Author Archives: zhengastronomy

Blog #8: Aliens?

Posted on April 27, 2017 by zhengastronomy

One of the most common questions people have when they look at the sky is, “Are there any other life out there?” Many would think yes. Many, many stories, shows, and games have been made about alien species living out there. The math also adds up. While the Drake Equation isn’t exact, using any reasonable … Continue reading Blog #8: Aliens? Continue reading →

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BLOG #7-Discovering New Planets

Posted on April 27, 2017 by zhengastronomy

On April 26th 2017, Scientists from NASA discovered a curious exoplanet named OGLE-2016-BLG-1195Lb orbiting a small brown dwarf star 13,000 light years away with a mass only 7.8 percent of that of the Sun. This curious planet has a mass similar to that of earth and orbits its mother star at the same distance as … Continue reading BLOG #7-Discovering New Planets Continue reading →

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Blog #6: New Life?

Posted on April 3, 2017 by zhengastronomy

In February 2017, NASA released what could potentially be the most important astronomical discovery ever made. Using the  Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope or Trappist for short, NASA discovered a small red dwarf star 39 light years away with three planets positioned similarly to Earth and sun in a fashion that was conducive to … Continue reading Blog #6: New Life? Continue reading →

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Blog #5: Pluto’s Demotion

Posted on April 3, 2017 by zhengastronomy

As of August 24th  2006, the international astronomical union voted to demote Pluto to a dwarf planet, ending the nine planet era, redefining the definition of a planet, and rendering many, many astronomy books obsolete. But why was Pluto demoted? What happened to make astronomers cut away a part of so many people’s worldview? Will … Continue reading Blog #5: Pluto’s Demotion Continue reading →

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Blog #4: The Atmosphere of Venus

Posted on April 2, 2017 by zhengastronomy

Out of all of planets, the one with the highest surface temperature is Venus clocking in at an average of 864 degrees F1. Despite being millions of miles further from the sun than Mercury, Venus still handily beats out Mercury who “only” averages 800 degrees. You probably already know why this is so, but this … Continue reading Blog #4: The Atmosphere of Venus Continue reading →

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Blog #3

Posted on March 1, 2017 by zhengastronomy

When we think of waves, the first thing that comes to mind would be waves in the ocean, or perhaps doing the wave at a football game. However there are also a great deal of other waves that are just as important in our lives if not moreso especially in the field of astronomy and … Continue reading Blog #3 Continue reading →

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Blog #2

Posted on March 1, 2017 by zhengastronomy

When you head outside at night to watch the stars and contemplate your own insignificance in the universe, you are partaking in a ritual that has spanned the length of all human existence. By watching the stars and planets in the sky, our ancestors were able to derive a great many advancements that we currently … Continue reading Blog #2 Continue reading →

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Blog #1:Solar Eclipses

Posted on February 14, 2017 by zhengastronomy

For many, August 21st  will be the highlight of their year, with many having planned out their day months if not years in advance, finding out prime locations, taking time off, and/or even going out of town. In fact one small town in Kentucky has had all of its hotels booked full for this day … Continue reading Blog #1:Solar Eclipses Continue reading →

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Introduction to My Blog

Posted on January 16, 2017 by zhengastronomy

Hello everybody, I am Guangze Zheng, Vanderbilt class of 2017 and you are reading my first blog for ASTRO2110, the Solar System as well as my first ever blog on wordpress. This site is completely new to me, so please bear with me if I am ignorant of any features or utilities not specifically outlined … Continue reading Introduction to My Blog Continue reading →

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