39 ms·

> This image is part of a growing catalogue of "propeller" moons... Continued monitoring of these objects may lead to direct observations of the interaction bet

> This image is part of a growing catalogue of "propeller" moons... Continued monitoring of these objects may lead to direct observations of the interaction between a disk of material and embedded moons. Such interactions help scientists understand fundamental principles of how solar systems formed from disks of matter. I urgently need a refresher on astronomy so I can have an intelligent discussion about space with 6-year olds. So much has happened since last time I took it in high school.

ashark 9y ago
My oldest is four and I feel this way about everything. They accidentally ask really tough questions constantly. There's no need to go to space for the tough stuff. This morning: "How to people know there's grass?" I managed to appease her with a crappy explanation of how sight works (just saying "we see it" didn't fly—we were in the car or I wouldn't have tried being so lazy) but hot damn there's a lot going on there. Like, about 1/3 of philosophy and some good chunks of physics/optics, (neuro-)biology, psychology, chemistry, et c. I'm way too dumb for this job!
- rhcom2 9y ago
  If you can share a thirst for knowledge, a love of learning and a constant curiosity she'll be fine! You don't need to know the answers to everything, she just needs to know asking questions is fun.
- jdmichal 9y ago
  You could always answer, "How do you know there's you?" Never too early to trigger existential crisis!
  - ashark 9y ago
    She already started asking tough questions about mortality at a disturbingly-young age (like: two). Fortunately she's decided all on her own that reaching old age leads to some kind of reincarnation (she seems certain that at some point after I get old I'll be a kid again and can play with toys and go to school and such, for instance), so her psyche is safe for now. No need to throw any more curveballs her way. We're right on the edge as it is, haha.
yodsanklai 9y ago
Check out "crash course astronomy" on youtube. Quite entertaining.
mturmon 9y ago
I found this lecture series very good, and touching in an approachable way on a lot of current work in astronomy: http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy/astr-160 http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy/astr-160 Algebra is used, but no heavy math. It's more about the concepts and astronomical/astrophysical viewpoint.

ashark 9y ago

My oldest is four and I feel this way about everything. They accidentally ask really tough questions constantly. There's no need to go to space for the tough stuff. This morning: "How to people know there's grass?" I managed to appease her with a crappy explanation of how sight works (just saying "we see it" didn't fly—we were in the car or I wouldn't have tried being so lazy) but hot damn there's a lot going on there. Like, about 1/3 of philosophy and some good chunks of physics/optics, (neuro-)biology, psychology, chemistry, et c. I'm way too dumb for this job!

rhcom2 9y ago
If you can share a thirst for knowledge, a love of learning and a constant curiosity she'll be fine! You don't need to know the answers to everything, she just needs to know asking questions is fun.
jdmichal 9y ago
You could always answer, "How do you know there's you?" Never too early to trigger existential crisis!
- ashark 9y ago
  She already started asking tough questions about mortality at a disturbingly-young age (like: two). Fortunately she's decided all on her own that reaching old age leads to some kind of reincarnation (she seems certain that at some point after I get old I'll be a kid again and can play with toys and go to school and such, for instance), so her psyche is safe for now. No need to throw any more curveballs her way. We're right on the edge as it is, haha.

yodsanklai 9y ago

Check out "crash course astronomy" on youtube. Quite entertaining.

mturmon 9y ago

I found this lecture series very good, and touching in an approachable way on a lot of current work in astronomy: http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy/astr-160 http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy/astr-160 Algebra is used, but no heavy math. It's more about the concepts and astronomical/astrophysical viewpoint.