Thursday, February 6, 2014

Star Bright

This item at Space is partly interesting because it explores how Polaris or the North Star, is actually a Cepheid variable whose brightness changes over time.

But it's also interesting because we learn that astronomers had to rely on old-fashioned backyard astronomers and others to continue to observe Polaris as it waxed, because the newly installed observing equipment in their telescope was too sensitive to be able to look at the increasing brightness and see what they wanted to know.

It may be time to check out manual typewriters on eBay...

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