Space Questions for the Everyday - Volume III
Corinne Moore, Technical Business Development Associate
4 minute read
Welcome back to Space Questions for the Everyday! Whether you’ve been tuning in regularly or are new here, we’re happy to have you. Today we’ll be covering the closest Earth-like planet, the next solar eclipse, Mars, and how to become an astronaut.
Do you have a burning question you’d like to see answered in future publications? Send your questions to questions@kallmorris.com and you just might see your question featured in our next issue.
What is the closest Earth-like planet? The closest planet that resembles Earth is Proxima Centauri b, which has a similar mass of 1.27 Earths and lies a mere four light years, or 23.5 trillion miles, from us. While it does lie within the habitable zone of its host star, which means that the planet lies at such a distance that liquid water could pool on the surface, it doesn’t mean that is the case. It’s so close to the star that it orbits that a year for this planet is only 11.2 days. While enjoying a birthday every week and a half sounds great, the downside of being so close to the host star is that everything on this planet is routinely exposed to incredibly high levels of ultraviolet radiation. Needless to say, not a great candidate for homo sapiens (without some solid means of protection, that is).
When is the next solar eclipse and why are we told not to look directly at it? There are a few different types of solar eclipses, but the kind most people think of are total solar eclipses, where the moon covers the entire view of the sun. Mark your calendars! The next time we can expect to get a look at a total solar eclipse is on April 8, 2024, at approximately 2:07 PM Eastern time. Keep in mind, only those in certain areas will be able to see this natural wonder, so it may be worth the road trip to check it out. As to why you shouldn’t look directly at it: you can actually cause enough eye damage to go blind. On a typical day, the pain of staring into the sun is a direct deterrent that keeps us from looking too long and hurting ourselves, but during an eclipse the brightness from the sun is significantly dimmed, which tricks our eyes and allows us to look at the sun without pain, all the while causing damage to your retina. The scary part: there’s no way to fix a damaged retina. So be kind to your eyes and enjoy the eclipse with a pair of safety glasses (note: these particular safety glasses are much darker than sunglasses, and you can find safe-rated glasses through the American Astronomical Society).
What makes Mars the “Red Planet”? Mars stands out in our night sky, as it’s one of the brightest heavenly bodies. The other identifying factor: it’s red! The soil on Mars is iron-rich, and just like on Earth, iron in an oxidized environment, even with less oxygen, rusts. This results in a red color that we can see even from Earth. Want to take a gander at Mars? Depending on where it is, that may or may not be possible depending on the time of year. You can check out this night sky map to see where Mars is at this moment and if it’s viewable from your location. As for how to view: Enjoy the far-off pinprick of light with the naked eye, borrow a telescope from your local library, or find space-rated binoculars at a local sporting goods store.
Curiosity Rover tracks over a Martian dune (NASA, 2014)
How much money does an astronaut make in a year? Becoming an astronaut, in the United States anyway, typically comes with the requirement that you are a member of the military or qualified to become a civil servant, which is a civilian position that supports the government without being in the military. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, some other examples of civil servants include post office workers and social workers. The bottom line - no one becomes an astronaut to become a millionaire. Being one of the few who risk it all for their country and the advancement of humanity’s knowledge is enough to draw thousands of applicants to the program (12,000 of them in 2020). Honor alone, however, doesn’t keep a family fed, so let’s dive into the actual pay. As with any job, there’s a range of pay for astronauts. The most recent call included a pay range of $141,888 to $183,300. Is that enough money for you to go to space?
Astronaut in Space (Aaron Alien)
How can I become an astronaut? Like anything else, to become an astronaut, you merely need to meet the requirements and apply! Sounds easy? Not exactly. Out of the 12,000 that applied in 2020, 12 were selected to join NASA Astronaut Group 23, and that’s without considering how many times they applied before being selected. According to Anne McClain, most astronauts in her class had to apply more than once. NASA astronauts have to be highly educated and qualified, and their requirements are certainly in-depth to reflect that. The basic list is below, but for full details, check out NASA’s Astronaut FAQ.
U.S. Citizen.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field Master’s Degree.
Have at least two years of related professional experience obtained after degree completion or at least 1,000 hours pilot-in-command time on jet aircraft.
Passing of the astronaut physical, which includes 20/20 correctable vision. (So yes! Astronauts can wear glasses!)
While there’s no age restriction, the average age of astronauts is 34 years old.
Thanks for tuning in to the latest issue of Space Questions for the Everyday! We would love to hear from our readers and answer your questions next time, which can be submitted at questions@kallmorris.com.
Recommended column to read next: Euclid: Mission and Importance