Author Archives: joshkip

Is Pluto a planet?

Posted on April 7, 2014 by joshkip

A few weeks ago, I was discussing my astronomy class with a friend, when he interrupted to tell me his summation of the subject: “Spoiler Alert,” he told me. “Pluto isn’t a planet after all.” It wasn’t as thrilling as the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Jupiter: Magnetosphere Explained

Posted on April 7, 2014 by joshkip

One feature of Jupiter that may come as a surprise is that it contains a magnetic field more than 20,000 times as strong as that of Earth’s. But, how is this possible if the Gas Giant is comprised of only … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Space Walking

Posted on March 18, 2014 by joshkip

As of late, I’ve become a bit obsessed with Reddit; but, the other day, I stumbled across this post, so maybe my addiction isn’t as troubling as it seems. If you click on the link, you’ll see an incredible set … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Heavy Bombardment

Posted on March 18, 2014 by joshkip

One topic in our readings that I found to be particularly interesting was the period known as “Heavy Bombardment” that took place in our solar system hundreds of millions of years ago. This simulation provides an excellent example of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Conservation Laws

Posted on February 17, 2014 by joshkip

If you were to summarize the most important lesson taught throughout Chapters 3-6, the most overarching theme to take note of would have to be the conservation laws that exist throughout our universe. The conservation of momentum, angular momentum and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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“Imperfections” in the Sky

Posted on February 17, 2014 by joshkip

As we study the history of astronomy, and delve into the lives of figures such as Newton, Kepler and Capernicus, I found it particularly interesting how vital the Christian Church was in proving/disproving whether the so-called “scientific facts” of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Nicholas Copernicus: Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 10, 2014 by joshkip

Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) was the earliest of the historical figures we are studying. As the first astronomer to publish a work detailing the Sun’s centrality in our universe (rather than Earth), Copernicus’ treatise against the Christian religion was vital in understanding human … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Lunar Eclipses Explained

Posted on January 27, 2014 by joshkip

After reading chapter 2 of our textbook, one of things that surprised me was the distinction between solar and lunar eclipses, and how – on an everyday basis – we seem to use the term “eclipse” only when it refers … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The “World” in Which We Live

Posted on January 27, 2014 by joshkip

Throughout the first few weeks of class, what I’ve found to be extraordinarily interesting in the field of astronomy is not so much the scientific discoveries we have come to understand, but rather what these findings can teach us in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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First Post

Posted on January 15, 2014 by joshkip

Sad to see Coach James Franklin leaving us. This is a picture of him and I in Bristol, CT during my summer internship with ESPN.
Picture from “VandyFootball” twitter account (July 22, 2013). Continue reading →

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