STEM

Just a few weeks ago, my wife, Jess, and I took a few days to create a long weekend in Washington, DC. Drivable within a day, chock full of history and culture, and certainly different from our everyday lives, we agreed that this was just the right place for our quick adventure.

I am one of those people who says “Happy New Year” for far too long in the month of January.  The month of February is already here, but for me, there is something about New Year’s resolutions that I find both inspiring and enjoyable.  Some people use the new year as an opportunity to make small improvements to their lives, whereas others resolve to make changes that completely alter the trajectory of their lives.  Of course, I realize that, for many, these resolutions are short lived. 

Talcott Mountain Science Center for Student Involvement, Inc. (TMSC) today announced that its board of trustees has selected three new trustees, effective July 1, 2022. By unanimous vote, the board of trustees is pleased to welcome Dr. Stephen Fantone, Dr. Martha Gilmore, and Dr. Reinhard Kage. 

Don’t forget to look up this month to catch the rare sight of 5 planets aligning. This celestial event has not occurred since 2004, and we won’t see it again until 2041. 

Attention sky-watchers- our first total lunar eclipse of the year will occur on May 15th & 16th. With this eclipse, you’ll be able to see our silver moon turn a dark red as it aligns with the sun and the Earth for a total of 84 minutes. This eclipse will be visible from North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. 

February is Black History Month -- a time to honor the contributions and sacrifices of Black Americans who have paved the way in shaping our nation. Talcott Mountain Science Center & Academy was built on the structure of innovation and curiosity and recognizes the incredible effort that Black scientists, engineers and doctors have made to help build the world of science to what it is today, against great adversity. 

Talcott Mountain Science Center and Academy honors the life of Carolyn Shoemaker, a renowned astronomer we had the pleasure of hosting in 1989 at our SCISTAR program, “A Window on the World of Science.” At the time, Shoemaker had discovered more comets than any other astronomer and was blazing a trail for women in STEM. 

At the beginning of April, the Sun is in the constellation of Pisces, the Fish. By the end of the month, it appears in the constellation of Aries, the Ram. During the course of the month, the Sun appears 10 degrees higher in the sky, warming the northern hemisphere of our delicate world with its more direct rays, as tiny plants start poking their way out of the soil.

March heralds the RETURN OF SPRING--which many consider the MOST IMPORTANT event of the month! We celebrate the Vernal Equinox on March 20, 05:37 am EDT. That's when the Earth is at its point in orbit where both hemispheres (north and south) of our precious planet receive equal amounts of sunlight. What else is March known for?

It’s the coldest time of the year in the northern hemisphere, and time to think a bit about how that happens and what it means to us. Of course, it mostly means it’s going to be cold! But it also means things for our biology and for the way the earth turns. Literally.