Robert Kirshner Sources

https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~rkirshner/kirshner_bio.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/opinion/the-universe-dark-energy-and-us.html?_r=0

Robert Kirshner Biography

Thomas Pring

DE Astronomy, 2

Mr. Percival

5/20/13

Robert P. Kirshner

            Robert Kirshner is the college professor of Astronomy at Harvard College, in the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He began as a Harvard graduate in 1970, then moved on to receive his Ph.D. in Astronomy at California Technical Institute. His post-doctorate was earned at the University of Michigan, where he worked for 9 years at the Kitt Peak Naitonal Observatory. He then returned to Harvard to serve as the Chairman of the Astronomy Department from 1990-7. Both the master of a fraternity (Quincy House), he also was the head of the Optical and Infared Division of the CfA (Center for Astrophysics) from 1997-2003.

            Mr. Kirshner is the proud author of well over 200 research papers, all on subjects he has devoted much of his studies to. These subjects range from the discovery of Dark Energy, to Supernovae, and the Large-scale Structure of the Cosmos. He has even published papers on the subject of using Supernovae to measure the expansion of the universe. He has written books that are used as core curriculum text books in Harvard’s Undergraduate class: Science A-35. One of these books is “The Energetic Universe”.

            His book “The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos” has been awarded the AAP Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Physics and Astronomy, and was a finalist in 2003 for the Aventis Prize. This book has been translated into 4+ different languages, further emphasizing its impact on the scientific world, showing its importance worldwide. 

APOD 4.1

April 6th 2013

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130406.html

At twilight the earth is shown in this picture taken June 2001, as a smooth transition from day to night. This picture was taken from the international space station, and shows this clear transition. The red reflection is the light reflecting off of the earth's lowest layer, the troposphere. It was taken from an altitude of 211 nautical miles.

Stages of Star

Interstellar Gas:

Interstellar Gas:



Protostar: (center in infrared)

POD 3.4

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130209.html

The Great Meteor Procession of 1913

This picture depicts the event that happened on Febuary 9th 1913. A procession of Meteors seen easily in the Toronto Canada area streaked along the sky, only visible to about 1,000 people (who have reported the sighting). It is believed that this was caused by a large meteor which grazed the Earth's atmosphere and broke up. The pieces then next encountered Earth, and burned up in the atmosphere on their way down to their believed landing sight in the Atlantic Ocean.

APOD 3.3

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130205.html

Shadow at Point Lake

This picture depicts the Mars rover Curiosity's shadow, taken by its camera facing the opposite direction of the sun. The rover landed in the Gale Crater in August, and has been tirelessly searching for signs of ancient water ever since. It has discovered dried stream-beds so far, and will continue to search for years to come within the crater.

APOD 3.2

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130210.html

Asteroids in the Distance

This picture depicts asteroids outside of out planet in the asteroid belt. The summary states that asteroids striking the earth are a common occurrence  So common, it happens daily! The asteroids that enter the atmosphere daily however are so small, that they burn up almost instantly when they enter the atmosphere. The larger the asteroid  the rarer it is for it to enter our atmosphere. Should a large asteroid about 1 km in diameter strike the earth, it wouldn't be the impact that would cause global problems, but the dust clouds that would rise and affect the climate of the entire planet.