The Night Sky

Stellar explosions
challenge theories

February 23, 1987 was a significant day
for astronomers. On this day the supernova
1987A became evident on earth, Supernova
1987A was the first of 13 observed in 1987
(thus the 1987A designation) and the most
spectacular that has been seen since 1604.
Its spectacular nature was not because of
its somewhat unusual characteristics but
because of its closeness to earth (if a
distance of 2,000,000,000,000,000,000
kilometers or 160,000 light years can -be
considered close).

The supernova, a tremendous stellar ex-

plosion, was located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby
neighbor of our own Milky Way galaxy. Its near position, and the
many different types of instruments that now can be used to observe
the:sky, have made their supernova a superb source of information
for astronomers. When I first wrote about this supernova in my

by Allen
Wooten

February 1988 article, astronomers were piecing together vast.

amounts of data from the year’s observations of the supernova. The
interpretation of these data (as well as observation of the much dim-
mer remnant of the supernova) is still continuing, and will continue
for a long time yet. It is from this kind of observation and inter-
pretation that science is built. Theories stand or fall on their ability
to explain observations, so a close supernova supplies a wonderful
laboratory for testing ideas about what happens near the end of the
life of a massive star.

In the February article I explained a little about what is believed
to be the life cycle of stars. This month I will explain further how it
is that we can know so much about objects that are so very far from
us, When you consider that the nearest star to us, the Sun, is 150
million kilometers or eight light minutes away, and that the next
nearest is 50,000,000,000,000 kilometers or 4.3 light years further, it
is rather remarkable that we know anything at all about them.

_ Of course it is light that gave us our first knowledge of the stars.
Without any special instruments our eyes can see different inten-
sities and colors of starlight. Then, since 1609 telescopes have enabl-
ed us to gather more light so that dimmer stars appear brighter. The
spectroscope, developed about 1860, enabled astronomers to break
up starlight into its component colors so that the elements of which
stars are made can be determined. The first star photograph was
made in 1850; by about 1880 advances in photography made star
photos easier, and ever since then photography has been combined
with telescopes and spectroscopes, one instrument or technique
adding to, and extending, the others.

Light is just a part of the energy that comes to us from the sun, or
any other star, however. Itis a small part of a continuous range (or
spectrum) of energy called electromagnetic radiation. Elec-
tromagnetic radiation travels in waves, like waves in alake. Some of
these waves have a shorter wavelength than others, and their energy
is related to the wavelength, Thus radio waves, microwaves, in-
frared, light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays, and cosmic rays are
all electromagnetic radiation, but they differ in wavelength (radio
waves longest, cosmic rays shortest) and the amount of energy they
have (radio waves the least, cosmic rays the most).

Until the 1930's, all our knowledge of stars came from light. As
you can see this really makes up only a very small part of the elec-
tromagnetic spectrum. In the 1930’s it was realized that it was possi-
ble to receive radio information from the sky. Much more recently,
in the 1970's, satellite telescopes designed to work in the infrared,
ultraviolet, and X-ray portions of the spectrum have made informa-
tion from these sections of the spectrum available as well,

You might wonder why astronomers didn’t look at other parts of
the electromagnetic spectrum sooner. There are two reasons: one is

that the instruments to detect this radiation had to be developed, '

and secondly, the earth’s atmosphere absorbs or reflects most in-
frared, ultraviolet, and X-ray radiation (and a lot of light, too). -

Except for the viewing of stars, it is fortunate for us that the at-
mosphere has this effect on electromagnetic radiation. Ultraviolet
and X-ray radiation are of high energy and cause very harmful ef-
fects on living things; that is why the depletion of the earth’s ozone
layer by chloro-fluoro carbons, gases that are used in refrigerators,
as propellants in spray cans, and for making styrofoam products, is
of such concern — it is this layer that filters many of these harmful
rays from the sun’s radiation. That is also why increasing carbon
dioxide amounts in the atmosphere are a problem — this gas
prevents infrared (heat) radiation from reaching us or from escap-
ing from the earth and it is the reduced escape of this heat that may
change world climate.

The astronomer’s need to observe this radiation is met by space
telescopes and by big optical telescopes built in prime locations high
on mountains. Because these instruments are now available, super-
nova 1987A is the best observed supernova in history. Already it has
affected astronomers’ theories and it has an important place in
human understanding of the universe. If you are especially in-
terested in this topic I encourage you to look at the article “Super-
nova 1987A” by S.E. Woosley and M.M. Phillips in the May 6,
1988 issue of ‘“Science””. It is available at the Terrace Public Library

Terrace Review — Wednesday, July6, 1988 15,

Native education agreement
receives mixed reaction

A new Master Tuition Agree-
ment, which regulates the fund-
ing of status Indian students in
provincial schools, was signed
last month, and it has the
potential to improve upon the
original arrangements establish-
ed in 1969.

The federal government ac-
cepts financial responsibility for
the elementary and secondary
education of status Indians who
live on reserve or Crown land.
As part of this commitment,
Canada pays the province a tui-.
tion fee for status Indian
students who choose to attend
public or provincial schools
rather than federal or band-
operated ones. Bill McKnight,
federal minister of Indian Af-
fairs and Northern Develop-
ment, and B.C. Education
Minister Anthony J. Brummet
announced the signing.

In British Columbia, some
7,700 status Indian students at-
tended schools run by the pro-

_ yince in 1987-88. Terrace School

District 88 has ten bands within
its boundaries, the highest
number of bands in any school
division in the province.

Barry Piersdorff, secretary-
treasurer for School District 88,
explained the old agreement
meant the federal tution fees
were first transferred to the pro-
vince and then directly to the
school divisions, and the
amount was based on a
province-wide average of per
student costs. Now, the per-
student tuition is based on each
school division’s average, which
translates into a slightly higher
amount for status Indian

students in the Terrace area,
because our costs are higher
than provincial averages. .

The new agreement also
allows for federal tuition money
to go from the province to the
individual bands, if they wish to
negotiate their own local
agreements with school divisions
instead of participating in a
province-wide agreement.
Piersdorff said this ccould mean
greater native influence over
native education. For example, a
band bordering on. two school
divisions, such as Smithers and
Terrace, could choose which
division would receive their tui-
tion money and students, based
on which division’s programs
they found preferable. They
could possibly negotiate with a
schoo! division for additional
programs, such as native
language education. ;

Val Napoleon, an employ-
ment counsellor with the
Gitksan Wet’suwet’en Tribal
Council and Chair of the Terrace
school board, said the potential
is there for greater influence.
But she said the reaction of
bands around the province is
mixed, with some lower
mainland bands boycotting the
new agreement. ‘“‘They don’t
like what is being offered; they
feel they still don’t have any real
control,’? Napoleon said. She
explained Indian people are
unhappy with the decision
because they were not able to
play a part in coming up with the
new agreement.

While there’s lots of room for
improvement, positive results
depend on what initiatives com-

or at the Northwest College Library.

Several planets are visible this month, all in the morning sky. By
the end of July, Venus will rise in the east about three hours before
the sun. Jupiter will be fairly close to Venus at about the same time.
Mars will rise about midnight (look for a reddish, fairly bright ob-
ject). Saturn will rise in the southeast at about the time that the sun
sets and will be visible low in the southern sky all night. Look for it
in the constellation Sagittarius.

The delta Aquarid meteor shower also occurs this month. Its
maximum is on July 28, but for three to four days either side of this
date you can expect to see more than the usual number of meteors.
At its peak, which unfortunately coincides with a full moon, you
can expect to see about 20 meteors per hour. I hope that this
month’s weather permits good views.

4818 Hwy. 16 West

SUNDAY: Terrace Athletics Assn.
MONDAY: Terrace Minor Hockey
TUESDAY: Kermodes or Jaycees

THURSDAY: 747 Air Cadets

FRIDAY: Parapelegic Assn.

Regular

Games (Age 14 years and up)

18

DOORS OPEN AT 4:30 P.M.

- Terrace’s Bingo Place
Lucky Dollar Bingo Palace

WEDNESDAY: Terrace Blueback Swim Club

| | Ladies of the Royal Purple
SATURDAY: Parapelegic Foundation

EVERYONE WELCOME!
Thank you! Have a Nice day!

munities and parents take to
make the agreement work for
them. Napoleon said there is the
possibility this tuition money
could be used to improve an-
cillary services or special educa-
tion. Other things to consider in-
clude the ten bands working col-
lectively to negotiate with the
school division. .

Superintendent Frank Hamil-
ton said current efforts to ensure
‘native influence on native educa-
tion include an advisory council
with representatives from the ten
local bands, native home and
school coordinators and a
district. principal for native
education, as well as classes in
native art and culture in Kit-
wanga, Terrace and Hazelton.
“And Hazelton Secondary has
the largest percentage of native
graduates in all of B.C.’’ He
said School District 88 has not
yet’ been approached by any
band wishing to take advantage
of the new agreement to
negotiate directly with the
school division, but he expects

. there may be some in the future.

Library
grant hike
supported

On a request from Willy
Schneider, chairman of the Ter-
race Public Library Board, the
city will be writing a letter to the
B.C. Minister of Tourism,
Recreation and Culture, Bill
Reid, showing support for the
recommendations in the final
report of the New Approaches
Ministerial Task Force on Public
Libraries.

According to Schneider, there
are several recommendations in
the final report which could be
beneficial to the local library,
put one in particular has caught
the board’s attention. The
recommendation states that the
provincial government should
increase the book grant by 30
percent, and Schneider says that
could mean an increase of nearly
$10,000 in funding for the Ter-
race Library.

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