Author Archives: blankster22

The Future of Exploration

Posted on April 29, 2014 by blankster22

Through everything that I have learned in this class, I find myself most interested in the prospects for finding life elsewhere in the galaxy in the future. Given everything that we now know about solar system formation and the galaxy, it does not seem entirely unlikely that we are alone here on Earth. Microbial life […] Continue reading →

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How Do They Do It?

Posted on April 29, 2014 by blankster22

In nearly every environment on Earth, there is some form of life. Many of these environments are quite hostile to most forms of life, but some are able to make them into a perfectly suitable home. Such locations could be deep underground in mine shafts, or near vents on the ocean floor, or even inside […] Continue reading →

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Enceladus For Life!

Posted on April 9, 2014 by blankster22

Just last week, researchers released findings that confirm an ocean on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, something that scientists had previously suspected, but could not validate. The moon, which is very small compared to our own (only 300 miles wide), has strange geological features around its South pole that initially led to the hypothesis of a sub-surface […] Continue reading →

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Europa’s Ocean

Posted on April 9, 2014 by blankster22

We often think that liquid water is the answer to life in the universe. While it certainly makes some forms of life possible, it doesn’t guarantee their existence. If it did, we would certainly not be alone, even in this solar system, as several Galilean moons are thought to have sub-surface water oceans. The most […] Continue reading →

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Wait, It’s How Big?

Posted on March 19, 2014 by blankster22

Most people are probably aware that our solar system is REALLY BIG. They probably also know that the Sun is much larger than anything else in the solar system. However, a number on the subject might surprise people: 99.8%. That’s how much of our solar system’s total mass is located in the Sun. All the […] Continue reading →

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Get Your Act Together, Venus

Posted on March 19, 2014 by blankster22

Our solar system is one of several patterns. Almost all objects orbit in the same direction, certain types of objects inhabit certain regions, and most objects have the same direction of rotation. I emphasize most. It turns out that we have a few planetary rebels in this regard, most striking among them being Venus. Venus […] Continue reading →

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Interfer… What did you say again?

Posted on February 17, 2014 by blankster22

To this point in history, we have created some pretty impressive telescopes. We are now able to see things that we could scarcely have even conceived of a hundred years ago. But even with the incredible advancements we’ve made so far, there’s good reason to think that we can even make what we have now […] Continue reading →

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My New Favorite Insult

Posted on February 13, 2014 by blankster22

Your mother has a greater tidal force than Jupiter! HA! Yes, I just said that your mother has more of an effect on Earth’s tides than does the largest planet in the solar system. On the surface, this might seem like a statement implying that you have a very massive mother. While this may or […] Continue reading →

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Technology that Helps

Posted on January 27, 2014 by blankster22

While simply looking up at the night sky is an enjoyable experience on its own, sometimes it can tremendously add to the experience to know what you’re looking up at. I’ve come across a few programs that I think are awesome for doing just this. The first is Stellarium. This program is incredible. It allows […] Continue reading →

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So Big…

Posted on January 27, 2014 by blankster22

Possibly my favorite thing to think about when I look up at the stars is simply how far away they are. Even though I know the measurements we have come up for for several of these stars, the actual distances … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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