Author Archives: weatherbysofferings

Looking Back Over This Semester

Posted on May 4, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

I’ll begin this post by warning that it’s going to be a rather frank conversation about some mental health stuff. Nothing concerning or whatever, but I thought I’d put that out front.  Throughout this semester, I have struggled with my mental health. For me, this is mostly in the form of OCD, particularly obsessive thoughtContinue reading “Looking Back Over This Semester” Continue reading →

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The Fermi Paradox and Great Filters

Posted on May 4, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

We briefly discussed the Fermi Paradox in class. However, one major potential “explanation” of the paradox went undiscussed: the idea of various “great filters.” These great filters are supposedly things that naturally arise in the course of life’s and/or civilization’s development that prevent them from becoming long-lasting intelligent life forms. These could be a wideContinue reading “The Fermi Paradox and Great Filters” Continue reading →

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Who Owns Space?

Posted on April 17, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

One of my foremost interests in life is politics, and whenever we’re engaged in astronomy, I can’t help but to view it through that lens. As such, one question has been nagging me – how is ownership and control of certain places defined in space? One of the foundational pieces of legislation on the matterContinue reading “Who Owns Space?” Continue reading →

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Europa, and the Possibility of Life

Posted on April 17, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

When we discussed the sub-surface oceans of some of the large moon-worlds, I was particularly excited about the idea that these places could potentially contain life, for what could be more exciting than the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe? As such, for my blog post, I wanted to dive into one potential homeContinue reading “Europa, and the Possibility of Life” Continue reading →

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The Public Perception of Space Travel

Posted on March 22, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

In recent times, there is much political hubbub, controversy, and polarization. As someone interested in such things and making sense of them, I began to wonder – how does the American public stand on issues of space travel? Do people tend to value it, broadly, and how do they think it should be approached? IContinue reading “The Public Perception of Space Travel” Continue reading →

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What threat do Coronal Mass Ejections Pose to Us?

Posted on March 22, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

As discussed in class, one of the side effects of the Sun’s shifting magnetic field is that, occasionally, it arranges in an inconvenient fashion that causes the Sun’s plasma to explode aggressively outward. Thankfully, whenever that comes towards Earth, we are protected from any health effects thanks to our atmosphere. But as Professor Grundstrom mentioned,Continue reading “What threat do Coronal Mass Ejections Pose to Us?” Continue reading →

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History of Telescopes

Posted on March 2, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

While there were some objects artificially resembling telescopes in the ancient world, and even some used for sighting, the first modern telescope would have been the work of a Dutch glasses-maker named Hans Lippershey, in 1608. This is merely the first documented one though, as he was the person to file a patent, and theContinue reading “History of Telescopes” Continue reading →

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Galileo in Context

Posted on February 17, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

Galileo Galilei (15 February, 1564 – 8 January, 1642) was important to astronomy for quite a few reasons, so I’ll stick to the main points. To start with, he made major improvements to the design of the telescope through his study and application of optics, paving the way for his own and other’s astronomical observations.Continue reading “Galileo in Context” Continue reading →

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The Western Zodiac’s Origins

Posted on February 7, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

One of the most interesting aspects of Astronomy for me specifically is the element of spirituality or philosophy it tends to invoke. To witness the majesty and scale of universe evokes such wonder that, if you’ll allow some hyperbole, can at times be akin to a religious experience. I comment this not to say thatContinue reading “The Western Zodiac’s Origins” Continue reading →

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Introductory Post

Posted on February 2, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

A Visit I made to Barcelona, Catalonia. By my brother.

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