Astronomical Misconceptions

1. Astronomical Misconceptions Robert Cockcroft LIPS, Notre Dame Tuesday, 7th August 2012

2. Outline “Our brains help us to survive, not to comprehend the cosmos.” – N. Comins, Heavenly Errors (2001) • Origins • Why we develop them • How to avoid in the future • How to get rid of old ones (the hard part) • Interactivities: • What is a misconception? • Common misconceptions • How to avoid them in the future

3. What is a misconception? • Definition: • Broader misunderstanding • Might not know that you’re wrong • Cognitiveerror • Not understanding a concept or structure • There is a correct conception – you haven’t got it • Could be a logical conclusion, but based on bad facts • Not understanding what you’re seeing • Incorrect mental map so can’t properly interpret • Applying cause and effect to something that you can’t • Might not be based on factual error – just conceptual • Misconceptions might change over time • Mistaken model – something you have no experience with • Knowledge is quite relative

4. What is a misconception? • The difference between scientific reality and perception (AND/OR BELIEF) • They can scale from incorrect fact to deep-seated, long-held framework • E.g., “prior beliefs” have less negative connotations and are less likely to make people defensive

5. Origins (1 of 2) • Taught/Learned/Memorized incorrectly • Misinterpreted, reasoning is faulty • Sci-fi misrepresentations • Cartoons • Pop culture • Transferring everyday occurrences to the cosmos • Missing information • Inaccurate/incorrect observations

6. Origins (2 of 2) • Words themselves • Poor memory • Common sense • Media AND SOCIAL MEDIA • Overgeneralizations • Permanence • Emotional ties to beliefs • Some math may be required • DISCRETE DISTINCTIONS IN TEACHING CAN EXASCERBATE MISCONCEPTIONS • SIMPLIFICATIONS OF INITIAL TEACHING CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS LATER ON • DYNAMIC NATURE OF SCIENCE – OUR KNOWLEDGE IS EVOLVING • SUSPICIOUS OF SCIENCE, STUBBORNLY HOLD TO BELIEFS • INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND MICRO/MACRO SCALES – WE THINK EVERYTHING IS HUMAN-ORIENTED Misconceptions can propagate

7. Common Misconceptions from McCallion Planetarium Audiences • Seasons (due to axial tilt not closeness to the Sun) • The planetarium is not an observatory (the dome will not open) • The planetarium is not a live feed, but rather a computer simulation • We project on a 2D surface, but the objects have distances (i.e., it's all 3D) • Eclipses - the difference between solar and lunar • BHs don't “suck” • We can't see the Moon during the day • Why is the sky blue? Not because of water reflection • Astrology (and horoscopes/zodiac signs) vs. astronomy • Conspiracy theories (Moon landing, aliens) • How to engage Christian groups (e.g., requests not to mentionevolution or the age of the Universe, "only Jesus can escape fromBHs")

8. Common Misconceptions In your experience: • Astronauts on Mars • Earth is the only place with gravity – there is no gravity in space • Space is empty • Scale of the Universe • Moon phases • Everything has an atmosphere • Planet X – so many potentials • Doomsday • Magnetic fields flip • Floating in space • BHs as a passage to another place • Maximum distance of manned flight • Planets shine by their own light (JAAP: big problem in the Netherlands’ exam writers) • Planets are bigger than stars

9. Polaris is the brightest star • Moon phases caused by Earth’s shadow • Sky turns exactly once • We just take space shuttle to the Moon • People are on ALL spacecraft • Space is far away • Daily vs. weekly/monthly/annual motion • Show me the Star of Bethlehem • Sun causing global warming • Buying/naming stars • We have two Suns (the other one is Nemesis) • Mars is as big as the full Moon • Magical planetary alignments • Planetary alignments are common

10. 50 Most Common Misconceptions According to N. Comins: • Pluto is always the farthest planet from the Sun. • Stars really twinkle. • The Sun primarily emits yellow light. • There are twelve zodiac constellations. • The constellations are only the stars making the patterns. • Saturn is the only planet with rings. • Seasons depend on the distance between the Earth and the Sun. • Polaris, the North Star, is the brightest star in the night sky. • The asteroid belt is densely packed, as in Star Wars. • Giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have solid surfaces. • We see all sides of the Moon from the Earth. • Black holes are huge vacuum cleaners in space, sucking everything in. • All planets have prograde rotation (they spin in the same direction as they orbit the Sun). • The only function of a telescope is to magnify. • A shooting star is actually a star falling through the sky. • Comet tails are always behind the comet. • Black holes last forever.

11. 50 Most Common Misconceptions • All moons are spherical. • Only the Moon causes tides. • Ours is the only moon. • The Sun is a unique object, not a star. • Pulsars are pulsating stars. • Spring tide only occurs in the spring. • Saturn's rings are solid. • The Sun will last forever. • The Sun shines by burning gas or from molten lava. • There is a permanently dark side of the Moon. • Black holes are empty space or holes in space. • The Sun doesn't rotate. • The Sun is solid. • All stars are yellow. • The Moon is not changing distance from the Earth. • Stars last forever. • There are many stars in the Solar System.

12. 50 Most Common Misconceptions • The Sun always rises directly in the east. • Meteors, meteorites, meteoroids, asteroids, and comets are all the same things. • The Galaxy, the Solar System, and the Universe are all the same thing. • The Big Dipper is a constellation. • Mercury is hot everywhere on its surface. • Gravity is the strongest force in the universe. • Once the ozone is gone, it's gone forever. • There are only a few galaxies in the universe. • The universe is static or unchanging. • The center of the Moon's core is at its geometric center. • Jupiter's Great Red Spot is some kind of surface feature. • All planetary orbits are circular. • High tide only occurs between the Earth and the Moon. • Comets are burning and giving off gas as their tails. • The Earth is at the center of the Universe. • All galaxies are spiral-shaped.

13. How to get rid of the old ones … and how to avoid them in the future: • Facts! • Training teachers to teach science • Show people! (e.g., Moon in the day time) • “Tell me what you see” – make them notice, everyone is an observer (e.g., Griffith’s observatory in LA) • Media should have science consultant • Engaging visitors beyond one visit to planetarium (e.g., extend q+a period… or?) • Examining a prior belief, and leading them to an answer • Focus on inquiry learning • Giving an example of how scientists change their paradigm when given new facts • Get them to acknowledge that learning is changing yourself • Different “Realms” (e.g., religion and science) • Correct social media incorrectness • Scalable: facts (just correct) vs. beliefs (get them to acknowledge it!) • Be aware of over-arching misconceptions surrounding science (e.g., scientific process, science has all the answers, it’s ongoing

14. How to get rid of the old ones • Facing the reality that some of our knowledge is wrong, and identifying the incorrect beliefs (discovery vs. confrontational) • N. Comins • “The sage on stage” or “The guide by your side” • Introduces himself at the start of the semester to his class, and let’s them know that roughly 10% of what they learn will be incorrect • Show them • Reason with them • Test with observations

15. How to avoid them in the future • Maintain healthy skepticism • Be sure of your sources • Check with other reliable sources • Verify things for yourself • Acceptance of errors • Consensus of experts’ opinions (in the experts’ field) • Traditions and traditional beliefs are insufficient justification • Consider the arguments rather than the person delivering the information • Occam’s razor for two competing theories • Question assumptions • Check the logic • Be wary of common sense and intuition when applied to science • Be careful of patterns, overgeneralization, and extending analogies • Develop intellectual humility (e.g., avoid starting with “as you know…”) • Keep an open mind – but not so much that your brain falls out • Don’t let egos get in the way

16. Yes! And… DINNER