TianaTate

1/22/15
HonorsCalculus

QCCQ

QQuote
Sothatsyoursolarsystem.Andwhatelseisoutthere,beyondthesolarsystem?
Well,nothingandagreatdeal,dependingonhowyoulookatit.Intheshortterm,its
nothing.Themostperfectvacuumevercreatedbyhumansisnotasemptyasthe
emptinessofinterstellarspace.Andthereisagreatdealofnothingnessuntilyougetto
thenextbitofsomething.fromWelcomeToTheSolarSysteminBillBrysonsAShort
HistoryofNearlyEverything.pg25.

CComment
FromtheChapter:WelcomeToTheSolarSystem,inAShortHistoryofNearly
Everything,BillBrysondescribesthehistoryofdiscoveringmoreaboutthesolar
system,especiallyPluto.InthereadingBrysongoesintodetailaboutthecomparisonof
astronomerscurrentlyandinhistory.Heexplainshowdifferenttechnologywasandthe
assumptionthateveryonehad.Forexample,ittookseveralyearsforastronomersand
scientiststodiscoverthatPlutohadamoonbutnowasBrysonpointedoutwithcurrent
technologysomeonecouldfigurativelystrikeamatchonthemoonandAstronomers
couldspotit.

CConnection
AconnectionIcouldmakefromthequotespecificallyisthecuriosityoflifebeyond
childhood.BrysonstatesitperfectlywhenhedescribestheSolarSystemasbeing
somethingvastandsmallatthesametime.TheSolarSystemissosmallthatwecan
createtechnologytoresearchitbutatthesametimesoincrediblyvastthatwecould
neverimagineorpredictwhatkindoftransformationsornewinformationtoknowabout.
Whichinawayrelatestomycurrentstruggleofpreparingforadulthood,liketheSolar
System,lifeisbothsmallandvast.Icantpredicthowmylifewillbetwentyyearsfrom
nowbutIdoknowIwillforeverhaveexperiencestopushmetodobetter,toofurther
myknowledgeoftheworld.

QQuestions
HowwouldastronomersinthepastthinkaboutspaceexplorationtoMars?