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Tuesday December 4 2012 studentnewspaper.org
Remember the skies this December The Bible says the three wise men followed the Eastern Star to Bethlehem of Judea, where Jesus was born. Although we might never find out what they saw, there are a few possible explanations. None of them is a star. The Gospel of Matthew says that the Magi arrived from the east to worship the newly born Jesus Christ. There are a number of astronomical events that could have been the Star. The birth of Jesus was estimated for between 7 and 4 BC, which allows us to narrow down the search. It was determined that in 7 BC, a series of three conjunctions between Saturn and Jupiter occurred and German astrologer Johannes Kepler proposed (incorrectly) that this could have potentially created a nova. Some argued those planetary alignments were not significant enough to interest the ancient astrologers. Another possibility is a comet-like object that was observed in East Asia about 5 BC. Unfortunately, comets were perceived as bad omens in most cultures of that period, so it is dubious that one could have been the Star of Bethlehem. The latest studies and hypotheses suggest that it could have been a supernova in Andromeda Galaxy or its globular cluster, however it is very hard to determine the exact time when this occurred. As Christmas is approaching, we can follow the footsteps of the Magi and enjoy what the December sky has to offer this year. The show starts with Jupiter at
opposition, which means that the Earth will be between the sun and Jupiter. Although it occurs on December 3, Jupiter will be visible throughout the whole month. With the aid of a telescope, the famous Red Spot on Jupiter can also be observed. As the sun sets, the largest planet of the solar system will rise in the east. It will be close enough to us to be seen with the naked eye, so take a minute and look towards the eastern horizon after twilight. Jupiter will appear as a pale yellow star.
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For those who have many wishes this year, there is a special celestial event: the spectacle of the Geminid meteor shower." For those who have many wishes this year, there is a special celestial event: the spectacle of the Geminid meteor shower. When a meteoroid (tiny piece of debris) enters the atmosphere of the Earth at high speed, its trajectory is visible to us as a shooting star (meteor). Most meteoroids are so small that they shatter before reaching the land. During a shower, many meteors radiate from one
point (a radiant) with high frequency. The Geminids originate from a radiant in the Gemini constellation and it is the only meteor shower apart from the Quadrantids ( January 1 to 6) that is not comet-induced. Although the shower will last from December 4 till December 17, the peak will occur on December 13 and 14 (predicted to be more than 120 per hour between 2 and 3am). On that night, the new moon guarantees a dark sky, which, if the sky is clear, should be a perfect background for the Geminids, which usually appear yellowish. Between December 22 and 23 look out for another shower: the Ursids. As stunning as the cosmos is by itself, even more exciting is observing the trace of human activity in outer space. In the hour before sunrise and in the hour after sunset we can see the International Space Station (ISS). From any UK location it is usually visible for about two to five minutes at a time in the sky. The exact position can be found on the Human Space Flight Nasa website (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov). When you spot it, smile and wave to the cosmonauts. If you wish to have more direct contact with them, try calling the ISS via the amateur radio (ARISS project). With exams and holidays coming up, everyone is extremely busy. But take a break and look up at the winter sky. You may not see the Star of Bethlehem, but you will not be disappointed.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
With Jupiter rising and meteor showers beginning, Ada Kozlowska describes the spectacles to be seen in the sky this December
UBOS: Christmas skies have a history of Unidentified Bright Objects
Keep calm and carry on with revision
Maithili Mehta discusses the causes and symptoms of stress and advises the best ways to avoid sinking under your pile of books DO • Manage your time. Identify the time of day when you are most productive (you may be a morning person, an evening person, or a late night person), and allot this time to tasks that require more energy and concentration than others. • Embrace variation. Interspersing difficult tasks with easier ones or studying chunks of different subjects can often be less monotonous, as well as less taxing on your brain. • Make time to relax. It is unfortunate that relaxation is often confused with recreation. This need not be something as elaborate as a weekend away or as intensive as several hours of sport. Spending a few minutes talking to your friends could help you keep things in perspective. As could a short run, or an occasional snack. • Breathe. Often, under stress, you tend to take short, shallow breaths, using only the upper part of your chest and not your stomach muscles to breathe. Taking deep breaths increases the amount of oxygen that diffuses into the blood and reaches the brain.
Textbooks are drawn out, coffee mugs prop up, and excruciating silence envelops the library again. If you listen carefully, you might just hear the hum of five thousand brains, pressed to the brink of alertness and efficiency by stress hormones. It’s that time of year again when you give up all things dear to the student life – sleep, beer, and banter – in favour of those horrible exams.
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In the short run, these stress hormones mediate beneficial effects that help us cope with the imminent crisis." Stress is one of the most unwelcome physiological responses. Our reactions to stress are shaped by our biological history: when hunter-gatherers were faced with menacing dangers, the result was a ‘flight-or-fight’ response, which momentarily sharpened their senses to an above average level to aid survival.
Today, when exposed to stressors that place heavy emotional or intellectual demands on our brains (like relationship problems or, indeed, academic pressure) our bodies still respond the same way, as if we were dealing with a physical threat. The outcome – a fleeting spike in adrenalin and cortisol levels in the blood. In the short run, these stress hormones mediate beneficial effects that help us cope with the imminent crisis, such as an increased heart rate, a quick burst of energy, and transiently heightened memory and immunity. However, compounded cortisol build-up over the long term can cause high blood pressure, an increase in abdominal fat storage, and a markedly reduced ability to think clearly. So how can we tell when stress is good, and how much stress is too much? This is a tricky question, because people’s tolerance to stress varies, so that a situation that is intolerable to one person may be stimulating to another. The answer: learn to recognise your own stress threshold. This is not as technical as it sounds if you acquaint yourself with the telling signs. Headaches, constant tiredness, and insomnia are not
uncommon symptoms; but some people might experience almost none of these, and instead feel on-edge, aggressive, irritable, or just depressed. A select few might experience a decrease in appetite; but for the majority, revision period most definitely correlates with cravings for carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods, and more trips to Sainsbury’s and the library cafe than ever before (though admittedly, a lot of these might stem from restlessness and procrastination rather than hunger).
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For the majority, revision period most definitely correlates with cravings for carbohydrate." It is worth remembering that although a little stress is healthy and alerts the body and mind, it is best followed by a period of relaxation. Here are some tips that could be useful in coping with exam stress.
DON'T • Bite off more than you can chew. The end of semester is after all a step closer to holidays, and it isn’t surprising that your friends might want to celebrate. Social pressure can sometimes be as harrowing as its academic counterpart; perhaps you could practise being assertive and learning to say no to people who you feel are making unrealistic or unreasonable demands on you at this time. • Lament about how much of the mountain you have left to climb. In all probability, it will intimidate you and slow your progress. Instead, reflect on how much you have climbed so far, and evaluate your progress so that you can adjust your rate accordingly to be able to get to the top in good time. • Forget to laugh. Laughing lowers stress hormone levels, and increases the secretion of endorphins, which dull the sensation of pain. It also relaxes muscles and boosts immunity. Perhaps watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory in your next break could do the trick.