News Article
by Ms. Celine Guinto
Grade 9 learners have unraveled the wonders of the night sky as they explored the enchanting sky and strengthened their Earth and Space knowledge last December 7-8, 2023 through the stargazing activity of the Science Department with the profound astronomer and meteorologist, Sir Edmund Rosales.
The stargazing activity started at 3:30 pm on December 7 and finished at 6:30 am on December 8, 2023. After the learners were gathered, Sir Edmund Rosales was introduced to the body. It was then followed by the gving of reminders and the activity proper.
The stargazing activity aims to strengthen the scientific literacy and inquiry skills of the learners where they are encouraged to observe, analyze, and interpret celestial phenomena. It also aimed to examine the evolution of the star and the universe, examine and critique the expansive and dynamic nature of our universe, and promote environmental stewardship and awareness of how human activities can affect the night sky.
Grade 9 learners expressed their enthusiasm during the highlight of the stargazing activity as they observed through their naked eyes the beauty of the cosmos beyond the parameters of the Earth. Among the constellations they have observed are the Northern Star-Polaris, the bright light of Venus, the Giant gas planet Jupiter, the asterism in the constellation Orion or Orion’s Belt known as the three sisters– Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, and the red supergiant star Betelgeuse. Aside from these, several learners also watched meteors falling from the sky.
The learners also intensified their scientific understanding as Astronomer Sir Edmund Rosales debunked the myths of zodiac signs. Mr. Rosales explained to the learners how these zodiac signs are arranged for the 12 months of the year and why the 13th zodiac sign Ophiuchus was removed from the list because of the unlucky charm the 13th number brings.
Aside from the exposure to the two large telescopes during the sky viewing from 12 am to 6 am, the learners were also able to discover the wonders of the other heavenly bodies through the specialized app from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which Mr. Rosales shared with the learners. Learners could understand deeply how the phases of the moon cycle throughout the month.
Even though the night sky was not clear during the time of the observation, learners were still able to observe the constellations for they kept guard on the night sky, safeguarding opportunities to observe constellations and meteors falling.
