Tag Archives: homeschool

B is for Binary Stars

I was thinking about Star Wars and the twin suns rising above Tatooine. These would be called binary stars.

What defines a binary star?

A binary star consist of two star. The bigger one being called the primary and the smaller is called the secondary or companion. The two stars then orbit around their common center of mass. If both star were the same mass then they would orbit around a point half way between them. With one having more mass the common center of mass would be closer to that star. A good example in this animated image from Wikipedia. You can see that both the stars are moving and orbit a single point.

Source Wikipedia User: Silver Spoon

How many are there?

They estimate that about 1/3 of the star systems in the Milky Way have 2 or more stars in them.

Are there planets around them?

Kepler 16b is orbiting two stars. The image above the purple dot is Kepler 16b. This type of orbit is called “P-type” or “circumbinary”. The fun bit is that this planet has been given the nickname Tatooine. Unfortunately it has the mass of Saturn so its not exactly habitable. The other type is where the planet orbits only one of the stars. This is called a “S-type”. Gamma Cephei has a planet in an “S-type” orbit around its primary star.


Wikipedia Binary Stars

Wikipedia Kepler 16

Wikipedia  Gamma Cephei

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Homeschooling Journal Week 1 – First Week Ever.

In our homeschool this week…

Nuts and Bolts
My Preschooler playing with nuts and bolts

This was our first ever week of homeschooling and I have to say that it was a success. He did his work without complaining. He worked hard and most importantly he enjoyed it. Student Writing Intensive was a success. I am very glad that I spent the money on that.

Some of his math he whizzed through some he got stuck on but a few minutes of explanation fixed most problems. The other was getting him to write out the steps of the problems rather than doing them in his head. One it allowed him to look back and find his mistake. Two it allowed me to see were the problem was so I could explain it. Mostly he was dropping terms in his head.

He is really liking Rosetta Stone Chinese. He has started to try to use the words in conversation. It would help if I spoke a word of Chinese myself.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We did a Meetup with other homeschoolers for a hike. Great time and I got to meet some local homeschoolers and my son got to meet some kids. I Wish I had remembered my camera.

We also went to a picnic put on by our supporting school. We got to meet our teachers and other families. We signed up for some co-ops and went for a balloon ride. Good day and my son got to play with some kids. That will help with one of his concerns about homeschooling.

My favorite thing this week was…

I found a grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer in a thrift store. A new one would have cost me $80. This one was $5.

Kitchen Aid Grinder

I’m reading…

Still reading”Learn to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci. I am enjoying it but its taking forever for me to get through. I want Philip to read it after I am done with it.

I’m cooking…

With back to school this week for my daughter I needed some lunches for her. So I made her sausage rolls. Whole wheat so they are somewhat nutritious. I have trouble getting her to eat a balanced meal at lunch. Left to her own she would have crackers.

I like to make my own bread as it is cheaper and I know what is in it. Mine is about 80% whole wheat. I did a post on it a 2 years ago. I have changed things enough that it deserves a new post.

Homemade Bread

On Monday I went from plan A to plan B and then onto Plan B Take2 for dinner. Sometimes good things come out of problems. Taco Bites Post.

Taco Bites

One of the family favorites this week was Spinach Salad with Teriyaki Chicken on top.

I’m grateful for…

My daughter deciding that green leafy things could be edible. She actually ate the spinach salad.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

This just made me laugh…

A is for Asteroid

Courtesy of NASA

What are asteroids?




Where are they located?


How many are there?


What are they made of?


How do we find them?


How to make Potato Asteroids. Cool Recipe on the NASA.


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