Author Archives: joubertklopper

What I’ve learned

Posted on May 4, 2022 by joubertklopper

Walking into astronomy class in late January, I was not even sure if I would be able to name the eight planets in our solar system. It is safe to say that I’ve learned a lot. I think the most important thing I learned is how big our universe really is and how everything explains […] Continue reading →

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Alien civilizations. How many are there?

Posted on May 4, 2022 by joubertklopper

Throughout my life, I have always been curious of what lies beyond our sky and more importantly who lies there? After discussing the Drake Equation in class and also the probabilities and alignments necessary for there to be life, I am going to address this topic. According to the Guardian, scientists say that the amount […] Continue reading →

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Asteroid, meteor, meteoroid, meteorite

Posted on April 16, 2022 by joubertklopper

These four terms are often misunderstood and the objects/occurrences they represent are thought of to be similar when in reality that is not the case. I am here to put these false assumptions about these misunderstood terms to rest. Looking at the definitions. An asteroid is a rock in space orbiting the sun, a meteoroid […] Continue reading →

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Pluto: dwarfPLANET

Posted on April 16, 2022 by joubertklopper

Growing up with Pluto being known as the ninth planet, I’m interested in Pluto, its uniqueness and why it was revoked of the prestigious planetary title. The discovery of other planetary objects in the outer solar system today known as dwarf planets made the switch of Pluto’s classification from a planet to a dwarf planet. […] Continue reading →

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The moon’s origin

Posted on March 21, 2022 by joubertklopper

Earth’s moon is unique for several reasons. Earth’s moon relevant to its planet’s size, Earth is the largest in our solar system and that fact has drawn my curiosity to the subject of the moon’s origins and what makes it so unique. It is speculated that the moon originated when another terrestrial planet, Theia crashed […] Continue reading →

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Earth and Venus: Zach and Cody?

Posted on March 21, 2022 by joubertklopper

Scientists argue that Venus is earth’s astronomical twin for a number on reasons. Like Zach and Cody from the Disney Channel sitcom, The Suite Life of Zach and Cody their physical similarities and dependance on each other cannot be overlooked. Looking at Earth and Venus’ similarities, the similar diameter comes to mind. The diameter of […] Continue reading →

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Retrograde motion

Posted on February 18, 2022 by joubertklopper

Like the ancients Greeks, I also had some trouble understanding retrograde motion and how it’s possible that it might seem that some objects in the sky move in reverse motion. Instead of rising in the east and setting in the west, it appears that some objects move in reverse from west to east for a […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 9, 2022 by joubertklopper

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an artists, astronomer during the late 1500s early 1600s. Galileo Galilei observed the sun, moon, Jupiter and Venus. He is the first person to see the dark, moving spots on the sun known today as sunspots. Galilei also observed the moon’s craters and came to the conclusion that the moon is […] Continue reading →

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