How to see Comet NEOWISE
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is far to the north on the sky’s dome, visible now (with optical aid) to observers in the northern U.S. and Canada in the early evening skies. Charts and more info here.
Location of Comet NEOWISE just after sunset from July 13 to 19. Face northwest at dusk, avoiding trees or buildings to have a clear view of the northwest horizon. Sweep with your binoculars around the location for the comet marked on this chart. Some might barely see it with the naked eye. Observers at lower latitudes will see Comet NEOWISE lower in the sky, while it will appear higher for observers farther north. This comet is not visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Opportunities for evening viewing will be improving in the days ahead. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.
SUMMER2020 SCIENCE READING
Optional Extra-Credit for upcoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
Start the 2020-2021 school year off right: with EXTRA CREDIT in Science!
Read one of these books, and prepare a book report to hand in on the Friday of our first week of school. Points 1-5 must be addressed in paragraph form, for a total of 5 paragraphs, and you’ll also need an illustrated cover page. You can choose your font, but please use 12 pt type in the body of your book report.
- George’s Secret Key to the Universe — by Lucy & Stephen Hawking
- Fahrenheit 451 — by Ray Bradbury
- Chicken Boy — by Frances O’Roark Dowell
- Jackie’s Wild Seattle — by Will Hobbs
- Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo — by Greg Leitich Smith
- Chronal Engine — by Greg Leitich Smith
- The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away — by Ronald Smith
- Fever 1793 — by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Mind Games — by Jeanne Marie Grunwell
- Journey to the River Sea — by Eva Ibbotson
- Flush — by Carl Hiaasen
- Hoot — by Carl Hiaasen
- Tibaldo and the Hole in the Calendar — by Abner Shimony
- Life as We Knew It — by Susan Beth Pfeffer
- I Robot — by Isaac Asimov
- Blizzard! — by Jim Murphy
- Moonbase Crisis — by Rebecca Moesta
- The Perfect Storm — by Sebastian Junger
- Older Than Dirt: A Wild but True History of Earth — by Don Brown, Michael R. Perfit
- Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk, and Feel — by Nancy F. Castaldo
- Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science — by John Fleischman
- Name the title, author, and identify the main characters. Write 2-3 descriptive sentences about each main character, and include both physical and personality traits whenever possible.
2, Describe the book’s setting and mood.
- Give a brief summary of the plot, addressing the beginning, middle, and end of the story. What was the conflict in the story? Was it resolved? How? What were the goals of the main character? Were his or her goals met? Why or why not?
- What was the overall theme of the book? Was there a message for the reader? If so, what was it?
- Your review of the book: Explain why you liked or disliked the book. Be specific!
The cover: Illustrate your book report with a cover page that expresses what you felt was most meaningful or important about the book. Include your name and the name of the book and author on your cover page.
Any questions? Email Ms. Edelmann at science@nullacademyolmc.org
You can print out a copy of the assignment here:
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