Fossils and Stars

FOSSILS AND STARS

The Texas Science and Natural History Museum
held its 85th anniversary birthday party
on Sunday 21 January 2024 and we were happy to attend.
Invitees were encouraged to bring
their fossils and many did.
Museum Assistant Director Pamela Owen and
Education Coordinator Miriam Nouri identified them for us.

I bought the ammonite (black) at the Cincinnati Museum
of Natural History and Science back
in the 20th century. I lost the tag long ago and
did not know what it was. I was surprised to learn that
this is something that I know in its more common format.

On 27 January 2024, I found Messier 79 in Lepus.

Orion is a rich area of the sky and is near the meridian
for most of the winter from late November to mid-March.
Here, I sketched the stars marking the head of the Giant.

PREVIOUSLY ON NECESSARY FACTS

Fossils and Behaviors 

Before Darwin 

Pedernales Falls Public Star Party 

Globular Clusters 

30 Minutes with Dinosaurs

I made time during my campus patrols to visit the Science and Natural History Museum at the University of Texas at Austin. The collection is impressive, far surpassing what I grew up with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and also what I have seen over the years at other museums. It is emblematic of Texas that the museum had to be closed because it ran out of state funding. I am happy that it is open again.

Clearly, not my field. Judging by the rocks revealed by excavations at
construction sites here in Austin, I thought that this all was underwater
for the last 500 million years. 

The specimen drawers are arranged to encourage exploring.

For a good picture, you really need to stand far enough back
that it could not get you.

Just saying "Dimetrodon" is half the fun.

Who knew? Xenophora clean and attach to themselves random
bits off the floor. 

We have a rule in the house against more bric-a-brac
but the Selenite was calling to me.
So, I bought two. I also got a coffee cup for myself.

Previously on Necessary Facts

The Unremarkable Origin of Species 

Epigenetics and Evolution 

The Origin of … (What?) 

The Philosophical Breakfast Club

The Map that Changed the World