Category Archives: Mathematics

5*11

Posted on October 2, 2019 by mossjon314159

Five 11s Eleven 5s A half century and a half decade. Two score plus a half score plus a quarter score years. I can’t and never could drive fifty-five. I was almost five when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Family, Genealogy, Mathematics, Musings, Seasons | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Just the Stats, Please

Posted on January 27, 2018 by mossjon314159

Yes, I’m still here.  Sort of.  I’ve been so busy since the first of the year, I just now came up for air, and only because I realized it had been nearly a month since I’d posted to my blog.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Mathematics, Mutterings, Non-Fiction, Seasons, Winter | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Absolute Magnitude Luminates Absolutely

Posted on October 24, 2017 by mossjon314159

This week I want to discuss “What might cause the closer of two identical stars to appear dimmer than the farther one?” Apparent Magnitude: A measurement of the brightness of stars without regard to their distance from Earth. The scale … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Constellations, Mathematics, Science, Sirius, Stars, STEM, Ursa Major, Vega | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No, Chicken Little, the Sky is Not Falling

Posted on October 9, 2017 by mossjon314159

My topic for discussion this week will attempt to answer the question: Why do astronomers believe that the debris that creates many isolated meteors comes from asteroids, whereas the debris that creates meteor showers is related to comets? But first, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asteroids, Astronomy, Comets, Mathematics, Science, Solar System, STEM | Leave a comment

Foci and Mirrors

Posted on September 13, 2017 by mossjon314159

This week’s discussion topic will attempt to answer the question: Suppose your Newtonian reflector has a mirror with a diameter of 20 cm and a focal length of 2 m. What magnification do you get with eyepieces whose focal lengths … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Mathematics, Science, Technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Newton and Neptune

Posted on September 5, 2017 by mossjon314159

My second post in my series of weekly discussion topics for my Introduction to Astronomy online class.  Last week I got up close and personal with the many sides of the Moon.  This week I take a closer look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Mathematics, Neptune, Science, Solar System | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

WorldCon Withdrawals

Posted on August 22, 2016 by mossjon314159

Despite what my husband thinks, I have not over-dosed on science fiction since last Wednesday when the 74th World Science Fiction Convention (commonly referred to as WorldCon) arrived for the second time in Kansas City, Missouri.  MidAmeriCon II ended yesterday … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Astronomy, Books, Engineering, Fantasy, Mars, Mathematics, Musings, Science, Science Fiction, STEM, Summer | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Case of the Vanishing January

Posted on January 22, 2016 by mossjon314159

Today is the 22nd of January and of 2016.  I woke up this morning to a bitter cold Friday, to the prospect of working through most of the weekend.  Not the best way to start your day.  A huge project … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Books, Mathematics, Movies and Television Shows, Musings, Science, Seasons, STEM, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How Chess Has Changed Over The Last 150 Years

Posted on May 29, 2015 by mossjon314159

http://io9.com/how-chess-has-changed-over-the-last-150-years-1707692642 Chess is one of those games I know how to play but have no desire to play. As noted in this article, the rise of the machine has made human play almost an afterthought. I like computers but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Technology, Mathematics, Musings, STEM | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How Two Sentences Overturned 200 Years Of Mathematical Precedent

Posted on April 13, 2015 by mossjon314159

http://io9.com/how-two-sentences-overturned-200-years-of-mathematical-1697483698 shortest-known paper in a serious math journal The first comment is super cool. Posted from WordPress for Android via my Samsung smartphone. Please excuse any misspellings. Ciao, Jon

Posted in Mathematics, Musings, STEM | Tagged , , | 2 Comments