Physics

Beyond UFOs, the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Very briefly, what is your immediate reaction to this Reading Assignment?

My immediate reaction to this reading assignment was that even though we have come a long way in the what we do know there is still a whole lot more out there for us to figure out. As technology advances it is very likely that we will discover things that we never even thought would be possible. We will get answers to questions that have been burning to be answered since the beginning of time. What we discover in the future may indeed change our entire lives as we know it. There is know way to tell what is out there just waiting to be discovered.

How does the author describe the Earth's cosmic address?

The author describes Earth's cosmic address as where Earth is physically located in relation to all the other things in the cosmic universe. Earth is a planet that is the third planet out from the star that this known as the Sun. The Sun is one a vast collection of stars that make up what is called the Milky Way Galaxy. This galaxy travels through the universe along with about 40 other galaxies that make up what astronomers call the local group of galaxies. Most galaxies also reside in groups, which are called clusters. Groups and clusters are also grouped together into superclusters of galaxies, which all together make up our universe.

3. How does the author describe what is meant by "astronomical"?

The author describes what is meant by astronomical as where we are in the universe in relation to everything else that is in it. The universe is big and being able to ever know completely what is in it is nearly impossible. There are just too many things in it that we know about and more than likely a whole bunch of other things that we don't know about. So it goes to say that the astronomical context in which we live is bigger than we will ever know or probably care to know.