Éducation : Google Maps : exploitons les planètes !

Google Maps Planètes

https://www.blog.google/products/maps/

Le service de cartographie de Google part à la conquête de l'espace depuis le 18 octobre 2017.

Il nous propose d'explorer le système solaire. Il suffit de dézoomer en vue satellite, jusqu'à quitter la Terre.

Le service de cartographie de Google avait annoncé, le 16 octobre, la mise en place d'une nouvelle option permettant de scruter le système solaire.  

Artist's rendering shows NASA's Cassini spacecraft above Saturn's northern hemisphere, heading toward its first dive between Saturn and its rings on April 26, 2017

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/

Il y a vingt ans, le vaisseau spatial Cassini partait de Cap Canaveral pour découvrir les secrets de Saturne et de ses nombreuses lunes. Pendant sa mission, Cassini a enregistré et envoyé près d'un demi-million de photos sur Terre, permettant aux scientifiques de reconstruire ces mondes lointains dans des détails sans précédent. 

On peut maintenant visiter ces lieux, ainsi que de nombreuses autres planètes et lunes, dans Google Maps directement à partir de notre ordinateur. Pour plus de plaisir, Google nous conseille de zoomer de la Terre jusqu'à ce que nous sommes dans l'espace! Wow!

La nouvelle fonctionnalité a été développée à partir des photos de la NASA et de l’ESA, l’Agence spatiale européenne, notamment celles capturées par Cassini-Huygens, la sonde partie explorer Saturne en 1997. 

Selon le blog Google, l’entreprise a aussi eu recours aux talents de l’artiste Björn Jónsson, spécialisé dans les représentations en infographie 3D de l’espace.

Éducation: 

Grâce à Google Maps, les étudiants peuvent voyager dans l'espace sans bouger de leur table en classe. 

A l'aide de Google Maps, ils vont pouvoir explorer virtuellement notre système solaire. Pour les promener dans l’espace via l’appli, il leur suffit de dézoomer en vue satellite jusqu’à ce qu'ils se retrouveront hors de l’orbite terrestre. 

Une fois là haut, les élèves découvriront la terre depuis de l’espace mais aussi les planètes voisines, comme Mars, Vénus, Pluton ou la Lune !

Google Maps (planètes
https://www.blog.google/products/maps/

Il y a 16 objets célestes en tout. En zoomant, ils peuvent même obtenir le nom des différents cratères présents à leur surface.

Google Maps leur proposent la liste des 16 mondes dans le menu déroulant à gauche. Ceux ci comprennent Mercure, Mars, Vénus, la Station Spatiale Internationale, la Lune, Cérès, Io, Europe, Ganymède, Mimas, Encelade, Dioné, Rhéa, Titan, Japet et Pluton.

Thomas Pesquet/ ESA
https://www.nasa.gov/

Dans ces endroits hors de portée pour les étudiants/utilisateurs lambda mais accessibles via les services de Google, par exemple, rappelez-leur Thomas Pesquet qui nous a permis de rêvé de voyager dans l’espace et de visiter des mondes inconnus. 

Google Maps Planets

https://www.blog.google/products/maps/

Selon quelques spécialistes certaines planètes manquent à l’appel et le niveau de détail varie selon ce que l’on observe.

L’écrivaine scientifique Emily Lakdawalla a également repéré quelques erreurs de placement. Elle a immédiatement fait remonter à Google.

En tout cas, pas de doute que Google a de bonnes idées et compte, dans les années à venir, améliorer son application. 

Disciplines: Sciences; Histoire-Géo; Education civique; 

Niveaux apprentissage: CE2; collège; lycée, autres

A chaque enseignant de faire profiter les élèves de cette magnifique appli. Et d'adapter les activités à chque niveau d'enseignement.

G-Souto

22.10.2017
Copyright © 2017G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Édducation : Google Maps : exploitons les planètes ! by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sources:
Google blog/Maps/ NASA

Schools : Here comes the Orionid meteor shower !

étoiles filantes 

© Luna Joulia

https://www.elle.fr/

Bonne nouvelle! Depuis cette nuit, le 20 octobre et jusqu’au 7 novembre, une pluie de météores permettra d’observer nombre d’étoiles filantes, avec un pic maximum dans la nuit du 20 au 21 octobre. Préparez vos vœux!

Eh! Oui! La magie des étoiles filantes nous touche de très près. On aime faire nos voeux et les envoyer directement à chaque étoile filante qu'on voit!

Les amoureux d’étoiles faites attention à vos voeux. Moi aussi, si j'ai la chance de faire les miens.

On est ravis d’apprendre que ce soir, la nuit du 20 au 21 octobre, on pourra avoir ce plaisir habituellement estival. On continue en anglais?

Orionid meteor shower/ Falling stars

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/

Love shooting stars? Then you’ll love the Orionid Meteor Shower, the second meteor shower of October, which peaks October 21-22 each year.

One of the best sky shows of the year, will peak between Oct. 20 and 22, when the Orionid meteor shower reaches its best viewing. 

They’ll probably be most prolific in the few hours before dawn on October 21, but we can try watching before dawn on October 22, too.

An image of Halley's Comet taken in 1986

Credit: NASAhttps://www.space.com/

The meteors that streak across the sky are some of the fastest and brightest among meteor showers, because the Earth is hitting a stream of particles almost head on.

The particles come from Comet 1P/Halley, better known as Halley’s Comet. This famous comet swings by Earth every 75 to 76 years, and as the icy comet makes its way around the sun, it leaves behind a trail of comet crumbs. At certain times of the year, Earth's orbit around the sun crosses paths with the debris. 

Orion
https://www.space.com/

Tonight, could we watch meteors in the annual Orionid shower? 

Scientists say that we have a good chance, even though this morning before dawn might have presented the peak numbers. 

We can watch pieces of Halley's Comet during the Eta Aquarids (in May) and the Orionid meteor shower (in October and November), NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke said. 

The comet last visited Earth in 1986 and will return next in 2061.

• Orionids:

The Orionids are named after the direction from which they appear to radiate, which is near the constellation Orion (The Hunter). 

The Orionids, which peak during mid-October each year, are considered to be one of the most beautiful showers of the year. 

If the meteors originate from Comet Halley, why are they called the Orionids? 

The answer is that meteors in annual showers are named for the point in our sky from which they appear to radiate. The radiant point for the Orionids is in the direction of the constellation Orion the Hunter. Hence the name Orionids.

via EarthSky

Orionid meteors are known for their brightness and for their speed. These meteors are fast - they travel at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into the Earth's atmosphere. 

Fast meteors can leave glowing "trains" (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) which last for several seconds to minutes. 

Fast meteors can also sometimes become fireballs: Look for prolonged explosions of light when viewing the Orionid meteor shower.

The Orionids are also framed by some of the brightest stars and planets in the night sky, which lend a spectacular backdrop for theses showy meteors.

NASA

Skywatchers in 2017 will not have moonlight to contend with, as the first-quarter moon will have set long before the meteors put on their best show. 

If you miss the peak, the show is also visible between Oct. 15 and 29, as long as the moon isn't washing the meteors out.

Sometimes the shower peaks at 80 meteors an hour; at others it is closer to 20 or 30. Cooke predicted that in 2017, the peak would be at the smaller end of the scale, echoing the peaks of 2016 and years before.

• The show in October 2025:

Get ready stargazers! The Orionid meteor shower peak begins tonight, welcoming a spectacular natural light show that could see a flurry of shooting stars spawned by Halley's Comet brighten the dark, moonless sky.

The 2025 Orionid meteor shower peak begins overnight on Oct. 20-21, when 10-20 shooting stars may be visible streaking across the night sky from a point of origin known as a "radiant", located close to the red star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion.

Orion

credits: credit: manpuku7 via Getty Images

While tonight is the peak, Orionid shooting stars can be seen from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7 as Earth passes through the debris trail shed by comet 1P/Halley. During that time, particles cast off from that ancient body collide with our planet at speeds of up to 41 miles per second (66 kilometers per second), burning up in a magnificent display as they're overwhelmed by the friction of atmospheric entry.

Orionid meteors will be visible to skywatchers in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (weather permitting).

To see the Orionid meteor shower at its best, go to the darkest possible location, lean back and relax. You don't need equipment like telescopes or binoculars as the secret is to take in as much sky as possible and allow about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

The best time to view the Orionid meteor shower is between midnight and dawn when the shower's radiant, the Orion constellation, is high in the sky.

 credits: Eerik via Getty Images

http://brilliantmaps.com/light-pollution/

As it's the case with most night time sky watching events, light pollution can hinder your view of the Orionid meteor shower. If possible, get far away from city lights (which can hinder the show). 

Typically, Orionid meteors are dim and hard to see from urban locations, so you should find a dark (and safe) rural location to get the best views of Orionid activity. 

The Orionids are active from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22 according to the American Meteor Society and will peak between Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. 

This year, the moon will not interfere with Orionid meteor shower hunting efforts as it will be in the new moon phase during the peak. 

Note: To calculate sunrise and moonrise times in your location check out this custom sunrise-sunset calculator.

meteor showers infographic
credits: Nasa Meteor American Society
https://www.space.com/

Education:

Most of us are excited about Orionid shower. Science students too. Do you remember the Summer Solstice 2016 & ‘Strawberry (June 2016)? Or Catch Some Falling Stars, the Quadrantids (January 2016). Don't miss Eta Aquarid meteor shower (May 2016), Here comes the 2nd Supermoon, the Mega Beaver moon (November 2016), Stay up & watch the Total Eclipse ! (August 2017). Wow what a sky! And so many educational resources.

It's school time to teachers and students. So, prepare your students to sky watching and ask them to do some good shots, or videos with smartphones, or tablets to discuss the theme tomorrow or next lesson. May be compare it with the Perseid meteor shower of last year?

The science curriculum will be enhanced with the help of this incredible event.

Meteor showers aren’t just one-night events. In fact, they can last for several days

Do you want a better science lesson ? Enjoy the show!

Hoping to be lucky! The sky is bright. Could I send my wishes tonight?  

“Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.”  

G-Souto 

20.10.2017

update: 20.10.2025

Copyright © 2025G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Schools : Here comes the Orionid meteor showers ! by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sources: Space.com/ NASA/ EarthSky