Author Archives: alliefrymire

Hey, Where is Everybody?

Posted on May 2, 2021 by alliefrymire

When we studied the Drake Equation in class, it was interesting to note that using the maximum possible values for each variable in the equation, there could be as many as 21,000,000 detectable civilizations out there right now waiting to be discovered? If there are so, so many civilizations out there sending communication into space … Continue reading Hey, Where is Everybody? → Continue reading →

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Life In The Extremes

Posted on May 2, 2021 by alliefrymire

If there’s anything I’ve learned in my studies of biology over my education, it’s that life is precarious, delicate, and precious. However, now that I’ve learned more about astrobiology through this course, I’ve also come to know that life is hardy and determined. As Ian Malcom so astutely notes in Jurassic Park, “Life finds a … Continue reading Life In The Extremes → Continue reading →

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Returning to the Moon: NASA’s Artemis Program

Posted on April 17, 2021 by alliefrymire

It has been nearly fifty years since the last time humanity set foot on the Moon. Now, with NASA’s new Artemis program, humanity may reach the rocky surface of our only natural satellite once again. With a focus on both science and society, NASA’s hope with the Artemis program is to put the first woman … Continue reading Returning to the Moon: NASA’s Artemis Program → Continue reading →

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What Is A Dwarf Planet, Anyway?

Posted on April 17, 2021 by alliefrymire

Given all our discussions of Pluto and the other “dwarf planets” of our solar system, you may be interested in just how astronomers differentiate a dwarf planet from a “regular” planet. According to the ever-reliable Wikipedia (not being sarcastic, Wikipedia is generally very trustworthy these days!), there are three characteristics that define a dwarf planet. … Continue reading What Is A Dwarf Planet, Anyway? → Continue reading →

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Disputing Climate Change Deniers

Posted on March 17, 2021 by alliefrymire

Even though the vast majority of the scientific community is in agreement about the reality and seriousness of climate change, there are still many people, especially in the United States, who believe climate change is a hoax. In this post, I want to address some of the most common arguments climate change deniers use, so … Continue reading Disputing Climate Change Deniers → Continue reading →

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Examining Historical Astronomy Through the Lens of Fiction

Posted on February 27, 2021 by alliefrymire

Humans have been studying the skies for millennia with our theories about how space works evolving and growing over the same amount of time. Today, our understanding of astronomy is based primarily on natural and mathematical laws that allow us to evaluate and understand the heavens objectively. However, humanity’s understanding of astronomy has not always … Continue reading Examining Historical Astronomy Through the Lens of Fiction → Continue reading →

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Historical Figures in Context

Posted on February 14, 2021 by alliefrymire

Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 1st, 1473, and he died on May 24th, 1543. You can find this information, as well as more information about Copernicus’s life here. Nicolaus Copernicus came up with the heliocentric model of the universe, which theorized that the Sun, rather than the Earth, was at the center of the … Continue reading Historical Figures in Context → Continue reading →

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The Speed of Light

Posted on February 3, 2021 by alliefrymire

Light moves pretty fast. Like, really fast, at least from our perspective. At a speed of a whopping 299,792,458 meters per second (interesting to note that this is the exact value of the speed of light, not an estimation or approximation!) or about 670,616,629 mph, light travels faster than we can probably ever expect to … Continue reading The Speed of Light → Continue reading →

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An Introduction

Posted on February 2, 2021 by alliefrymire

Hi, I’m Allie! Welcome to my blog for ASTR 2110: The Solar System. The image above is taken from the Huffington Post, which captioned the image as follows: “The vivid green Northern Lights dance above Lyngenfjord, the longest fjord in Troms county Norway, tracing out the shape of the Earth’s magnetic field above the waters. … Continue reading An Introduction → Continue reading →

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