Scale+ICS16TOR


 * 1) Does knowing how to use a scale on a map help you understand how to use scale to measure distances in the universe? How are they similar? How are they different?
 * 2) Vast distances in space are often measured in light-years. A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year, or about 6 trillion miles. Altair, a star in the constellation Aquila, is 16.6 light-years away, which means that the light we see now from that star left its surface 16 years and 219 days ago. Describe what was happening in the world when the light we are seeing from Altair first left that star. How far away is Altair in miles?
 * 3) Explain why it would be impossible for scientists to measure stellar distances that are accurate to within a few feet. Why is it not critical to attain such accuracy when dealing with astronomical distances?

Answers:
 * 1) Yes, it does help because it helps us if we're gonna become scientists. They are similar because it is the same thing but just bigger distances. They are different because the distances in the universe are much bigger than on a map on earth. The objects in the universe are much bigger than earth itself.
 * 2) Altair is 99.6 trillion miles away. Since the light from there left 16 years and 219 days ago, I wasn't even born with the light we are seeing now. It takes a long time for the light to travel from space to earth.
 * 3) It would be impossible because the distances in space are a lot bigger than a few feet. They are so big that they cannot be measured in miles or feet, they had to create a measuring system just for distances in the universe. It is not so critical to be very accurate because it is nearly impossible to travel to some places in the universe. Also because we cannot accurately measure distances, we have to get as close as possible.