Author Archives: kevkoppa123

Blog 4 – Geological Activity

Geological activity encompasses the ongoing changes on the surface of terrestrial worlds. This activity is derived from a planet’s internal heat, which is largely attributed to three different processes: accretion, differentiation, and radioactive decay. Accretion occurred when planets were merely planetesimals and still gaining mass to become full planets. When other planetesimals collided with the […] Continue reading

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Blog 3 – Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is the process of combining, or fusing, two or more small nuclei into a larger one, creating energy as a byproduct. Stars like the Sun constantly emit energy through nuclear fusion because their cores are filled with high-speed, hot plasma. More specifically, the Sun’s extremely hot core of 15 million K allows for […] Continue reading

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Blog 2: Retrograde Motion

Due to Earth’s counterclockwise rotation, many objects in the sky like the Sun rise in the east and set in the west. However, planets such as Mars exhibit apparent retrograde motion, where they appear to reverse direction in the sky and move from west to east. This is a result of planets orbitting at different […] Continue reading

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Historical Astronomers in Context

The astronomer Tycho Brahe was born on December 14th, 1546 in Knutstorp Castle, Scania, Denmark–Norway and died on  October 24th, 1601 (aged 54) in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, Holy Roman Empire . You can find more info on him at the following website. During Brahe’s lifetime, Sir Francis Drake became a part of the third […] Continue reading

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Blog 1 – Solstices/Equinoxes

There are 2 solstices: the June and December Solstice. The June Solstice is the point on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic is farthest north of the celestial equator. Similarly, the December solstice is the point on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic is farthest south of the celestial equator. The June and December Solstice […] Continue reading

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