The COVID-19 pandemic has brought Remote Learning to the grassroots level of education in all disciplines including physics. This webinar series aims to start a dialogue on remote learning in physics and document the challenges and best practices from stake holders.
The 38th Physics Conference of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas in Legazpi, Albay is fast approaching. This Third Call for Papers is a reminder on the important dates and information as you make your plans for the Conference.
Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas (SPP) and Bicol University (BU) representatives met last 23 January 2020 at the Ateneo De Manila University to develop the framework for an outreach workshop for STEM teachers in the Bicol region.
Academician Jose B. Cruz, Jr. will be the keynote speaker for the 38th SPP Physics Conference in Legazpi City, Albay. He will share his ideas and thoughts on Complexity Challenges in Engineered Systems.
"...Röntgen refused to patent his findings, convinced that his inventions and discoveries belonged to the world at large."The first Nobel Prize in Physics, given in 1901, was awarded to Wilhelm Röntgen for the discovery of the X-ray.
Röntgen discovered a new type of radiation in 1895 that would be subsequently named after him, but he always preferred the term X-rays – from the mathematical designation for something unknown – as no one understood what these remarkable rays actually were.
Researchers worldwide could experiment on X-rays as Röntgen refused to patent his findings, convinced that his inventions and discoveries belonged to the world at large. X-ray radiation became a powerful tool for physical experiments and examining the body's interior.
We'll find out who has been awarded this year's prize in just a few weeks time.
See the full list of times and dates for this year's prizes: bit.ly/2QRp4Jp
HOW TO TELL THE TIME USING THE STARS
Various online sources provide the most common and easiest way of telling the time, using the stars Dubhe and Merak of the Big Dipper (an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major) and Polaris (or the North Star). Here's another method of telling the time, using the stars Megrez (Big Dipper/Ursa Major), Caph (constellation Cassiopeia), and the North Star.
How to locate the North Star (Polaris):
web.facebook.com/sunmoonshadow/photos/a.104782704703897/108339351014899
1. From the star Megrez (Big Dipper/Ursa Major), draw an imaginary straight line to Polaris or the North Star, then extend the straight line to the star Caph (Cassiopeia). This line will be the "hand" of the clock.
If the Big Dipper is below the horizon, then use the straight line from Caph to Polaris only. If the constellation Cassiopeia is below the horizon, use Megrez to Polaris instead.
2. FOR MEGREZ ONLY: On March 21 (every year), the "hand" (from Polaris to Megrez) points to the top of the "clock" or 12:00 AM. NOTE: This is a 24-hour "clock" and moves counter-clockwise.
3. FOR CAPH ONLY: On September 21 (every year), the "hand" (from Polaris to Caph) points to the top of the "clock" or 12:00 AM. NOTE: This is a 24-hour "clock" and moves counter-clockwise.
4. LOCATING 12:00 AM: Each month, the "hand" moves 2 hours or 30 degrees counter-clockwise from its original position. For example, using the star Megrez as a reference, on April 21 - "24-hour clock" reads "12:00 AM" 30 degrees from its location the previous month.
USING MEGREZ ONLY:
March 21 - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock.
April 21 - 12:00 AM is 30 degrees from the top of the clock. (counter-clockwise)
May 21 - 60 degrees.
June 21 - 90 degrees.
In some locations, Megrez isn't always above the horizon; we'll use Caph also as the "hand" of the "24-hour clock".
USING CAPH ONLY:
June 21 - 12:00 AM is 90 degrees to the top of the clock. (counter-clockwise)
July 21 - 12:00 AM is 60 degrees to the top of the clock.
August 21 - 30 degrees.
September 21 - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock.
October 21 - 12:00 AM is 30 degrees from the top of the clock. (counter-clockwise)
November 21 - 60 degrees.
December 21 - 90 degrees.
BACK TO MEGREZ ONLY:
December 21 - 12:00 AM is 90 degrees to the top of the clock. (counter-clockwise)
January 21 - 12:00 AM is 60 degrees to the top of the clock.
February 21 - 30 degrees.
March 21 - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock.
5. USING OUR HANDS TO MEASURE DEGREES OR HOURS: Now that we know where "12:00 AM" is each month, we'll find the "hour" using the positions of either Megrez or Caph, from or to the top of the "24-hour clock". For example:
On September 21, using Caph - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock. When you look up in the night sky (undetermined time), Caph is located 60 degrees to the top of the "clock" (counter-clockwise). If 2 hours = 30 degrees, then there are 4 hours before Caph reached the top of the clock, meaning 12:00 AM minus 4 hours = 8:00 PM (September 20) is the actual time.
If Caph is 15 degrees from the top of the clock, it means that an hour has passed since Caph reached the top of the "clock" (1 hour = 15 degrees). Actual time is 1:00 AM (or 12:00 AM plus 1 hour).
TO MEASURE ONE HOUR USING OUR HANDS: Hold your hand at arm's length. Stretch your index finger and little finger. The distance between the two fingers is 15 degrees or 1 hour.
6. MEASURING MINUTES. Each day, the "hand" moves 4 minutes or 1 degree counter-clockwise from its original position. For example, using the star Caph as a reference: on September 22, the "24-hour clock" reads "12:00 AM" 1 degree from its location the previous day.
USING CAPH ONLY:
September 19 - 12:00 AM is 2 degrees to the top of the clock.
September 20 - 12:00 AM is 1 degree to the top of the clock.
September 21 - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock.
September 22 - 12:00 AM is 1 degree from the top of the clock.
September 23 - 12:00 AM is 2 degrees from the top of the clock.
September 24 - 3 degrees.
September 25 - 4 degrees.
September 26 - 5 degrees.
Now that we know where "12:00 AM" is each day, we'll find the "minutes" using the positions of either Megrez or Caph, from or to the top of the "24-hour clock". For example:
On September 21, using Caph - 12:00 AM is zero degrees, or at the top of the clock. When you look up in the night sky (undetermined time), Caph is located 80 degrees going to the top of the "clock" (counter-clockwise). If 4 minutes = 1 degree, then there are 320 minutes before Caph reached the top of the clock.
320 minutes = 320 ÷ 60 = 5.33 = 5 hours (300 minutes) and 20 minutes.
12:00 AM minus 5 hours and 20 minutes = 6:40 PM (September 20) is the actual time. (since we're estimating the measurements, give or take 5 minutes)
If Caph is 17 degrees from the top of the clock, it means that an hour and eight minutes have passed since Caph reached the top.
15 degrees = 1 hour
2 degrees = 8 minutes
12:00 AM plus 1 hour and 8 minutes = 1:08 AM is the actual time, give or take five minutes.
TO MEASURE ONE MINUTE USING OUR HANDS:
Hold your hand at arm's length. The width of the little finger is about one degree.
******
As you become proficient on telling the time using the stars Megrez, Caph, and Polaris, you'll encounter complicated stuff like this:
USING CAPH:
On July 21, "12:00 AM" is 60 degrees to the top of the clock.
When you look up in the night sky (undetermined time), Caph is still below the horizon (in some locations), and Megrez is visible, 60 degrees from the top (of the clock). Draw an imaginary straight line from Megrez to Polaris then extend straight to the horizon to estimate Caph's position. This line will be the "hand" of the "24-hour clock".
Megrez to Caph is 180 degrees, minus 60 degrees (Megrez from the top of the clock) = 120 degrees (Caph to the top of the clock).
Since "12:00 AM" is 60 degrees to the top of the clock on July 21, 120 degrees minus 60 degrees = 60 degrees or 4 hours.
There are 4 hours before Caph reached 12:00 AM, or 12:00 AM minus 4 hours = 8:00 PM (July 20) is the actual time.
FREE STAR CLOCK by Sky & Telescope/Pacific Science Center:
skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/Star+Clock.pdf
skyandtelescope.org/observing/make-a-star-clock
FREE PLANETARIUM SOFTWARE by Stellarium:
stellarium.org
References:
1. "How to Tell Time With Stars?" by Aparna Kher. www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/tell-time-by-stars.html
2. "Telling Time by Stars" by Graham Thomson. www.inquiry.net/outdoor/night/telling_time.htm
3. "How to tell the Time using the Stars" by Nick Allen. urbanbushcraft.co.uk/how-to-tell-the-time-using-the-stars
4. "A Handy Guide to Measuring the Sky" by Aparna Kher. www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/measuring-the-sky-by-hand.html
5. "Measuring the Sky" by Fort Worth Astronomical Society. www.fortworthastro.com/beginner1.html
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