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Key Points
nPosted on April 19, 2020
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nApril 19, 1964: Kim Weaver is born in West Virginia.
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nApril 19, 1969: Age 5, little Kim is impressed by photographs of planets, galaxies, and the Moon. She asks about the 300-foot antenna dish located nearby and is interested in the answer – it is listening to radio signals from space!
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nJuly 20, 1969: Still 5, Kim is thrilled to watch Apollo 11 crew land on – and eventually walk on! – the Moon.
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nShe decides right then and there that she wants to be a scientist and work for NASA.
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nFlash forward about 20 years: Dr. Kim Weaver has graduated with a B.S. in physics and a M.S. and Ph.D. in astronomy.
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And now: Weaver is an astrophysicist and professor. She works for NASA, just as she hoped, so long ago – mostly focusing on x-ray astronomy.
And now: Weaver is an astrophysicist and professor. She works for NASA, just as she hoped, so long ago – mostly focusing on x-ray astronomy.n
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nWhat, you may ask, is x-ray astronomy?
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With ordinary telescopes, scientists study the universe via visible light, which is the most familiar part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
With ordinary telescopes, scientists study the universe via visible light, which is the most familiar part of the electromagnetic spectrum.n
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Radio telescopes like the dishes that inspired Weaver as a child allow scientists to study the universe via radio waves, which have much longer wavelengths than those of visible light.
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Radio telescopes like the dishes that inspired Weaver as a child allow scientists to study the universe via radio waves, which have much longer wavelengths than those of visible light. n
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nX-ray telescopes are used to study the universe with x-rays, which have much shorter wavelengths.
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nThis is a comparison of M82 galaxy with visible light (left) and x-rays (right):
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nHere is a photo of a neutron star in the Crab Nebula. The x-ray light is shown in purple, ultraviolet light in blue, visible light in green, infrared light in yellow, and radio light in red:
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nAlso on this date:
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National Hanging Out Day
National Hanging Out Day
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Republic Day in Sierra Leone
Republic Day in Sierra Leone
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nLanding of the 33 Patriots Day in Uruguay
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nDay of the Indian in Brazil
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nBeginning of the Independence Movement Day in Venezuela
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nBirthday of motorboat-inventor Ole Evinrude
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nAnniversary of the first Boston marathon
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nAnniversary of the first free-fall parachute descent using a rip cord
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nNational Health Day in Kiribati
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nnJohn Parker Day
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nnNational Garlic Day
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nnFirst Day of Summer in Iceland
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nNational Poker Day
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nNational Library Week in the U.S. – April 19 through 25
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n(The 2020 theme of National Library Week is “Find Your Place at the Library” – a theme chosen long before anyone could imagine a global pandemic would close libraries-the-physical-buildings. However, libraries are still open for business online.
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nHere are some things you can access:
nHere are some things you can access:
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n“…ebooks, movies, music, video games, virtual storytimes and activities, and so much more — all from the the comfort of your home.”)
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nPlan ahead:
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Check out my Pinterest boards for:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
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nApril holidays
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nApril birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in April
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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nMay holidays
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nMay birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in May
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