Daily Archives: January 24, 2015

The (Interactive) Size of the (Known) Universe

Posted on January 24, 2015 by dillonkoval

I have often caught myself wondering just how big are the largest of galaxies, and how small are the smallest building blocks of matter. There is an awesome tool developed in part by NASA that allows for an exploration from the smallest lengths we believe are possible to the entirety of the Universe (that we […] Continue reading →

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Intergalactic Travel and Popular Culture

Posted on January 24, 2015 by farhannshabab

The universe is unimaginably vast; it is so enormous that the speed of the fastest wave-particle in existence -light – puts a cap on how much of the universe we can even observe. At 14 billion ly from our point of observation lies the edge of the observable universe. So if and when humanity becomes a space faring […] Continue reading →

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The Culture of Solar Eclipses

Posted on January 24, 2015 by alyssasolarblog

While we discussed the science behind solar eclipses and totality in class on Wednesday, I wanted to explore the culture and lore behind solar eclipses. Total solar eclipses are very rare: at any particular location on earth, a total solar eclipse will only be visible once every 360 years! However, many “eclipse chasers” are undaunted by … Continue reading The Culture of Solar Eclipses → Continue reading →

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The Culture of Solar Eclipses

Posted on January 24, 2015 by alyssasolarblog

While we discussed the science behind solar eclipses and totality in class on Wednesday, I wanted to explore the culture and lore behind solar eclipses. Total solar eclipses are very rare: at any particular location on earth, a total solar eclipse will only be visible once every 360 years! However, many “eclipse chasers” are undaunted by … Continue reading The Culture of Solar Eclipses → Continue reading →

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The Observable Universe

Posted on January 24, 2015 by abbeyrstephens

It is extremely difficult for humans to wrap our minds around how big the universe is. Even when we think we can maybe understand it, the more we discover and learn, the more mysterious and seemingly larger it becomes. One of the things about the size of the universe that our book mentions that really […] Continue reading →

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Scottish Scientists Slow Down Light :O

Posted on January 24, 2015 by leedd1

Although the speed of light has been taught to be a constant value in a vacuum setting like the universe, however a team of Scottish scientists have valid proof that this might not always be the case. The Scottish researchers from the University of Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University made this amazing discovery by firing two […] Continue reading →

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#2 – When should I plan my vacation for Mars?

Posted on January 24, 2015 by bryancm1

Looking to explore the northern plains of Mars? Or perhaps the craters in the south? Maybe scale Olympus Mons, or visit the Curiosity Rover? If you’re intending to travel without preparing properly, chances are you’re going to freeze to death. Luckily for you, Mars experiences seasons. With just a little bit of research, we can […] Continue reading →

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Wait, where is that constellation? said me, about a million times while holding a telescope

Posted on January 24, 2015 by jamej00

Night Sky 2 The hyperlink above is to a webpage with the information and a review for a REALLY cool observing app!  I got Night Sky 2 before I even took an astronomy class at Vandy, and it’s easily my favorite.  You can get real-time views of all constellations, planets, stars, satellites, and even comets!  Not… Continue reading →

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Speed of Light and Time

Posted on January 24, 2015 by alephnulluniverse

After 6 months, astronauts in the International Space Station would have aged about 0.007 seconds less that people on Earth. This is due to the International Space Station moving much faster than the Earth. Time itself will bend due to differences in gravity or velocity. Now what if an object starts to move close to […] Continue reading →

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Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey

Posted on January 24, 2015 by jclyncmp

In the 1980’s, a 13 episode television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was presented by the famous Carl Sagan covering topics such as the origin of life and a perspective of our place in the universe. In the first episode, “The…

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