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The Universe

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Content

Introduction to Universe

What is a Galaxy?

How are stars formed?

Overview of Constellation

Do you know how many planets are in the solar system?

What does the universe have to do with our Hindu religion?

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Universe

Galaxies

Solar System

Planets

Stars / Constellations

Where Are We In?

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Galaxies - Are We Spiral or Irregular?

A galaxy is a huge family of (billions of) stars, dust and gas that is held together by gravity.

There are 40 to 50 billion galaxies.

We are in the Milky Way galaxy and it is a spiral shaped galaxy. There are three different ways a galaxy could be shaped and they are:

Irregular shaped – they are very rare

Spiral shaped – 2nd most common type

Circular shaped – most common type

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• Stars are hot and bright balls of dust.

• Stars vary from very bright to very faint ones.

• Famous star is POLARIS, the Pole star or the North Star (Dhruva).

• Sun is a STAR

What Are Stars?

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A Star’s Life Cycle

1. Stars (Nakshatras) have a life cycle just like we humans. First it starts out as a nebula (a ball of dust)

and grows.

2. Overtime, the star becomes a red giant or super giant. That’s when most of its heat has gone, but is very huge and bright.

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A Star’s Life Cycle (cont.)A low mass star, such as our sun, would become a nebula, red giant, Planetary Nebula and then:

Will become a white dwarf

Will become a black dwarf (dead star)

A high mass star would become a nebula, red giant and then:

•Will become a supernova, a star that is very bright

•From there, it would become a neutron star (dead star)

•or a black hole (dead star), based on the amount of mass a star contains.---Interactive---

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A constellation is a group of stars.

We can identify it by drawing an imaginary line between stars.

The line forms a picture of human, animals, and or inanimate objects (like a handle and a bowl in The Big Dipper – Sapta rishi mandal; it is the part of Great Bear Constellation ).

Astronomers officially recognize 88 constellations out of which 12 form the zodiac signs.

Constellation

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Zodiac

You can imagine the sky as a large globe with stars (Celestial Globe) surrounding the solar system.

The celestial globe is cut into 88 parts of constellation.

Sun and planets revolve in a plane

more or less.

If you extend the plane of the solar

system to the celestial globe it cuts

12 constellations which we call the

constellations of the zodiac.

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Zodiac Constellations From Earth

People born in mid-Dec. thru mid-Jan., belong to the zodiac constellation of Sagittarius.

We can see this zodiac sign-Archer on a clear night sky.

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Twelve Zodiac signs (Rasis)

Constellation Sign Rasi

Aries Ram Mesha

Taurus Bull Vrishabha

Gemini Twins Mithuna

Cancer Crab Karkataka

Leo Lion Simha

Virgo Virgin Kanya

Libra Scales Tula

Scorpio Scorpion Vrischika

Sagittarius Archer Dhanus

Capricorn Sea Goat Makara

Aquarius Water Carrier Kumbha

Pisces Fishes Meena

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Position of all the planets, sun and moon on day after tomorrow at 12:04 p.m. in the sky will be like this…

For e.g.,

the planet Mercury is

in the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer i.e. Budha in Danus rasi (in Sanskrit).

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RASI CHART showing the position of Budha on 12/23/08-12:04 p.m. The person being born at that time will have Budha in Dhanus rasi.

• The chart can be found in panchang, the Hindu calendar.

• It is used to create one’s birth chart called as horoscope (Jadagam).

• Zodiac constellations and their positions in relation to other planets, sun and moon are said to influence our life and personalities.

• The study of which is

called astrology -Jyotisya.

MEENA MESHA VRISHABA

MIDUNA

KUMBHA

RASI CHART

KATAKA

MAKARA SIMHA

DHANUSBudha on

12/23/08

VRISCHIKA

TULA KANYA

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RASI CHART of a real person

• Planet Sukra is on the Meena Constellation

• This person will finish whatever he/she starts successfully

MEENA Sukra

MESHA Surya

Budha

Kuja

VRISHABA Rahu

MIDUNAGuru

KUMBHASani

RASI CHART

KATAKA

MAKARA SIMHA

DHANUS VRISCHIKA Ketu

TULA Chandra

KANYA

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The Planets or Grahas

o There are 8 planets in the solar system.

o Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are the inner planets.

o Then there is an asteroid belt, full of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter.

o Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the outer planets.

o I bet you’re wondering, “where’s Pluto?” Scientists have made the decision that Pluto should not be a planet, but a dwarf planet.

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Mercury – Lord Budha

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and is the closest planet to the sun.

You can see Mercury from Earth without a telescope in the early evenings or early mornings.

One day on Mercury is equal to two months on Earth! Imagine having one last so long!

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Venus – Lord Sukra

Other than the moon, Venus is the brightest thing in the night sky.

The second planet from the sun and is the hottest planet in the solar system.

Venus is named after the goddess of love and beauty, but really isn’t so pretty.

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Third planet from the sun.

The only planet that we know of, has life because of the distance from the sun.

70% of its surface is covered with water.

Largest of the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars).

Has an atmosphere which helps to keep the temperature stay steady.

Has one natural satellite, which is the moon.

Mother Earth

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Mars – Lord Mangal or Kuja

Fourth planet from the sun.Fourth planet from the sun.

Scientists think that Mars was once like Earth with a thick atmosphere, rivers and oceans.Scientists think that Mars was once like Earth with a thick atmosphere, rivers and oceans.

Once, Mars could have contained aliens because of evidence that shows that there was once Once, Mars could have contained aliens because of evidence that shows that there was once water canals built by aliens.water canals built by aliens.

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Biggest planet in the solar system

5th planet from the sun All outer planets, Jupiter,

Saturn, Uranus and Neptune have rings and are made from gas

Jupiter - Lord Guru Saturn - Lord Sani

• Saturn is the second biggest planet in the solar system

• 6th planet from the sun

• Has very clear and a great amount of rings

• Has 31 moons

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Uranus Neptune

3rd biggest planet 7th planet from the sun Made of ice and gas Methane gives its blue color Has 22 known moons

8th planet from the sun Made of gas and ice Methane causes the blue color Has very strong winds

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Dwarf Planets

Pluto is a dwarf planet because it does not follow all the rules to be a planet.

Scientists are discovering other planets and dwarf planets beyond Pluto.

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References in our Puranas …

Soma or Chandra (Moon) came out of the ocean of milk when churned by devas and asuras and was adorned by Shiva on his hair.

Guru or Brihaspati (Jupiter) is the guru of devas (gods) led by Indra.

Sukra (Venus) was the guru of asuras (demons).

Budha (Mercury) is the son of Soma.

Mangal or Kuja (Mars) is the son of Goddess Earth.

Surya, the sun god, is the son of Sage Kashyap and Aditi.

Sani (Saturn) is the son of Surya and Chaaya (Sun and Shade) and the elder brother of Yama (Dharma, god of death).

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The Hindu Trinity

LORD BRAHMA -the Creator of

the Universe

LORD VISHNU - the Protector of

the

Universe

LORD SHIVA - the

Destroyer of the Universe after billions of years by deluge (Pralaya)

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Bibliography

Find the Constellations by H.A.ReyExploring the night sky by Terence Dickinsonhttp://www4.nau.edu/meteorite/www.astrosurf.com/astropc www.redorbit.comwww.en.wikipedia.orgSrimad Bhagavatam by Kamala Subramaniamhttp://library.thinkquest.org/J001794/http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/more_stuff/flashlets/outerplanets.htmThanks to Dr.T.K.Prasad