Spinning ‘Round the Sun
Going by many names throughout the centuries like Gaia, Terra, and my favorite moniker The Blue Marble, this is the planet we call home.
What is Earth?
This astronomer of the Italian Renaissance ran afoul of the Inquisition of the Catholic Church for advocating for heliocentrism, the idea that the Earth and other planets orbited around the sun. He spent the last years of his life under house arrest.
Who was Galileo Galileli?
This occurs once or twice a month when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the Sun, making it's entire face illuminated.
What is a Full Moon?
The main seven stars of this constellation (Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid) make up the Big Dipper. The constellation’s name comes from the Latin and means “great bear.”
What is the Ursa Major?
A notable user of the seventh lightsaber form, Vaapad, this Jedi was considered Yoda’s second in command during the waning days of the Republic. Welding a fairly unique purple lightsaber, he met his (canon) end when he was betrayed by a certain Jedi knight that would go on to be known as Darth Vader.
Who was Mace Windu?
The Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club hosts ten stargazing events every year at this conservation center in Litchfield, CT.
What is White Memorial in Litchfield, CT?
This planet has cold desert-like conditions across its surface, though recent research has found that it used to have liquid water and a thicker atmosphere. Oh also it's red.
What is Mars?
The inventor of calculus, this English astronomer is perhaps best known for his theory of gravity, but he also built the first known reflecting telescope, an essential tool for observing the stars to this day.
Who was Sir Isaac Newton?
The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, this is also the name of a popular farming sim video game and a 1992 album by Neil Young.
What is a Harvest Moon?
This heavenly hunter may be most easily located by the three bright stars (Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak) that make up the constellation’s “belt,” but you may also recognize the red supergiant Betelgeuse at its right shoulder and the blue supergiant Rigel at its left foot.
What is Orion?
A member of the Nautolan race, known for their ability to breath underwater and long green head tentacles, this Jedi master is best known for smiling and being quite jovial most of the time. He would meet his end while part of a group of Jedi sent to arrest or kill Chancellor Palpatine.
Who was Kit Fisto?
Kitted out with a planetarium and telescopes, this mountaintop science center in Avon hosts stargazing and educational events throughout the year.
What is Talcott Mountain Science Center in Avon, CT?
The first planet beyond what we call the Asteroid Belt, this gas giant is home to a high pressure system known as The Great Red Spot, that contains winds blowing in excess of 400mph.
What is Jupiter?
This astronomer and science educator is well-known for his Cosmos documentary series and for describing the “pale blue dot” photo of the Earth taken by Voyager 1.
Who was Carl Sagan?
This occurs when the moon is full and is at its closest point to Earth, which makes it appear larger.
What is a Supermoon?
Under suitably dark stargazing conditions, you can see the nearest large spiral galaxy as a smudge of light in this constellation. In the myth associated with this constellation, its stars make up the figure of a princess chained to a rock, waiting to be saved by the hero Perseus.
What is Andromeda?
This Jedi master appeared as a background character in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but his recognizable tall cylindrical head has made subsequent appearances in other Star Wars media. He is the only Jedi High Council member other than Yoda and Mace Windu to have a speaking role in the prequel films.
Who was Ki-Adi Mundi?
This state forest in Barkhamsted is a popular astrotourism destination as a dark sky park for stargazing and camping due to low light pollution.
What is American Legion State Forest in Barkhamsted, CT?
The rings of this planet are primarily made up of chunks of ice and rock, ranging in size from grains of sand to mountains. The rings are likely the result of objects being broken apart by the planet's gravity.
What is Saturn?
This astronomer's law states that the further a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it is moving away from Earth. This observation supports the theory that the universe is expanding. In addition to this law, a space telescope also bears his name.
Who was Edwin Hubble?
This happens once every two or three years, when there's a second full moon inside of a one month span. We’ll actually be getting one of these here in May.
What is a Blue Moon?
This constellation is named for the mother of the princess in the 300-point question in this category. It contains the remnants of two supernovas: Tycho’s Supernova Remnant or 3C 10, which is the remnants of a supernova observed in 1572 by Tycho Brahe, and Cassiopeia A.
What is Cassiopeia?
Considered one of the best pilots in the Jedi order, this master was extremely compassionate and could never be found without a distinct mask he wore. Ironically he was killed by the clones he commanded, shot down while piloting a starfighter over the planet Cato Neimoidia.
Who was Plo Koon?
Part of Western Connecticut State University, these two observatories in Danbury host stargazing nights and public viewing nights at their planetarium. (Name either observatory, or both!)
What is Midtown Observatory or Westside Observatory in Danbury, CT?
The hottest in the Solar System, this planet maintains a consistent temperature of around 867-869°F. It has a dense CO2 rich atmosphere that allows it to maintain these temperatures, which are hot enough to melt lead.
What is Venus?
This astronomer is probably best known for calculating how often the comet that now bears his name passes the Earth.
Who was Edmond Halley?
Also known as a lunar eclipse, this phenomena turns the moon red as it passes through Earth’s shadow.
What is a Blood Moon?
This zodiac constellation is supposed to resemble a bull’s head. In astrology, people born April 20 to May 20 are born with this as their “sun sign,” although actually the Sun appears in this constellation from May 13 to June 21.
What is Taurus?
A blue Twi’lek Jedi who served as a Jedi General during the Clone Wars, she was a skilled fighter who often utilized two lightsabers for combat. It was her trust in her clone commander that got her killed, as she was distracted by a bird taking flight before getting gunned down on the jungle world Felucia.
Who was Aayla Secura?
This observatory, located on the New Milford High School campus, hosts star parties on the second Saturday of every month.
What is the John J. McCarthy Observatory in New Milford, CT?