Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Tuesday, February 26th.  The sun will rise at 7:24.  It’ll be up for 11 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 6:26.   The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 7:47 this evening.

Yesterday I talked about light in terms of waves and wavelengths.  Light has a dual identity because I also acts like particles.  They’re called photons.  The shorter the wavelength the more energy the photon has.  Light’s wave property explains how light is bent when it passes through a lens, and why stars in telescopes have diffraction rings and spikes.  However CCD cameras and other light detection devices work because light also is particles.  Some are sensitive enough to count photons one at a time.  What’s even crazier is that particles like electrons also behave like waves.  This is quantum mechanics, the physics of the nano world.  Astrophysicists, what professional astronomers really are, work with the micro and the macro universe.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

The proof of the pudding, quantum pudding that is, is the famous double slit experiment.  There’s a nice animated video on YouTube featuring “Dr. Quantum” to blow your mind about electrons acting like waves.  Click here.