Monthly Archives: April 2023

Neptune

Posted on April 17, 2023 by zws42

Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun, is one of the four gas giants in our solar system, along with Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. More specifically, it can be considered an ice giant since it is made up of ices and carbon compounds in addition to hydrogen and helium. Neptune is about 17 times the […] Continue reading →

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Extremophiles: Life on other planets?

Posted on April 17, 2023 by reachforthestarsbysam

Within our Earth, in some of the tiniest cracks and crevices of the terrain, exist micro-organisms that are able to survive in the harshest environments the planet has to offer. Whether it be in the underwater volcanic vents where temperatures reach up to 700 ° F, or the cracks of the ice at the poles […] Continue reading →

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The Drake Equation

Posted on April 17, 2023 by zws42

The Drake equation is a mathematical formula used to estimate the number of potential intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy. It was first proposed by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, and has since become a widely used tool in the search for extraterrestrial life. The equation takes into account several factors that are believed […] Continue reading →

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The Drake Equation

Posted on April 17, 2023 by sydneyastr2110

The idea of life on other planets has always been a hot topic. An entire genre has been developed to showcase aliens stemming from human imagination. This is usually pseudoscience, but it does beg the question: are aliens real? While we have never contacted or found evidence of other civilizations, there is a way to […] Continue reading →

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Blog8

Posted on April 15, 2023 by lucasliu6

The Seager Equation, an innovative idea conceived by esteemed astrophysicist Dr. Sara Seager, presents a fresh perspective in the search for habitable exoplanets and alien life. Diverging from the well-established Drake Equation, which predicts the number of communicative civilizations, the Seager Equation hones in on the abundance of exoplanets with detectable biosignature gases—a hint of […] Continue reading →

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Blog7

Posted on April 15, 2023 by lucasliu6

Astrobiology delves into some of the most profound questions concerning our existence, transcending traditional scientific disciplines to explore life beyond our planet. This enthralling field investigates the astonishing implications of extremophiles, organisms that withstand Earth’s harshest environments. These extraordinary life forms reveal an unimaginable variety of adaptive strategies, raising the possibility that life could thrive […] Continue reading →

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Down the Rabbit Hole Again…

Posted on April 14, 2023 by drgrundstrom

Researching stuff can be so fun! Though it sometimes takes longer than planned ;) As I talked about it class briefly, there’s a drone in the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park and it was a TOTALLY big deal, especially right away. I found a good article that was from 11 months after the […] Continue reading →

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The Event Horizon Telescope

Posted on April 11, 2023 by jackdoyle25

We’ve spent the semester so far studying the greatest discoveries and breakthroughs in the history of astronomy, from as long ago as Copernicus to as recent as the New Horizons flyby of Pluto. Even more recently, however, an astronomical breakthrough was made that will surely be the subject of textbook pages and lecture slides in […] Continue reading →

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The Great Red Spot

Posted on April 11, 2023 by jackdoyle25

If you look for an image of Jupiter in any article or textbook, you’ll likely see the famous Great Red Spot in that picture. This immense storm on Jupiter’s surface is more than double the size of Earth, and has raged on for centuries. The incredible size and duration of the Great Red Spot begs […] Continue reading →

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A Tiny Black Hole?

Posted on April 10, 2023 by alicebyrnes

Black holes have always fascinated me, so here I am, writing a second blog post about them. I recently read a sci-fi novel that involved a man-made black hole. It was incredibly massive, but only the size of a pinprick. This led me to wondering, what are the smallest black holes we’ve discovered in real […] Continue reading →

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