Astronomical Content Research Articles

Developing a Methodology for Forming Astronomical Knowledge in Secondary School Students

The article provides an overview of current issues related to the insufficient level of astronomical literacy of schoolchildren and provides test data conducted among first-year students of the University. The study also emphasizes international experience, including the US initiative to integrate astronomy into educational programs, highlighting the importance of this discipline in shaping a unified worldview of students. The article provides recommendations for changing the content of the astronomy course, taking into account the identified problems and modern educational needs. The methodological basis of the study includes the dialectical method of cognition and the system-integrated approach. Changes in the content of the astronomy course are justified and specific measures are proposed to improve the quality of astronomical education in schools. The results of the study are aimed at developing effective methods for the formation of astronomical knowledge in high school students and improving their general scientific literacy. This article discusses the methodology for developing skills of critical perception of scientific information in the process of teaching astronomy in secondary school. It is suggested that, without weakening the consistency of the course, some materials should be attributed to the variable component. During the research, the stages of critical perception are developed, which are performed based on astronomical knowledge. The basis for the practical implementation of the proposed methodology was the introduction of a system of didactic unity into the learning process. A model of the methodology for the formation of critical perception of schoolchildren in astronomy lessons has been developed. To prevent the formation of information nihilism in the process of teaching astronomy, it is proposed to introduce students to information resources that provide reliable information on astronomy and astrophysics. It is proved that it is necessary to cultivate an attitude by the information of astronomical content received outside of school. To this end, an introduction would be correct, since, firstly, it is necessary to inform about the essence of production and not only scientific, but also scientific knowledge, and secondly, to criticize several common misconceptions, as well as scientific teachings on the relevant topic from the side of science. It is recommended to use the results of the study in the process of teaching astronomy in secondary school.

Enhancing Astronomical Literacy In Maritime Navigation: Impact Of Social Media and Citizen Science

This study investigates the influence of social media and citizen science initiatives on astronomical literacy and its application in maritime navigation among transportation cadets. Through qualitative research methods, including interviews and observational studies, the perceptions and practices of 40 cadets at a transportation institute in Jakarta were explored. The findings reveal that social media platforms play a significant role in enhancing navigational knowledge and skills among cadets, providing access to diverse educational resources and fostering engagement with astronomical content. Similarly, participation in citizen science projects positively impacts astronomical literacy, offering hands-on learning experiences that reinforce theoretical knowledge. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of promoting cultural competence in maritime education to prepare cadets for navigating in multicultural environments. By aligning educational curricula with international standards and embracing emerging technologies, educational institutions can better equip transportation cadets with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the globalised maritime industry.

O Planetário, para além das estrelas: Desenvolvimento histórico das projeções audiovisuais para telas hemisféricas.

This work intends to establish, within a historical approach, some of the main initiatives to expand the uses of the projection planetarium through the adoption of audiovisual resources. In its origin, the optical-mechanical star projector occupied a central place, both technical and symbolic, in the planetarium experience. However, it gradually came to coexist with slide projectors, audio equipments, 16mm fisheye projectors or even lasers and special effects projectors. When the planetarium had its encounter with the standards of giant screen cinema (under the brand Omnimax) the star projectors lost its centrality at the expense of audiovisual media. In this sense, we intend to demonstrate how, albeit in a discontinuous and non-linear way, scientific, commercial and artistic initiatives using audiovisual media shaped the development of an expanded cinema on a hemispheric screen. Currently, the Fulldome standard has become the label for films produced and screened on a hemispheric dome in order to occupy the entire field of view of the viewer while adopting a spatialized audio system around the audience. In this process of major changes for the planetariums, the new Fulldome films incorporate other themes and proposals, in addition to the traditionally scientific and astronomical content, that open up a large field for artistic experimentation.

USE OF THE GALAXY AS A TOOL FOR SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL ORIENTATION DURING THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD AND UP TO THE 15TH CENTURY

AbstractWe study to what extent the Milky Way was used as an orientation tool at the beginning of the Islamic period covering the 8th to the 15th century, with a focus on the first half of that era. We compare the texts of three authors from three different periods and give detailed comments on their astronomical and traditional content. The text of al-Marzūqī summarises the information on the Milky Way put forward by the astronomer and geographer ʾAbū Ḥanīfa al-Dīnawarī. The text makes it clear that in some areas the Milky Way could be used as a geographical guide to determine the approximate direction toward a region on Earth or the direction of prayer. In the 15th century, the famous navigator Aḥmad b. Māǧid describes the Milky Way in his nautical instructions. He frequently demonstrates that the Milky Way serves as a guidance aid to find constellations and stars that are useful for precise navigation on land and at sea. On the other hand, Ibn Qutayba quotes in his description of the Milky Way a saying from the famous Bedouin poet Ḏū al-Rumma, which is also mentioned by al-Marzūqī. In this saying the Milky Way is used to indicate the hot summer times in which travelling the desert was particularly difficult. Hence, the Milky Way was useful for orientation in space and time and was used for agricultural and navigational purposes.

IMPROVEMENTS IN TEACHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC ASTRONOMY CONCEPTS THROUGH DIDACTIC GAMES

Literature review shows that many primary school teachers have poor understanding of basic astronomy contents. Therefore, the aim of the study was to introduce specific astronomical content to in-service primary school teachers through two didactic games, to evaluate the didactic games and the teachers’ knowledge and understanding before and after the implementation of the didactic games. The research included 24 in-service primary school teachers. The data were collected through the knowledge test (pre-post design) and questionnaires for each didactic game. The results showed that the teachers evaluated the didactic games as suitable for use in the classroom as they emphasized that they are educational, explicit and interesting. The implementation was identified as effective because the median for fractional gains was 0.54 and showed the medium gain in teachers’ knowledge and understanding of selected astronomy contents. It was recognized that in-service primary school teachers do not feel competent for introducing complex astronomical contents to their students. However, the presented approach could encourage in-service primary school teachers to deepen their knowledge and to teach astronomy contents with a method that is closer to their students. University teachers could point out the advantages and disadvantages of didactic games in astronomy content and discuss them with pre-service primary school teachers. Keywords: astronomy education, didactic games, in-service primary school teachers, Moon phases

Mastering the scientific method of cognition and the formation of natural science literacy of schoolchildren in solving physical problems with astronomical content

Mastering the scientific method of cognition and the formation of natural science literacy of schoolchildren in solving physical problems with astronomical content

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER TUTORING IN THE FIELD OF TEACHING BASIC ASTRONOMICAL CONCEPTS AMONG OLDER PRESCHOOLERS AND YOUNGER PUPILS. A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

Peer tutoring as an educational method requires an appropriate application. Teachers need to know strengths and weaknesses of it. In the article, the effectiveness of this method in the context of teaching basic astronomical content (N = 28 pairs of children) was analyzed. The analysis took into account the difference in knowledge levels between children in a tutoring pair and social openness. Studies have shown that the most effective were those couples in which the difference in astronomical knowledge was greater, as well as the relationship between children, in which the teacher-child is withdrawn, and the child-pupil is more active.

O uso das tecnologias digitais para o ensino de Astronomia: uma revisão sistemática de literatura

As Tecnologias Digitais da Informação e Comunicação constituem instrumentos que podem auxiliar nos processos de ensino e de aprendizagem de diversos conteúdos, como no caso dos conceitos astronômicos. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo apresentar, por meio de uma Revisão Sistemática de Literatura (RSL), de que modo as tecnologias digitais estão sendo utilizadas no ensino de Astronomia e quais são os principais conteúdos astronômicos ensinados a partir das mesmas. A RSL foi o encaminhamento metodológico adotado para este estudo exploratório, que teve como intervalo de busca os anos de 2000 a 2017, nos seguintes bancos de dados: o Banco de Teses e Dissertações da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, a Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações, os anais do Simpósio Nacional de Educação em Astronomia, os anais do Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa em Educação em Ciências e revistas listadas no índice restrito da área de Ensino na Plataforma Sucupira. Como resultado, dos 19.053 trabalhos levantados, somente 33 abordavam a temática, dos quais a maioria utilizou os Softwares como instrumento tecnológico para se ensinar conteúdos astronômicos. Além disso, os resultados mostraram que o conteúdo “Sistema Solar” é o mais frequente nas pesquisas que também utilizam tecnologias digitais nas escolas.

Ambiguity, Scope, and Significance: Difficulties in Interpreting Celestial Phenomena in Chinese Records

AbstarctSeveral problems contribute to difficulties in interpreting transient celestial phenomena as described in Chinese records. Frameworks are an overarching problem.Tianwen, the modern Chinese term for astronomy, in pre-modern times included meteorological phenonemena and was concerned with omenology. Manuscripts that include star charts and comets but also meteorological phenomena and omen reading texts were routinely reframed in modern scholarship to appear as if they included only astronomical content. The scope of pre-moderntianwen, however, was broader than its modern sense. Pre-modern celestial phenomena had political and religious significance. Apparent ambiguity arises from the presence of both meteorological and astronomical phenomena in a single category and from features of the classical Chinese language. Accounting for these problems is essential for research into transient phenomena using historical archives.

교육과정 변천에 따른 지구과학 영역의 과학적 소양 분석

본 연구는 우리나라의 과학과 교육과정 중 과학적 소양이 교육의 목표로 제시된 7차 교육과정부터 2015 개정 교육과정까지 '과학' 과목의 지구과학영역 내용 변화를 과학적 소양의 측면에서 알아보기 위해 실시되었다. 지구과학 영역을 천문, 지질, 기상, 해양 내용으로 구분하여 과학적 소양의 요소 중에서 STS적인 요소에 초점을 두고 내용을 분석하였다. 천문과 기상 내용 영역에서는 7차부터 2015 개정 교육과정까지 모든 시기에서 과학적 소양의 측면이 나타났으며, 지질 영역에서는 2007 개정 교육과정, 해양 영역에서는 7차 교육과정을 제외하고 모든 시기에서 과학적 소양의 측면이 나타났다. 천문 내용 영역에서는 과학과 기술의 유용성이 강조되었고, 지질과 기상 내용 영역에서는 일상생활에서의 과학의 이용이 강조되었다. 해양 내용영역에서는 자원부족과 환경오염 등 과학관련 사회적 이슈가 강조됨을 알 수 있었다. 이 연구는 우리나라 과학과 교육과정을 과학적 소양이라는 새로운 측면에서 살펴보려는 시도로 차후 지구과학의 다른 영역 및 물리, 화학, 생물 과목으로 확대하여 내용을 살펴볼 수 있을 것이며, 더 나아가 기존의 물리, 화학, 생물, 지구과학이라는 과목의 테두리에서 벗어나 통합된 학문의 관점에서 과학적 소양을 알아볼 것을 제안한다. This study is conducted to search about changing earth science contents influenced by the scientific literacy from the 7th curriculum to the 2015 revised curriculum. Earth science area is divided into astronomy, geology, meteorology and oceanography contents. Among the elements of scientific literacy, the contents were analyzed focusing on STS elements. In the astronomical and meteorological content areas, there were aspects of scientific literacy in all periods from the 7th to the 2015 revised curriculum. Except for the 2007 revised curriculum in the geological area and the 7th curriculum in the oceanographic content area, the aspects of scientific literacy appeared at all times. It is emphasized the usefulness of science and technology in the astronomical content area and the use of science in everyday life in geological and meteorological content area. In the oceanographic content area, it is emphasized that content of science related social issue such as resource shortage and environmental pollution. This study can be extended to the fields of physics, chemistry and life science, we suggest to inquire the scientific literacy as a integrated science.

Indigenous Sky Stories: Reframing How we Introduce Primary School Students to Astronomy — a Type II Case Study of Implementation

The Indigenous Sky Stories Program may have the potential to deliver significant and long-lasting changes to the way science is taught to Year 5 and 6 primary school students. The context for this article is informed by research that shows that educational outcomes can be strengthened when Indigenous knowledge is given the space to co-exist with the hegemony of current western science concepts. This research presents a case study of one primary school involved in the Indigenous Sky Stories Program. It showcases how teachers and students worked in conjunction with their local community to implement the program. The results suggest that introducing cultural sky stories into the science program, engaged and primed Year 5 and 6 students to seek out additional sky stories and to investigate the astronomical content mapped to the National Science Curriculum. The involvement of Aboriginal elders and community enriched the experience for all involved. The integrated science program appears to generate positive engagement for both Indigenous students and their non-Indigenous peers. Additionally, the program provided a valuable template for teachers to emulate and which can act as a model for the requirement to include Indigenous perspectives in the new National Science Curriculum.

A New Fragment of P. Fouad inv. 267A: The PSI inv. 2006

This paper presents a new fragment of the astronomical papyrus P. Fouad inv. 267A, published by Jean-Luc Fournet and Anne Tihon, Conformément aux observations d’Hipparque: le Papyrus Fouad inv. 267A. Annex by Raymond Mercier (Publications de l’Institut Orientaliste de Louvain 67, 2014). This fragment preserved in Florence, PSI inv. 2006, appears to be a small piece of P. Fouad, and the astronomical contents on the verso fit exactly with the data of P. Fouad 267A.

Solar eclipse represented in the petroglyphs of Vigirima (Venezuela)

<p>The Vigirima archaeological complex is characterised by the abundant presence of lithic sites whose age is unknown. The land registry of the petroglyphs, the revision of the techniques and styles used in its execution and the classification of the symbols in terms of the figurative characteristics has been done.<br />Using archaeo-astronomic techniques some petroglyphs considered to contain astronomical content have been analysed and it was concluded that they corresponded to the total eclipse of the sun, which took place in 577 AC. Following that, the construction of a cultural model showing the possible significance of the petroglyphs as archetypal expressions of the socio-cultural structure of the ethnic groups who created them, was proposed.</p>

The Astronomical Data in the Très Riches Heures and their Fourteenth-Century Source

In spite of the immense worldwide popularity of the calendar that opens the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, its astronomical content remains underappreciated and its purpose ill-understood. This holds true in particular for the inclusion of a “new Golden Number” ( Nombre d’or nouvel), which corrects the standard lunar computation used by the medieval Church. The source for this correction, as this article seeks to demonstrate, was a revised table of Golden Numbers drawn up in 1345 by John of Murs and Firmin of Beauval in the context of a calendar reform project initiated by Pope Clement VI. In a similar vein, the daytime lengths recorded in the Très Riches Heures most likely derive from John of Murs’ astronomical tables known as Patefit ( c. 1329/1332). These findings stand in opposition to a recent hypothesis put forward by Lebigue (2014), who instead links the Très Riches Heures to a calendar reform project pursued by Pierre d’Ailly in 1411–1417.

O processo de ensino-aprendizagem de Ciências em turmas com alunos deficientes visuais: percepções de professores.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1984686X6250 O ensino de astronomia voltado para alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais deve acontecer de forma a envolver de modo inclusivo o participante no processo de ensino aprendizagem. Dessa forma, alunos com deficiência visual necessitam de ações que privilegiem os diversos sentidos, exceto a visão. Assim o presente trabalho se dispôs a entrevistar professores de séries iniciais do ensino fundamental, objetivando analisar como acontece o processo de ensino aprendizagem dos conteúdos astronômicos em turmas que possuem alunos deficientes visuais inclusos. Tais análises demonstraram que o ensino de astronomia praticado pelos professores privilegiou uma linguagem áudio visual, o que pode desfavorecer a participação dos deficientes visuais.

A concept of a space hazard counteraction system: Astronomical aspects

The basic science of astronomy and, primarily, its branch responsible for studying the Solar System, face the most important practical task posed by nature and the development of human civilization—to study space hazards and to seek methods of counteracting them. In pursuance of the joint Resolution of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the RAS (Russian Academy of Sciences) Space Council of June 23, 2010, the RAS Institute of Astronomy in collaboration with other scientific and industrial organizations prepared a draft concept of the federal-level program targeted at creating a system of space hazard detection and counteraction. The main ideas and astronomical content of the concept are considered in this article.

ASTRONOMIA NOS LIVROS DIDÁTICOS DE CIÊNCIAS: UMA ANÁLISE DO PNLD 2008

A importância dos livros didáticos nas salas de aula revela-se quando estudos apontam que este recurso pedagógico é, muitas vezes, a única fonte de consulta utilizada pelo professor de Ciências do ensino fundamental para a preparação de suas aulas. Quando analisamos os conteúdos de Astronomia presentes nos livros didáticos aprovados no Programa Nacional do Livro Didático de 2008 e que, teoricamente, são os melhores livros disponíveis no mercado editorial brasileiro, buscamos esquadrinhar algumas categorias constantes no Guia de Livros Didáticos de 2008. A pesquisa caracteriza a freqüência do conteúdo de Astronomia no texto, nas figuras e nas atividades de experimentação. Além disso, descreve alguns erros conceituais e apresenta um conjunto de informações adicionais sobre as coleções.

Citation of the Serbian astronomical journal and its comparison with other journals in astronomy and astrophysics

This editorial is meant to present the results of an independent research on the Serbian Astronomical Journal citation and to make comparison of our journal to some other journals in astronomy and astrophysics. We have also collected information on many astronomical and astronomy related journals that may be useful to authors when preparing their papers for our journal, as well as for all other researchers in the field. The main sources that have been used in preparing this editorial are Thomson Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Science Citation Index (SCI) database, Astrophysics Data System (ADS) at Harvard, Serbian Astronomical Journal archives, and to a less extent Elsevier’s database Scopus and SCIndeks (Serbian Citation Index). Table 1 gives a list of journals in astronomy, astrophysics, geophysics and space sciences that are covered by ISI and included in the ISI Journal Citation Report (JCR) for the year 2006. Journal’s impact factor and other criteria of bibliometric quality were omitted since they are considered as confidential information and are available through the ISI products. In Table 2 there is a list of leading multidisciplinary, physical and astronautical journals covered by ISI, that are related to astronomy or may include some astronomical content. Table 3 gives a list of selected journals in astronomy and astrophysics presently not covered by ISI. The list is far from complete and includes only the titles that the author has encountered while searching through the available databases and the Internet. The journals selected are active and generally prominent, they are either journals with long tradition or new journals that show progress in the field, and/or are journals interesting in the context of the geographical distribution of astronomical publications.

Censorship & Retraction

In seventeenth-century France, newspapers, which were subject to pre-publication censorship, served as instruments of propaganda for the monarchy, and the Gazette of Théophraste Renaudot was no exception. But in December 1633, he published a retraction for a public conference he held on the heliocentric system and included the Inquisition's sentence against Galileo and condemnation of the Copernican system, which were unknown to most scholars. This article takes the so-called retraction as a point of departure to examine his purpose in its publication and the flow of information between public and private channels. Letters and conference proceedings suggest he planned to call attention to the astronomical content of future conferences. Furthermore, be placed “privileged information” in the public domain. The possibility of censorship catalyzed French scholars to publish pro-Copernican texts abroad as well as in France by using evasive strategies.

Tycho Brahe's Geniture

The paper deals with the astronomical contents of a horoscope for Tycho Brahe cast by himself. Two versions of the horoscope are extant in a manuscript written by Georg Ludwig Frobenius (1566-1645), who was an eminent astronomer and astrologer. Frobenius had stayed for a short time with Tycho on the island of Hven and belonged to the learned circle around Heinrich Rantzau, Danish governor of Schleswig and Holstein. Tycho's geniture can also be found in a collection of nativities compiled by Conrad Cellarius (1574-1636) in Tübingen.