Solar Week - Ask a Question

Hi Larry, The Moon was important to the Inca people and was known as the wife of the Sun.  Both of these, the Sun and Moon, were said to have originated from Lake Titicaca, on the border between Peru and Bolivia.  The Sun came from the island of Titicaca (now called Island of the Sun), the Moon from the island of Coati (now called ...

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking about crepuscular rays.  You'll find an excellent picture (and explanation) here:http://epod.typepad.com/blog/2007/04/kernville-crepuscular-rays.html. In the photo, you see that there are alternating light and dark stripes.  The light regions come from sunlight shining on dust ...

Hi Renee, As a kid, I always wanted to know "what is that rock?".  I was also fascinated with studies of ancient cultures, like the Greeks and Romans, so much so that I studied Latin (and still read it).  So, I suspect that if I were not a solar scientist, I'd be a geologist or archaeologist.  Perhaps when I retire, ...

Emily, Drawing is one skill I just don't have, although in my third-grade art class, I enjoyed learning about perspective drawing.  My need for creative expression comes out in the dance, ballet and tap.  

Hi Penny, I agree with Laura and Kris that a science degree can help you be competitive in many fields.  I would also like to add that doing work that you enjoy is extremely important.  If you do that, it is not difficult to go to work each day.  

Hi Jacquelyn, I'm afraid I'm not very good at drawing or horseback riding.  But I do like horses...and donkeys...and mules!  I'm just not very comfortable riding them.  In my spare time, I enjoy tap dancing, ballet, and running.   Mitzi

 Hi Megan, As Kris says, our ancestors were pretty clever folk and with the help of many of their people (some of whom were slaves), they built some amazing structures.  In Peru in the not so distant past (maybe 500 - 600 years ago), the Inca built structures of huge stones.  Many people question how the Incas could build with ...

The first time a solar flare was OBSERVED (as far as we know), was in 1859 by Carrington and Hodgson, who independently "discovered" flares; they described the flare as brilliant or intensely bright.  According to a paper by E.W. Cliver that appeared in volume 157, 1995 edition of Solar Physics,  the terms used in the 30s and ...

Cynthia, On the global scale of things, yes, since the Sun does supply heat to Jupiter.  But when hurricanes develop on Earth, it's because the waters over which they form, heat up -- and there is no liquid water on Jupiter.  There are still many unanswered questions about the The Great Red Spot, but scientists know that the top of ...

George,  The pyramids were primarily built as tombs for the Pharaohs and not to study the sun.  The cult of the Sun-God Ra began developing toward the end of the pyramid-building period (around 4th dynasty) and many temples were built to honor him.  Interestingly, worship of the God Osiris (death) was important in the 3rd dynasty, ...