This morning I just heard of a piece of marvelous news from BBC radio: the Vatican is exhibiting Galileo's instruments and original documents! Is it because those priests finally find Prof. Langdon really anoyying?
Seriously, this exhibition is a great opportunity to see Galileo's works. As we know from history textbook, Galileo spent his later half life to argue with the Catholic Church. The Vatican placed Galileo under house arrest, and announced his thoughts were heretic. Today, the Vatican still preserves plenty of books and original documents of Galileo. All of them are precious historical records. To celebrate the International Year of Astronomy and the contributions of Galileo, the Vatican plans to give regards to their once old enemy.
2009/10/15
Galileo, I am coming
2009/10/01
Re-opening of this sketchbook
You can find this blog was stopped being updated for a long time since last year. Yes, you see, I am not a diligent writer and very easy to give up halfway. However, Dan ask us to build a blog as one of our assessments. So this dormant volcano begins to explode once again.
The blog will be part of my work in the MSc. Programme in Science, Communication and Society, which tutor is Dr. Dan Lloyd in the University of Kent. I hope it would be a faithful record of my study, trainning, and thinking in the programme. Anyone who interests in my work are welcomed to visit and give comments.
2008/06/27
荷馬史詩奧德賽可能記載古老的日食事件
Homer's "Odyssey" May Chronicle Ancient Eclipse
http://www.universetoday.com/2008/06/24/homers-odyssey-may-chronicle-ancient-eclipse/
Written by Nicholos Wethington
Translated by Hsiang-Fu Huang
翻譯：黃相輔
It's likely that sometime in your education career, an English teacher had you enjoy (or suffer through, depending on your tastes) at least part of that classic of classics, Homer's Odyssey. It tells the story of Odysseus, a Greek general, who embarks on a 10-year journey back home after battling in the fall of Troy. The tale is filled with imagery that is referenced often in contemporary films and books. As old as it is, one would think that we've learned pretty much all we can from the book, but a new analysis of celestial events referenced in the Odyssey reveals that Homer may have documented a total solar eclipse.
當你還是學生時，英文老師總會教你欣賞 (或是折磨你，端視你的想法) 這部經典的全文或至少一部份：荷馬的史詩奧德賽。它描述希臘將領奧德賽在特洛伊戰爭後，歷經十年的漫長旅途返鄉的故事。故事充滿了想像力，是現代電影及書籍常見的題材。原作品如此古老，你可能以為我們無法從中發掘出什麼新東西了；但一項對史詩裡提過的天文現象的分析卻顯示，荷馬可能真的紀錄了一次日全食。
2008/06/26
巨大撞擊在火星上留下紀錄
Almighty smash left record crater on Mars
巨大撞擊在火星上留下紀錄
http://space.newscientist.com/article/mg19826624.700
Written by David Shiga
Translated by Hsiang-Fu Huang
翻譯：黃相輔
EVERY scar tells a story, yet a huge gash on Mars has long proven very hard to read. Now a peek beneath the planet's surface reveals that the scar is the largest known impact structure in the solar system - gouged out by a collision that reshaped the Red Planet.
每一道傷疤背後都有段故事。然而，火星上一處巨大的窪地長久以來卻難以解讀。如今，對火星地表下的窺探，顯示這道傷痕是太陽系中已知最大的撞擊構造 ─ 由某次足以改變火星形狀的撞擊所挖出。