Lent 2013 - Alleyn's School

Beyond theClassroomMeasuring the diameterof the sunYear 13 students have beenwaiting all winter for the sun tocome out so that they can finallymeasure the diameter of the sun.Using only a pinhole camera, theymeasured the sun’s image ontheir pinhole camera and thencalculated its actual diameteras 1,700,000,000m. Thismeasurement is only 20% out,which is not too bad consideringtheir basic apparatus.Physics OlympiadOver 1,800 of the brightest studentsfrom across the UK compete inthis annual event. This year, ZachBrubert (13AM) and JosephineSolowiej-Wedderburn (13SK)(below), are to be heartilycongratulated for achieving Goldand Silver respectively. Jordi Clive(13AZ) won Bronze and GrahamDavies (13CC), Luke Forryan(13GS) and Ruby Gunn (13SD)were all Commended.Astronomy Talk‘Just look up!’ That was theexciting message from the inspiringtalk given by Mr Barclay (Directorof the Blackett Observatory, andRenter Warden of the Saddlers’Company). You do not need atelescope, although binoculars arehelpful, and you can see starsanywhere, though he did admitthat this was difficult in centralLondon. He encouraged aspiringastronomers not to get too worriedabout identifying constellations,but to look instead at shapes andpatterns and to try and just thinkabout what it is you are observing,and he also gave tips on how toimprove your night vision by sittingin the dark to let your pupils dilate.The talk was open to all years andthe lecture theatre contained boysand girls from Year 9 to Year 13,but he pitched it perfectly to beinteresting to us all. Mr Barclaycovered lots of highly interestinginformation about asteroids andshooting stars, and also talkedexcitedly about the Northern Lightswhich apparently can even be seenin northern Scotland. ‘They shoulddefinitely be on your list of things tosee,’ he said with enthusiasm, butadded they are best every 11 years(2013 has been a good year) so herecommended being patient.Leo Dutton 12MG4 A L L E Y N ’ S S C H O O L N E W S L E T T E R L E N T T E R M 2 0 1 3