Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, June 10, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 10, 2017 11THE WORLD AROUND US 
ASTRONOMERS FIND PLANET HOTTER THAN MOST STARS 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 10, 2017 11THE WORLD AROUND US 
ASTRONOMERS FIND PLANET HOTTER THAN MOST STARS 
A newly discovered Jupiter-like world is so hot, it’sbeing vaporized by its own star.

With a dayside temperature of more than 7,800degrees Fahrenheit, KELT-9b is a planet that ishotter than most stars. But its blue A-type star,
called KELT-9, is even hotter—in fact, it is probablyunraveling the planet through evaporation.

“This is the hottest gas giant planet that has everbeen discovered,” said Scott Gaudi, astronomyprofessor at The Ohio State University in Columbus,
who led a study on the topic. He worked on thisstudy while on sabbatical at JPL.

KELT-9b is 2.8 times more massive than Jupiter,
but only half as dense. Scientists would expect theplanet to have a smaller radius, but the extremeradiation from its host star has caused the planet’satmosphere to puff up like a balloon.

Because the planet is tidally locked to its star—
as our Moon is to Earth—one side of the planetis always facing toward the star, and one side is inperpetual darkness. Molecules such as water, carbondioxide and methane can’t form on the daysidebecause it is bombarded by too much ultravioletradiation. The properties of the nightside are stillmysterious—molecules may be able to form there,
but probably only temporarily.

“It’s a planet by any of the typical definitions ofmass, but its atmosphere is almost certainly unlikeany other planet we’ve ever seen just because of thetemperature of its dayside,” Gaudi said.

The KELT-9 star is only 300 million years old,
which is young in star time. It is more than twiceas large, and nearly twice as hot, as our Sun. Giventhat the planet’s atmosphere is constantly blastedwith high levels of ultraviolet radiation, the planetmay even be shedding a tail of evaporated planetarymaterial like a comet. 

The planet is also unusual in that it orbitsperpendicular to the spin axis of the star. That would

be analogous to the planet orbiting perpendicularof one percent—which indicated that a planet mayto the plane of our solar system. One “year” on thishave passed in front of the star. The brightnessplanet is less than two days.dipped once every 1.5 days, which means the planet

The KELT-9b planet was found using one of completes a “yearly” circuit around its star every 1.5the two telescopes called KELT, or Kilodegreedays.
Extremely Little Telescope. In late May and earlySubsequent observations confirmed the signalJune 2016, astronomers using the KELT-Northto be due to a planet, and revealed it to be whattelescope at Winer Observatory in Arizona noticedastronomers call a “hot Jupiter”—the kind of planeta tiny drop in the star’s brightness--only about half the KELT telescopes are designed to spot. 


The rest, about 70% of the survivors – a full 
The point: None of us wants to be a part ofWhat can we do to ensure that in a time of 
None 
we can discover more about ourselves duringsituations of less sleep, less food, more work.

People in the military often get that 
experience. Some survival schools offer these 
experiences. And anyone (with a group offriends and supporters) can regularly plan suchtrips with the express purpose of expandinglimits, learning how you will react in timesof stress, and attempting to make the right 
choices when it is not easy to do so.
TAKE CLASSES 

Some of the practical information that you 
can learn in classes includes emergency first 
aid; I encourage everyone to take the Red Cross 
Emergency First Aid course, and learn how to 
deal with everyday first aid problems. 

Other useful class topics includes firearms 
instruction at a range, home vegetable gardening, 
and canning. Many skills can be practiced with 
friends, such as how to purify water, repairing 
common plumbing and electrical problems that 
might results from an earthquake, simple fire 
drills, and basic camping skills which might be 
useful in the aftermath of an earthquake.

Consider enrolling in classes where you canlearn about wild foods and very basic survivalskills The schedule for the classes I teach can 
be seen at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com, or 
write to Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041. 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

DON’T BE A PART OF THE “CRAZY 15%”: 

Practice Survival Skills – Don’t Just Read About Them 

[Nyerges is 
the author 
of “How 
to Survive 

Anywhere,” 
and “Enter the Forest.” 
Information about his books and 
classes is available from Box 41834, 
Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or fromwww.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.]

In the “First Aid” chapter ofHow to Survive Anywhere, I 
address specific simple ways ofdealing with the common medicalemergencies that one can expect inthe aftermath of a major disaster,
or if lost and hurt in the woods. 
What would you do if a majorearthquake struck Sierra Madretomorrow? 

Also consider that it is not onlythe physical accidents that weneed to be concerned about in 
the aftermath of some disaster. 
In studies that have been done of 
the survivors of major disasters,
the following conclusions have 
been made about the mental state 
of the survivors. Approximately 
15% made quick, appropriate,
and efficient choices and actions 
which were well-suited to their 
safety and security. Another 15% 
“went crazy,” making wild irrational choicesand even getting hurt as a result of their “losingit.” 

majority – neither went crazy nor did theymake wise and efficient choices and actions, 
but rather wandered about somewhat zombie-
like, spaced-out, in a state of stupor and shock,
simply not knowing what to do, where to go,
what to think. This shocked majority tends tobe passive, but will take orders from someonewho seems to be in control and who seems to 
know what they are doing and why.

that majority, and definitely we don’t want tobe a part of that “crazy 15.” No one would want 
to be wandering around Sierra Madre Blvd. in adazed state of mind. 

disaster, we find ourselves in that 15% categoryof wise, appropriate, efficient actions? 
of us really knows what we will do until we areactually tested in difficult, stressful real lifeconditions. It is impossible to predict what youmight do when you are seated comfortably inyour home drinking a warm beverage. The onlyway to expand our mental and physical limits isto actually put ourselves into situations where 


Astronomers at Ohio State, Lehigh University in“This discovery is a testament to the discoveryBethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt jointlypower of small telescopes, and the ability of citizenoperate two KELTs (one each in the northernscientists to directly contribute to cutting-edgeand southern hemispheres). Other telescopes arescientific research,” said Joshua Pepper, astronomerdesigned to look at very faint stars in much smallerand assistant professor of physics at Lehighsections of the sky, and at very high resolution. TheUniversity in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, who builtKELTs, in contrast, look at millions of very brightthe two KELT telescopes.
stars at once, over broad sections of sky, and at lowYou can contact Bob Eklund at: b.eklund@ 
resolution. MtnViewsNews.com. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

AND THE AWARD GOES TO… 


Rare is the time when I third grade!
actually am all caught I cannot remember any such thing when I 
up with my schedule. was going to grade school. Our great award was 
Whenever I think I am caught up, something leaving school and going home in the afternoon. 
happens that takes that and throws it out the It just doesn’t get any better than that.
window. We live in a different world today where 


Such was the case this past week. I was very everybody gets an award for something or 
much happy with the fact that I was on schedule sometimes for nothing.
and I had everything in hand. Nothing makes me Then I remembered my cell phone in my shirt 
feel better. pocket. It is times like this that God had in mind 

Of course, this is mostly delusional, at least when he invented this cell phone technology. I 
for me. If there ever was an award for being pulled out my cell phone and started checking my 
delusional, I am quite certain I would be at the email. 
top of the list. The amazing thing about being Then I felt a sharp pain in my right ribs (thanks 
delusional is that you never think you are.Eve) and I heard a voice saying, “Put that away 

As I was wallowing in my delusion and enjoying and pay attention.”
every moment of it, the Gracious Mistress of the Slowly and reluctantly, I returned my cell phone 
Parsonage came and said rather sharply, “Are you to my shirt pocket and tried to pay attention but 
ready to go?”I didn’t have enough quarters. Paying attention 

At the moment, I had no idea what she was can be very expensive when you’re in situations 
talking about. And so I responded, “Huh?”like this. 

I’m not sure if that is really a word or not, but The problem is that the grade school, 
it accurately described my delusional moment particularly the third grade, had more children 
at that time. I had no idea what she was talking than my grandchildren. They were trying to give 
about. awards and recognition to all the children and I 

“You haven’t,” she said, “forgotten what day it was only interested in one, my granddaughter.
is, have you?”I was musing on this for a while and then my 

I was tempted to say, “Of course not. It’s companion said, “Look, there she is.”
Tuesday.” Fortunately, I did not yield to that When she said that, out came her cell phone and 
temptation and just responded with another, she began taking pictures of our granddaughter 
“Huh?” walking up to the stage to get an award. I can’t use 

With a disdaining look she said, “You would my cell phone, but she’s at liberty to use her cell 
forget your head if it wasn’t attached.”phone. Where’s the fairness in that?

I wouldn’t tell her, but I probably would not Taking a hint from my wife, I reached for my 
miss my head if I would forget it. After all, I don’t cell phone only to realize that I was too late and 
wear a hat. the moment was gone. I glanced over at my wife 

“Today,” she said in a very serene voice, “the and all I could see was the big smile on her face 
two grandchildren are getting awards at school.”and her saying, “I got her picture.” All I could 

I’m not quite sure if I forgot or if I was not do was return her smile and congratulate her on 
listening when the instructions came my way. At getting the picture.
this point, I was not going to let anybody know, After each of the award ceremonies my wife 
particularly my wife.and I went forward and she took pictures of me 

“Oh, yes,” I said getting up from my chair, “I’m in the grandchildren together which made her 
all ready to go. Let’s go.”rather happy.
She gave me one of her classic sarcastic grins All the way home that afternoon, she was 
and we headed for the door. giggling and chattering very excitedly. “Her” 

Our one granddaughter was graduating from grandchildren received some awards. According 
the third grade and the other from the fifth grade. to her, these were very special awards.
Unfortunately, one was at 8:30 in the morning I smiled and was tempted to say, “Aren’t they 
and the other was it 1 o’clock in the afternoon. my grandchildren too?” Why spoil the moment. 
It would make sense to have them all at once, but She was excited and happy and it was worth my 
what has sense to do in our world today?silence. 

I did not want to complain, after all, it is ourI was reminded of what Solomon said. “A time 
grandchildren, but I think the planning couldto rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, 
have been just a little bit better than that. Afterand a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7).
all, sitting in the school cafeteria listening to theA wise man knows when “to keep silence.” 
award ceremony is about as exciting as it can get.
The chairs that we had to sit on were Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of 
uncomfortable, which was very fortunate forGod Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. 
me because I was not tempted to fall asleepHe lives with his wife in Silver Springs Shores. Call 
during the ceremony. I believe that was done on him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.
purpose.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship. 

Imagine getting an award for completing the com. 

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