm
• Exoplanet meeting Friday at 5
• Elementary school skype around 12:50 pm next Friday.
• April 30th Movie night on the mall, watching Iron Man.
  
• Sabino Canyon Star Party May 1st
• Don McCarthy goes over question of the week.

Don McCarthy's Questions of the Week

How far away is the horizon? If a tall adult (h = 6 feet) looks out to sea, how far away can she see? Use geometry to develop a simple formula for the distance to the horizon from any height. You may neglect effects of the Earth's atmosphere. Assume Earth is a sphere of radius "R = 3960 miles." How far away could you see from an airplane at altitude 30,000 feet?

If we choose to include atmospheric effects, how do you imagine these results would change? What might be special about your horizon on worlds like Venus and a neutron star?

Meeting Minutes 4/7

• Finishing up local group project Friday (noon to 5) to use at Yuri's night.
• extra solar meeting friday
• Movie night coming up
• Biosphere 2 on april 17th Earth Day Celebration w/ display
• April 22-30th MMT Airplane spotter needed email Don McCarthy if interested!
  
• Don McCarthy's Question of the week is discussed.

Don McCarthy's Questions of the Week

How long is Earth’s shadow? Which planet casts the longest shadow?

First, estimate the length of Earth’s shadow: Perhaps a few miles, perhaps forever?

Use simple geometry to derive a formula for the length of an object’s shadow caused by the Sun. Use it to calculate the length of Earth’s shadow.