Author Archives: jordyn27

1950 DA, The (not so) Friendly Neighborhood Asteroid

Posted on April 7, 2019 by jordyn27

1950 DA is an asteroid that was discovered in 1950 (hence the name) by Carl A. Wirtanen. After it was first discovered, it was lost after 17 days of observation because the period was too short to determine the asteroid’s future location. It was rediscovered in December 2000 and recognized as 1950 DA in January … Continue reading 1950 DA, The (not so) Friendly Neighborhood Asteroid → Continue reading →

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Hypervelocity Stars

Posted on March 12, 2019 by jordyn27

In 2005, the first hypervelocity star (HVS) was discovered by Smithsonian astronomers. These objects are defined as stars with very high velocities compared to normal star velocities in a galaxy. Some of them have velocities that exceed the escape velocity of the galaxy. They are thought to originate from encounters of binary stars with the … Continue reading Hypervelocity Stars → Continue reading →

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Exploration and Geology of Mercury

Posted on March 12, 2019 by jordyn27

Because it is so technically difficult to reach Mercury with spacecraft’s from Earth, the geology of Mercury is understood the least of all the terrestrial worlds. The main reason it is so hard to reach is due to how close Mercury is to the Sun.  When a spacecraft moves down Sun’s gravitational potential well to … Continue reading Exploration and Geology of Mercury → Continue reading →

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Thom & Stone Circles

Posted on February 10, 2019 by jordyn27

Alexander Thom was a Scottish engineer who, later in his life, became curious about megalithic monuments, specifically the stone circles of the British Isles and France. He was interested in the prehistoric peoples that built them, and any astronomical meaning behind their construction.  His first interpretation of the sites suggested that megalithic yards were used … Continue reading Thom & Stone Circles → Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on January 29, 2019 by jordyn27

Historical Figures of Astronomy Astronomer Birth Date Death Date Nicholas Copernicus 19 February 1473 24 May 1543 Galileo Galilei 15 February 1564 8 January 1642 Johannes Kepler December 27, 1571 November 15, 1630 Isaac Newton 4 January 1643 31 March 1727 Tycho Brahe 14 December 1546 24 October 1601 Note: Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context → Continue reading →

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NASA Solar System Exploration Website

Posted on January 21, 2019 by jordyn27

While searching for a website that is useful for observing the solar system, I found the NASA Solar System Exploration website. The landing page rotates through all of the planets in our solar system and provides quick facts about each planet. Currently, listed below this display are facts telling the time until a total lunar … Continue reading NASA Solar System Exploration Website → Continue reading →

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Hi, I’m Jordyn.

Posted on January 15, 2019 by jordyn27

I’m studying Electrical Engineering. I love ceramics, drawing, playing volleyball, and playing video games. Below is a photo of my roommate and me at the solar eclipse in 2017! Here is a fun game called entanglement! Continue reading →

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