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About Tom Whiting
Expertise
Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years. Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions. No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.

Experience
Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.

Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.

Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).

Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions; Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).

Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.

Education/Credentials
BS Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.

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Astronomy - earht

Expert: Tom Whiting - 11/9/2009

Question
what is the age of earth?.how the earth formatted from starting?

Answer
Hi Salahudeen,
The age of the Earth...and Solar System...is estimated at 4.6 billion years. This age is the
consensus of geologists, astronomers, cosmologists, and other earth science disciplines.
This age also closely matches the age of lunar rocks brought back from the moon by the Apollo astronauts too, dating around 4.5 billion years old.
I'm not sure what you mean by formatted, but as our pre-solar cloud condensed and collapsed
into a disk shape, the Earth was just one of hundreds of small proto-planets that began
accreting material out of the pre-solar cloud, over millions and millions of years, growing
to nearly it's current size. The entire formation and evolution of the Solar System can
be found on the internet at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System
and if that isn't enough, just Google 'Formation of the Solar System'.
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA

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