Latest news with #NicolausCopernicus
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Will an astronomical anomaly challenge the idea of scientific revolutions?
Before the revolution triggered by Nicolaus Copernicus, a 16th-century cleric, the Earth was the unmoving centre of the cosmos. Afterwards, it was one of a family of planets swinging through space. Before the work of Antoine Lavoisier, an 18th-century nobleman, chemists had no notion of 'oxygen', 'carbon' and the like; afterwards they could not understand the contents of their alembics without them. Such examples are at the heart of the idea, put forward in the 1960s by Thomas Kuhn, of the paradigm shift. Such shifts, he argued, did not just involve a new theory explaining the world better than an old one; they required a change in the sort of entities the world was thought to be made up of. In a way that seems almost self-exemplifying, the idea provided a new way of looking at science itself: not as one thing, but two. In the 'normal' phase scientists applied their physical and conceptual tools to problems the scope of which was pretty well understood; in revolutionary phases, paradigms shifted. Normal didn't mean dull or unimportant. When, in the 1980s, American astronomers made the case for the Hubble Space Telescope, then the costliest scientific instrument in history, none of its goals mattered more than what seemed a perfect example of normal science: nailing down the value of the constant (also named after Edwin Hubble, an astronomer) which says how fast the universe is expanding. The Hubble did this very well. The difficulty, as our Science section reports, is that since its launch it has become possible to estimate the Hubble constant on the basis of background radiation from all over the sky, rather than distances to individual objects. And these new estimates are significantly lower. The seemingly unbridgeable divide between the approaches has become known as the Hubble tension. To those who know their Kuhn this looks like the sort of anomaly that might precede some new paradigm shift. The possibility is tantalising. The conceptual usefulness of paradigm shifts has been much debated, as indeed has their existence. The concept is horribly overused. (A new paradigm for vegan cosmetics!) Yet the notion of a fresh worldview remains dramatic and beguiling, and the romance only increases when it applies on a cosmic, but reassuringly inconsequential scale. (A paradigm shift in financial markets might be far more practically important.) The problem is that, as Kuhn noted, you can judge these things only in retrospect. The sort of anomaly that is recast and solved by a paradigm shift is not in principle distinguishable from a 'normal' problem which has not yet been solved. The paradigms in which normal science is done are, like the fabric of the universe, somewhat stretchy; new ideas, sometimes quite big ones, can be incorporated without wholesale change. And some suspect that science's capacity to adapt itself in this way has increased since the days of Kuhn's examples. It is far more institutionalised and regimented today, and that may provide a stability, even a rigidity, to its worldviews. This need not be a bad thing. Paradigm shifts are not necessary for technological improvement. But it is hard not to think that, if their age has gone, then so has some of science's thrill—and hard not to want the Hubble tension to demonstrate that paradigms can still be pulled apart. Subscribers to The Economist can sign up to our Opinion newsletter, which brings together the best of our leaders, columns, guest essays and reader correspondence.
News18
22-06-2025
- Climate
- News18
Why It's Still Bright Out At 7:30pm? Delhi-NCR's Latest Sunset Mystery Explained
Last Updated: Still light at 7:30pm in Delhi? It's not your imagination. Here's why evenings are stretching longer—thanks to Earth's tilt, the summer solstice, and clearer skies this season You've probably heard about the long summer days in parts of Europe—like Norway, famously called the Land of the Midnight Sun, where the sun sets around 11 pm and rises again just after 1 am. Similar phenomena occur in countries like Finland, Iceland, Russia, Canada, and Greenland, where the sun doesn't set at all for nearly 60 to 90 days. Now, something similar, though not quite as extreme, is happening closer to home. If you're in Delhi-NCR, you've likely noticed that evenings are stretching unusually long. The question on many minds: Why isn't it getting dark even after 7 pm? While life goes on as usual in those sunlit corners of the world, the extended daylight here in Delhi-NCR has left many people surprised. Most of us know that days begin to lengthen from March, but what's happening now feels more noticeable. In March and April, sunset typically occurs between 7:00 and 7:15 pm. But by May and June, that time stretches to nearly 7:22 pm. In fact, during June and July, daylight can last up to 14 hours. For example, on June 19, the sun rises at 5:22 am and sets at 7:22 pm. This isn't just limited to Delhi-NCR. The same is experienced across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and even parts of Punjab—regions that lie between 25° to 37° north latitude. These areas are currently tilted more directly toward the sun. Over 500 years ago, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus explained that the Sun remains fixed, and it's Earth that revolves around it. Though his ideas weren't accepted in his lifetime, his theory reshaped our understanding of the solar system. Galileo supported this and was famously placed under house arrest for it. Long story short—sunrise and sunset aren't about the Sun moving, but about where we are on Earth as it spins on its tilted axis. Scientifically, late evenings in Delhi-NCR are due to the region's geographical position. Located at 28.6° north latitude, Delhi lies in the northern hemisphere. Around June 21 or 22, the Summer Solstice takes place. This is when Earth's northern half is tilted most closely toward the Sun. Because Earth's axis is tilted at 23.5°, the Sun's rays fall more directly on this part of the planet. That's why the Sun rises earlier and sets later. Add to that the relatively cleaner skies in NCR during summer—with lower levels of haze and pollution—and the daylight appears to stretch even longer. So, the next time you find yourself glancing at your watch at 7:30 pm and wondering why it's still light outside, just remember: it's Earth's tilt, not magic. First Published:
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Children at the Center: World Creativity & Innovation Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait Director Yasmine Sherif
NEW YORK, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Creativity and innovation are essential to finding extraordinary solutions to abnormal problems. Now more than ever we must continue finding creative solutions to protect the world's most vulnerable children from the excruciating pain of war, dispossession and destruction of their last hope: a quality education. The current humanitarian and development funding levels are falling. However, with creativity we can prevent further deterioration and instead turn towards an upward direction. With bold, innovative action and connected problem-solving in a world of abundance we can better connect the dots between donors, governments, the private sector, UN agencies, civil society and other key partners to unleash our wealth of humanity towards those in unwanted scarcity: the world's most vulnerable children whose only wealth is their hope for a quality education. In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published his groundbreaking theory, "On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres." His new ideas sparked a revolution by placing the Sun – rather than the Earth – at the centre of our solar system. We need a Copernican Revolution of our own today – one guided by data, evidence, creativity and innovation, and the highest of all values: empathy. We can then deliver on the reforms envisioned in the UN80 Initiative, Pact for the Future and other initiatives designed to reimagine the delivery of humanitarian aid. In short, we must place children at the center of our universe and use education as our single most powerful instrument to tap their vast potential. Only then can their hope turn into reality. Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations, is embracing evidence-driven reforms to streamline our operations and ensure every donor dollar creates a positive impact on the lives of children caught on the frontlines of conflict, climate change and forced displacement. With the lowest overhead costs, we are lean, agile and fast-acting, and we place children and adolescents in emergencies and protracted crises at the center of everything we do. Our work – and our value proposition – is driven by data and evidence to achieve optimal results and impact. Let's start with the growing needs. When ECW became operational in 2017, it was estimated that approximately 75 million crisis-affected children needed education support. Today, with violent conflicts in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, horrific shocks from climate change-related natural disasters, and a unprecedented rise in human displacement and migration, that number has skyrocketed to nearly a quarter of a billion – 234 million to be precise. Data also tell us that a lack of quality education – especially across the Global South – is costing us trillions of dollars in lost opportunities every year. "Limited educational opportunities and barriers for girls cost the world economy between US$15 trillion and US$30 trillion. In nine countries, the cost of out-of-school children was estimated to be greater than the value of an entire year of GDP growth," according to the World Bank. Additionally, investing US$1 in early childhood education can generate returns as high as US$17 for the most disadvantaged children worldwide. Imagine the impact every dollar could have in creating a million more opportunities for the world's most vulnerable children. Given the current funding environment, we must embrace our creative problem-solving and solutions orientation. Besides revisiting budgets and finding human-centred solutions to those left furthest behind, another creative approach toward resource mobilization comes from impact investments. Through partnerships with visionary businesses like Swiss Cantonal Banks and Tribe Impact Capital LLP, Education Cannot Wait is able to connect private capital with public goods as a driving force toward long-term economic growth, resilience and security. With the ability to crowd-in resources and expertise, pool funds and broker partnerships, ECW is igniting global reform to deliver on a development sector, such as education, in humanitarian crises with coordination, speed and impact. Together with our strategic donor partners, ECW is reimagining the way we deliver life-saving education supports on the frontlines of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. One thing is certain, by following Copernicus' evidence-based vision – and placing children at the center of our collective efforts – we can make the seemingly impossible possible – provided that we all do our part keeping our eyes on what really matters: those left furthest behind and every child's right to a quality education – especially when this is their very last hope. By transforming their lives through a quality education, we empower them to arise from their suffering and become creative and innovative contributors to their society and, indeed, all of humanity. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Education Cannot Wait
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
See Mercury at its best in the night sky over the next 2 weeks
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We now have a fine opportunity to view the planet that many astronomy guide books refer to as the most difficult of the naked-eye planets to see. The planet in question is Mercury. Beginning now and running through the end of the second week of March, this somewhat overgrown version of the moon will have an evening appearance about as favorable as we northerners ever get to see. In general, the most favorable elongations of Mercury — morning or evening — are those when the planet rises or sets in a dark sky, and that situation will occur for a five-day interval beginning later this week. From March 5 through March 10, Mercury will set at, or shortly after the end of evening twilight, more than 1 hour 30 minutes after sunset for mid-northern latitudes. Mercury is popularly known as the "elusive" planet. Read what the New Handbook of the Heavens — considered one of the best guides to the stars for the amateur astronomer — said about Mercury: "It stays close to the sun like a child clinging to its mother's apron strings, because you must look for it so soon after sunset or before sunrise, there was a famous astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, who never saw the planet in all of his life." And yet, despite its reputation, Mercury is not really that difficult to spot; just find a reasonably unobstructed horizon. A clear, haze-free sky also helps. The remark about Copernicus is rather ironic, for he was the man who pushed hard for placing the sun and not the Earth at the center of our solar system. Although the climate of Copernicus' homeland (Poland) tended to be rather cloudy and misty, one would have to believe that such a noteworthy figure in the field of astronomical calculation must have surely tried on those occasions when the weather was more favorable. Indeed, Mercury was far from impossible to glimpse during elongations as favorable as the upcoming one. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see planets like Mercury in the night sky? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look, see our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. During the first two weeks of March, Mercury will have an advantage in that it will be positioned not very far from the most dazzling of all the planets, Venus. In fact, we strongly encourage you to use Venus as your landmark to locate Mercury. And on March 1, another celestial object will help point the way to this rocky little planet: the moon. Currently, Mercury sets about 90 minutes after sunset; about a half hour after sundown look for it about 10 degrees above the west-southwest horizon. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees, so "one fist up" from the horizon should bring you to Mercury. You'll have no trouble in seeing it as a very bright "star" glowing with just a trace of a yellowish-orange tinge. On March 1, Mercury is shining at a very bright magnitude of –1.0. In fact, among the stars and planets, Mercury will rank only behind Venus, Jupiter and Sirius (the brightest star) in terms of brightness. But to make absolutely sure that you're looking at Mercury, brilliant Venus will be hovering about 15 degrees ("1.5 fists") above and slightly to the right of it, while floating about 10 degrees ("one fist") above and slightly to Mercury's left will be a slender, 5% illuminated, waxing crescent moon, almost mimicking the smile of a Cheshire cat against the twilight sky; a great occasion to make a positive identification of the so-called elusive planet using our nearest neighbor in space as a pointer. After March 1, the moon will quickly move away to the east, but Mercury will continue to interact with Venus, drawing closer to it, while moving to its lower left. In the evenings that follow, Mercury will diminish — slowly at first — in brightness, but it will also be reaching its greatest elongation, 18-degrees to the east of the sun, on March 8. Shining then at a magnitude of -0.2 (just a trifle brighter than the similarly hued star Arcturus), Mercury should be readily visible, appearing low in the western sky and setting more than 1.5 hours after the sun. Finally, on the evening of March 12, Mercury and Venus will be closest to each other, separated by 5.5 degrees, and appearing almost side-by-side — Mercury positioned to the left of Venus — as they descend down the western sky. By that time, Mercury will have faded to magnitude +0.7. Mercury, like Venus, appears to go through phases like the moon. Right now, it resembles a gibbous phase, about 73% illuminated, which is why it currently appears very bright. By the time it arrives at its greatest elongation, it will appear less than half-illuminated (44%) and the amount of its surface illuminated by the sun will continue to decrease in the days thereafter. So, when it begins to turn back toward the sun's vicinity after March 8th, it will fade at a rather rapid pace. In fact, on the evening of March 15, Mercury's brightness will have dropped to magnitude +1.6; as bright as the star Castor in Gemini and only 1/11 as bright as it is now. In telescopes it will appear as a narrowing crescent phase only 16% illuminated. This, in all likelihood will be your last view of it, for the combination of its rapid fading and its descent into the brighter sunset glow will finally render Mercury invisible after mid-March. With binoculars, you might try scanning to the left of Venus for a couple of more evenings after the 15th to try and extend your view of Mercury, but for all intents and purposes it will be gone by St. Patrick's Day. In old Roman legends, Mercury was the swift-footed messenger of the gods. The planet is well named for because it's the closest planet to the sun it's also the swiftest of the sun's family of eight planets, averaging about 30 miles per second and completing one circuit of the sun in only 88 Earth days. Interestingly, the time it takes Mercury to rotate once on its axis is 59 days, so that all parts of its surface experiences periods of intense heat and extreme cold. Although its mean distance from the Sun is only 36 million miles (58 million km), Mercury experiences by far the greatest range of temperatures: nearly 900°F (482°C) on its day side; -300°F (-184°C) on its night side. In the pre-Christian era, this planet actually had two names, as it was not realized it could alternately appear on one side of the sun and then the other. Mercury was called Mercury when in the evening sky, but was known as Apollo when it appeared in the morning. It is said that Pythagoras, about the fifth century B.C., pointed out that they were both one and the same. Want to see planets like Mercury in the night sky? Our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are helpful tools for anyone hoping to get a closer look at the cosmos. And if you're looking to take photos of the night sky or the planets, check out our guides on how to photograph the planets, how to shoot the night sky, and our guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications. Editor's Note: If you get a good photo of Mercury, and would like to share it with readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
See Mercury at its best in the night sky over the next 2 weeks
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We now have a fine opportunity to view the planet that many astronomy guide books refer to as the most difficult of the naked-eye planets to see. The planet in question is Mercury. Beginning now and running through the end of the second week of March, this somewhat overgrown version of the moon will have an evening appearance about as favorable as we northerners ever get to see. In general, the most favorable elongations of Mercury — morning or evening — are those when the planet rises or sets in a dark sky, and that situation will occur for a five-day interval beginning later this week. From March 5 through March 10, Mercury will set at, or shortly after the end of evening twilight, more than 1 hour 30 minutes after sunset for mid-northern latitudes. Mercury is popularly known as the "elusive" planet. Read what the New Handbook of the Heavens — considered one of the best guides to the stars for the amateur astronomer — said about Mercury: "It stays close to the sun like a child clinging to its mother's apron strings, because you must look for it so soon after sunset or before sunrise, there was a famous astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, who never saw the planet in all of his life." And yet, despite its reputation, Mercury is not really that difficult to spot; just find a reasonably unobstructed horizon. A clear, haze-free sky also helps. The remark about Copernicus is rather ironic, for he was the man who pushed hard for placing the sun and not the Earth at the center of our solar system. Although the climate of Copernicus' homeland (Poland) tended to be rather cloudy and misty, one would have to believe that such a noteworthy figure in the field of astronomical calculation must have surely tried on those occasions when the weather was more favorable. Indeed, Mercury was far from impossible to glimpse during elongations as favorable as the upcoming one. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see planets like Mercury in the night sky? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look, see our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. During the first two weeks of March, Mercury will have an advantage in that it will be positioned not very far from the most dazzling of all the planets, Venus. In fact, we strongly encourage you to use Venus as your landmark to locate Mercury. And on March 1, another celestial object will help point the way to this rocky little planet: the moon. Currently, Mercury sets about 90 minutes after sunset; about a half hour after sundown look for it about 10 degrees above the west-southwest horizon. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees, so "one fist up" from the horizon should bring you to Mercury. You'll have no trouble in seeing it as a very bright "star" glowing with just a trace of a yellowish-orange tinge. On March 1, Mercury is shining at a very bright magnitude of –1.0. In fact, among the stars and planets, Mercury will rank only behind Venus, Jupiter and Sirius (the brightest star) in terms of brightness. But to make absolutely sure that you're looking at Mercury, brilliant Venus will be hovering about 15 degrees ("1.5 fists") above and slightly to the right of it, while floating about 10 degrees ("one fist") above and slightly to Mercury's left will be a slender, 5% illuminated, waxing crescent moon, almost mimicking the smile of a Cheshire cat against the twilight sky; a great occasion to make a positive identification of the so-called elusive planet using our nearest neighbor in space as a pointer. After March 1, the moon will quickly move away to the east, but Mercury will continue to interact with Venus, drawing closer to it, while moving to its lower left. In the evenings that follow, Mercury will diminish — slowly at first — in brightness, but it will also be reaching its greatest elongation, 18-degrees to the east of the sun, on March 8. Shining then at a magnitude of -0.2 (just a trifle brighter than the similarly hued star Arcturus), Mercury should be readily visible, appearing low in the western sky and setting more than 1.5 hours after the sun. Finally, on the evening of March 12, Mercury and Venus will be closest to each other, separated by 5.5 degrees, and appearing almost side-by-side — Mercury positioned to the left of Venus — as they descend down the western sky. By that time, Mercury will have faded to magnitude +0.7. Mercury, like Venus, appears to go through phases like the moon. Right now, it resembles a gibbous phase, about 73% illuminated, which is why it currently appears very bright. By the time it arrives at its greatest elongation, it will appear less than half-illuminated (44%) and the amount of its surface illuminated by the sun will continue to decrease in the days thereafter. So, when it begins to turn back toward the sun's vicinity after March 8th, it will fade at a rather rapid pace. In fact, on the evening of March 15, Mercury's brightness will have dropped to magnitude +1.6; as bright as the star Castor in Gemini and only 1/11 as bright as it is now. In telescopes it will appear as a narrowing crescent phase only 16% illuminated. This, in all likelihood will be your last view of it, for the combination of its rapid fading and its descent into the brighter sunset glow will finally render Mercury invisible after mid-March. With binoculars, you might try scanning to the left of Venus for a couple of more evenings after the 15th to try and extend your view of Mercury, but for all intents and purposes it will be gone by St. Patrick's Day. In old Roman legends, Mercury was the swift-footed messenger of the gods. The planet is well named for because it's the closest planet to the sun it's also the swiftest of the sun's family of eight planets, averaging about 30 miles per second and completing one circuit of the sun in only 88 Earth days. Interestingly, the time it takes Mercury to rotate once on its axis is 59 days, so that all parts of its surface experiences periods of intense heat and extreme cold. Although its mean distance from the Sun is only 36 million miles (58 million km), Mercury experiences by far the greatest range of temperatures: nearly 900°F (482°C) on its day side; -300°F (-184°C) on its night side. In the pre-Christian era, this planet actually had two names, as it was not realized it could alternately appear on one side of the sun and then the other. Mercury was called Mercury when in the evening sky, but was known as Apollo when it appeared in the morning. It is said that Pythagoras, about the fifth century B.C., pointed out that they were both one and the same. Want to see planets like Mercury in the night sky? Our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are helpful tools for anyone hoping to get a closer look at the cosmos. And if you're looking to take photos of the night sky or the planets, check out our guides on how to photograph the planets, how to shoot the night sky, and our guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications. Editor's Note: If you get a good photo of Mercury, and would like to share it with readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
