Monthly Archives: March 2015

Debating about the Dwarf Planets

Posted on March 14, 2015 by oliviasn

When I received an e-mail from my astronomy professor from last semester, David Weintraub, about an article that he had recently written for The Conversation, I was quite excited to read it. Professor Weintraub is very passionate about Pluto and quite vocal about his disapproval of its demoted status. This article, entitled “NASA missions may […] Continue reading →

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A Moment of Appreciation for the Sun

Posted on March 14, 2015 by oliviasn

One object in the Solar System that I tend to take for granted proves to be the Sun. Because it is a constant in my life and I always know that I can depend on it rising and setting everyday, I often overlook how powerful it is. The Sun has been shining for 4.6 billion […] Continue reading →

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Surface of Venus Revealed from Earth Telescope

Posted on March 13, 2015 by jclyncmp

As many of us know, Venus is covered in a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide that makes it very difficult for scientist to view the surface of Venus. In the past, NASA’s Magellan spacecraft has used radar to penetrate the…

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Sun Triggers Radio Blackout with First X-Class Flare

Posted on March 12, 2015 by jclyncmp

The Sun triggered a radio blackout with the first X-class solar flare of 2015 on Wednesday, March 11th at 12:22pm ET. A solar flare is a sudden flash of brightness on the Sun’s surface. Solar flares are classified as A,…

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Sun Triggers Radio Blackout with First X-Class Flare

Posted on March 12, 2015 by jclyncmp

The Sun triggered a radio blackout with the first X-class solar flare of 2015 on Wednesday, March 11th at 12:22pm ET. A solar flare is a sudden flash of brightness on the Sun’s surface. Solar flares are classified as A,…

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Mysterious Plumes in Martian Atmosphere

Posted on March 12, 2015 by robbyks

In 2012, two strange cloud-like plumes were observed over Mars, and astronomers are still trying to solve the mystery of what caused this in Mars’ atmosphere. The two plumes were observed a month apart, one lasting ten days and the other lasting eleven days. The clouds were seen at a high altitude of 200-250 km […] Continue reading →

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Northern Lights

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Marissa LePore

Auroras happen when charged particles from the magnetosphere travel to the Earth’s atmosphere and collide with its atoms and molecules, emitting the moving lights.But, the collisions of the charged particles do more than produce this incredible vision. Two operators of the American Telegraph Line between Boston and Maine held a conversation without battery power for two […] Continue reading →

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Serious About Ceres

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Marissa LePore

NASA’s Dawn started orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres last Friday, making it the first spacecraft to ever orbit a dwarf planet. After a seven and a half year, 3.1 billion mile journey, Dawn reached the small, icy protoplanet that orbits the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres has been a bit […] Continue reading →

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What if Earth is the Center of Our Solar System? (Part 2)

Posted on March 11, 2015 by dungeonastronomy

Previously, in my BLOG 4, I talked about the possible phenomena that can happen to terrestrial planets if the Sun and the Earth exchange their places in the solar system. This time, we will push further. Out between the regular orbits of the Mars and the orbit of the Jupiter, there is an asteroid belt … Continue reading What if Earth is the Center of Our Solar System? (Part 2) → Continue reading →

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Global Warming – Who’s to Blame?

Posted on March 10, 2015 by michellelei

Nowadays, the issue of global warming has been growing in controversy and concern. The effects of it are already very noticeable – rising sea levels, the melting of polar ice, endangered species, and so much more. Many people believe that the greenhouse gases are mostly to blame, but that is not exactly the case. Greenhouse… Continue reading Global Warming – Who’s to Blame? Continue reading →

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