Homework Set 1 -- Solutions
DUE: Friday, June 7
Write one paragraph in answer to each of the following questions:
1. What did Loren Eiseley mean by "The Inner Galaxy", and what is its
relevance to studying astronomy?
What I was looking for here was any clear, thoughtful analysis of what Loren Eiseley was trying to say about "The Inner Galaxy". The key point is that science is not an enterprise that is separate from the values, morals and perspectives of the people that are engaged in it.
2. How would you use the sky to tell time?
The motions of the Sun, Moon and stars are of course, able to help us tell time. In a sense, they are our fundamental time pieces. Specific descriptions of how the Sun moves (when it rises and sets, the shadows it casts, etc.) and how it use it to tell time during the day were the best. The same for the stars and the Moon. The less vague you were, the more points you got for this question.
Grammar, spelling, and neatness count, as well as a clear articulation of ideas. Nothing else counts.