Episode 3: When astronomy gets awkward

In this episode, the dynamic duo take you through some of the potential pitfalls in everyone’s favorite science.

Questions, comments, or ideas for future episodes? Contact Liz and Bill at
cosmicadventures@astronomy.com

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SHAUN G VAVRA from ILLINOIS said:

beleve me when i tell you ive made plenty of those mistakes.

Submitted: 1/20/2012 5:04:08 PM (CST)

RYAN CUTHBERT said:

try not to make make a mistake

Submitted: 6/22/2011 12:22:22 AM (CST)

BRYAN SIEGFRIED from ILLINOIS said:

When I was 8 or 9, I read a write-up about the placebo effect in the local newspaper. Later that night my parents were talking about sometihng (maybe the article), and I said "That's the place-bo effect.", not knowing that the Latin-derived word was prnounced pla-cee-boh. My parents did a double take until it occurred to them what I was saying. Since then, I have always thought of words mispronounced from reading alone as the place-bo effect.

How can you blame poor English speakers, who suffer with our broken spelling system - how could we ever figure out the pronounciation without hearing it said?

Submitted: 3/31/2011 7:02:39 AM (CST)

GREGORY THOMAS from CONNECTICUT said:

when I was a child, i often mispronounced many of the celestral stars:however, most of my audience never corrected me. Did they know better?

Submitted: 3/28/2011 4:51:41 PM (CST)

ANTHONY BARREIRO from CALIFORNIA said:

When someone asks an astrology question, that's a teachable moment too. Rather than rolling your eyes and making somebody feel stupid (so they'll never ask you another question), you can teach them about zodiacal constellations, the ecliptic, the difference between planets and stars, and the difference between geocentric and heliocentric pictures of the solar system. Maybe even precession of the equinoxes!

Submitted: 3/25/2011 2:57:26 PM (CST)

KEVIN TAFT from NORTH CAROLINA said:

"It's pronounced pretentious intellectual". Joke. Seriously though as these subjects are often broached by mere astronomical amatuers... perhaps a bit of forgiveness and use of "teachable moments" is in order!

Submitted: 3/24/2011 7:46:15 PM (CST)

JONATHAN HODGE from NEW YORK said:

Good stuff....fun and I even learned something!! Keep the videos coming!!

Submitted: 3/23/2011 9:08:09 PM (CST)

SCOTT PAISLEY from VIRGINIA said:

Thanks, that was very helpful, and yes PRO-nun-ciation can be awkward. My favoriate is Auriga, the vegetable constellation.

Submitted: 3/19/2011 6:24:46 AM (CST)

ARTHUR SKINNER from FLORIDA said:

You guys do good work on the videos. I think it might be a good idea to do one complete video session on hard to pronounce astronomical objects. Reading about them in the pages of Astronomy one doesn't have a clue.

Submitted: 3/15/2011 10:32:33 AM (CST)

	Sun	Sun	Moon
RISE	—		—	PHASE	—
SET	—		—	DISK	—

	Mercury	Mercury	Venus	Venus
RISE	—		—
SET	—		—
		—		—

	Mars	Mars	Jupiter	Jupiter	Saturn	Saturn
RISE	—		—		—
SET	—		—		—
		—		—		—

Episode 3: When astronomy gets awkward

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