Scope on the Skies – great #astronomy resource #homeschooling
Over thirty years ago, a fine science teacher named Bob Riddle began writing a column about astronomy for the middle school journal, Science Scope Magazine. Following retirement, Bob just couldn’t stop. You’ll find a directory of all his articles here: 32+ Years of Scope on the Skies.
I especially enjoyed Bob’s latest edition: Where on Earth is Mars? Various organizations have created Mars-analogues to prepare for real-life trips to the Red Planet. Research crews have visited the Atacama Desert in the South American country of Chile, Devon Island’s Haughton crater, Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys, and more. Find these locations on your Earth globe. (You have one, don’t you? I have two 
You can also search on the internet. Which Mars analogue site would you like to visit?)
Before astronauts travel to Mars, they’ll need to know how to grow food, extract fuel, and build habitats.
Constructing with locally sourced materials like sandstone, and the use of the 3-D printer, would eliminate the need to ship a lot of construction materials and save launch weight as well. What would this be like, to print in 3-D the things you need? Coincidentally, SciFi author Kate Rauner has written a five book series about colonizing Mars with a major part of the colonization and its future dependent on the use of 3-D printing technology. Bob Riddle
You can find your own free PDF copy of Bob’s November/December article, Where on Earth is Mars, by clicking here.
Thanks, Bob, for calling out my Mars colonization series. Until humans set boots on the Red Planet, we’ll rely on scifi to take the journey. My settlers must survive on the Mars that science is showing us as they try to build a new home for themselves and humanity. Hurry and read the books before real-life overtakes fiction.
Check out the first book in the series, Glory on Mars, by clicking here. Available for purchase in all major digital formats from your favorite online stores, and as a paperback. See you on Mars!
