Author Archives: wendyyb

no planet orbiting me, but still feeling like a star

Posted on May 4, 2021 by wendyyb

i’m a tour guide for vandy, and a big point that i emphasize on all my stops is that, regardless of your abilities and background, you can find classes in all subjects that will interest you. and then i follow it up with a story, because no one really flies hundreds of miles to nashvilleContinue reading “no planet orbiting me, but still feeling like a star” Continue reading →

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hoping for a good (tardi)grade on this blog

Posted on May 3, 2021 by wendyyb

At first glance, tardigrades don’t look like much. Affectionately nicknamed “water bears” and “moss piglets”, it’s hard to believe that this millimeter long creature is one of Earth’s most durable extremophiles. According to BCC, tardigrades are found all over the planet from the bottom of the ocean, to Antarctica, to the tops of the Himalayas.Continue reading “hoping for a good (tardi)grade on this blog” Continue reading →

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What’s in a name?: Gonggong & Xiangliu

Posted on April 17, 2021 by wendyyb

Much like many of their small world counterparts, Gonggong and Xianglu are a dwarf planet and moon (respectively) named after characters in mythology. Gonggong, a dwarf planet residing in the scattered disc beyond Neptune, is named after a Chinese water god. Gonggong is depicted as having a copper human head, read hair, and a dragon-likeContinue reading “What’s in a name?: Gonggong & Xiangliu” Continue reading →

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Caroline Herschel

Posted on April 10, 2021 by wendyyb

Many are familiar with William Herschel, the man accredited with discovering Uranus, but lesser known is his sister: Caroline Herschel. Born March 16, 1750, Caroline Herschel was the first female professional astronomer. Growing up, Caroline’s mother did not support Caroline’s pursuit of an education. As a result, Caroline largely relied on her brother to learnContinue reading “Caroline Herschel” Continue reading →

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Solar Flares

Posted on March 22, 2021 by wendyyb

The sun is massive. And despite it being so far away, I can’t help but wonder if activity on the sun could possibly effect life on Earth. Enter: solar flares. According to NASA, solar flares are “great bursts of electromagnetic energy and particles that can sometimes stream from the Sun”. Occasionally, solar maximums occur whichContinue reading “Solar Flares” Continue reading →

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Aurora Borea-listen !

Posted on March 22, 2021 by wendyyb

Looking at the picture above, it’s not hard to see why people often travel to observe the grandeur of the Aurora Borealis (aka ‘Northern Lights’). However, some who have seen it claim that alongside the visual spectacle, there’s an added auditory surprise: the Northern Lights make noise! According to CNN, evidence of sounds from theContinue reading “Aurora Borea-listen !” Continue reading →

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Eppur Si Muove

Posted on February 26, 2021 by wendyyb

… were the words (supposedly) quietly uttered by Galileo following his trial with the Catholic church. The Church disapproved of his support of the Copernican system which depicted the Sun being at the center of our solar system with Earth orbiting it. This contrasted with the Church’s view that we were at the center ofContinue reading “Eppur Si Muove” Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 17, 2021 by wendyyb

Tycho Brahe is my chosen astronomer. He was born on 14, Dec. 1546 and died 24, Oct. 1601. (Wikipedia) Some historical events that occurred during Brahe’s lifetime include: 1553-1558: The crowning of Mary as Queen of England, making her the first woman to rule England (Intriguing History) 1562: Witchcraft becomes a capital offense (Intriguing History)Continue reading “Historical Astronomers in Context” Continue reading →

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“He’s Such an Ophiuchus”: The Forgotten 13th Zodiac Sign

Posted on February 5, 2021 by wendyyb

In 2016, NASA shared this image of the zodiac constellations. Within this picture, we see the twelve signs commonly talked about in astrology, but we also see the presence of a less-discussed zodiac member: Ophiuchus. According to CNN, Ophiuchus is one of the 13 members of the Babylonian zodiac. However, 13 zodiac signs did notContinue reading ““He’s Such an Ophiuchus”: The Forgotten 13th Zodiac Sign” Continue reading →

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Introductory Post

Posted on February 1, 2021 by wendyyb

hi friends ! i’m wendy bai, a freshman from Spokane, WA. I’m currently majoring in elementary education and excited to learn more about space (: here’s hoping that i did everything correctly despite working as a math tutor, here’s the most math i’ve done in the last few months: (: Continue reading →

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