Monthly Archives: February 2019

Awesome Planetary Formation Videos

Posted on February 27, 2019 by drgrundstrom

I’d love to show you a whole bunch of videos that show planetary formation! Some showcase certain parts of formation better than others but they all are pretty awesome. Beginning of Solar System formation (from gas cloud to disk) from ESA (0:39) Why is the Solar System Flat? from Minute Physics (3:12) Planetary Formation – […] Continue reading →

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Archeoastronomy and the Newgrange monument

Posted on February 17, 2019 by justinrstevens

Newgrange is a monument located in County Meath, Ireland.  This mysterious structure is estimated to be over 5,000 years old and was built by ancient inhabitants of Ireland during the Neolithic period.  Since its construction, word of the structure was passed down through generations as part of Irish folklore.  In the meantime, the mound-like shape…

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Moving in Circles: Apparent Retrograde Motion

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Sam Bianco

Over a single night, the planets behave much like the stars; they appear to rise in the east and set in the west. However, over the course of many nights, one will recognize that the movement of planets among the stars is quite intricate. The speeds and brightnesses of the planets fluctuate significantly, and while … Continue reading Moving in Circles: Apparent Retrograde Motion → Continue reading →

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Archeoastronomy

Posted on February 11, 2019 by alexdickey18

Located in Southeast Mexico, Chichen Itza served as the home to one of the largest Mayan cities and possesses pristine examples of complex archeoastronomy. Perhaps the most interesting structure is the pyamid El Castillo which translates to “the castle.” This pyramid serves as a prime example due to its complex engineering and design that highlights … Continue reading Archeoastronomy → Continue reading →

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Understanding Redshift

Posted on February 11, 2019 by jacksonhubble2904

My blog this spring is devoted to aspects of the Hubble telescope’s mission and operation. This submission, I hope to provide a basic understanding of redshift: the tendency of light’s wavelength to elongate as it travels through the universe. Hubble was launched to gain a better understanding of faraway stars that enjoyed prior obscurity from … Continue reading Understanding Redshift → Continue reading →

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MAGNETAR

Posted on February 11, 2019 by chiefkeith7

As you know, neutron stars are the result massive stars (many times more massive the the sun) collapsing inward on themselves, leaving behind an extremely dense and energetic core. As you might expect these stars are extremely energetic — what you might not know is that sometimes as a result of the in-falling star materials … Continue reading MAGNETAR → Continue reading →

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A down-to-earth explanation of zero-gravity

Posted on February 11, 2019 by jiayu

Astronauts floating against a starry backdrop. Food suspended in a spacecraft. These images are what have constructed our cultural understanding of space as a place where the… Read more “A down-to-earth explanation of zero-gravity” Continue reading →

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Celestial Navigation: How Our Ancestors Used to Travel

Posted on February 11, 2019 by kierannaughton5896

Before the time of GPS, and all the modern forms of navigation we use today, people used to travel with the stars. Through the use of angular measurements, the sun, moon, planets, and stars could be used to find a position on earth. By looking at the angles between these celestial bodies the horizon, and … Continue reading Celestial Navigation: How Our Ancestors Used to Travel → Continue reading →

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Porous Martian Mountain!

Posted on February 11, 2019 by dayvon

Like many things in space, the planet Mars has been a point of interest for many since its discovery long ago. Some even believe that it could one day be a place for the human race to relocate. Curiosity, a rover launched back in November of 2011, has been exploring the surface of mars for … Continue reading Porous Martian Mountain! → Continue reading →

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Celestial Navigation

Posted on February 11, 2019 by bobbyc

Celestial navigation is the practice of navigating from one place to another using celestial bodies as a guide. Prior to the invention of GPS, people would use the position of the stars in relation to themselves as a method of orienting oneself to their destination. The process is simple in concept – the navigator uses … Continue reading Celestial Navigation Continue reading →

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