Category Archives: Class

Cumulative Post Featuring the JUICE Launch

Posted on April 20, 2023 by sydneyastr2110

As I reflect on my blog posts this semester as well as overall topics within the class, I appreciate the time aspect. By that I mean that we have examined the past, present, and future of astronomy. My blogs included everything from the Carrington Event, a result of a large solar flare in 1859, to […] Continue reading →

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To Infinity and Beyond

Posted on April 18, 2023 by reachforthestarsbysam

This Star Wars-esque image shows what it would be like to travel at light speed! I have certainly learned so much by taking this course. It has really helped me grow my perspective of the universe and how much there is left to learn and explore. I might not be alone in this, but I felt […] Continue reading →

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Neptune

Posted on April 17, 2023 by zws42

Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun, is one of the four gas giants in our solar system, along with Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. More specifically, it can be considered an ice giant since it is made up of ices and carbon compounds in addition to hydrogen and helium. Neptune is about 17 times the […] Continue reading →

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Extremophiles: Life on other planets?

Posted on April 17, 2023 by reachforthestarsbysam

Within our Earth, in some of the tiniest cracks and crevices of the terrain, exist micro-organisms that are able to survive in the harshest environments the planet has to offer. Whether it be in the underwater volcanic vents where temperatures reach up to 700 ° F, or the cracks of the ice at the poles […] Continue reading →

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The Drake Equation

Posted on April 17, 2023 by zws42

The Drake equation is a mathematical formula used to estimate the number of potential intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy. It was first proposed by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, and has since become a widely used tool in the search for extraterrestrial life. The equation takes into account several factors that are believed […] Continue reading →

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Blog8

Posted on April 15, 2023 by lucasliu6

The Seager Equation, an innovative idea conceived by esteemed astrophysicist Dr. Sara Seager, presents a fresh perspective in the search for habitable exoplanets and alien life. Diverging from the well-established Drake Equation, which predicts the number of communicative civilizations, the Seager Equation hones in on the abundance of exoplanets with detectable biosignature gases—a hint of […] Continue reading →

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Blog7

Posted on April 15, 2023 by lucasliu6

Astrobiology delves into some of the most profound questions concerning our existence, transcending traditional scientific disciplines to explore life beyond our planet. This enthralling field investigates the astonishing implications of extremophiles, organisms that withstand Earth’s harshest environments. These extraordinary life forms reveal an unimaginable variety of adaptive strategies, raising the possibility that life could thrive […] Continue reading →

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Down the Rabbit Hole Again…

Posted on April 14, 2023 by drgrundstrom

Researching stuff can be so fun! Though it sometimes takes longer than planned ;) As I talked about it class briefly, there’s a drone in the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park and it was a TOTALLY big deal, especially right away. I found a good article that was from 11 months after the […] Continue reading →

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A Tiny Black Hole?

Posted on April 10, 2023 by alicebyrnes

Black holes have always fascinated me, so here I am, writing a second blog post about them. I recently read a sci-fi novel that involved a man-made black hole. It was incredibly massive, but only the size of a pinprick. This led me to wondering, what are the smallest black holes we’ve discovered in real […] Continue reading →

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What do we know about the Oort Cloud?

Posted on April 10, 2023 by alicebyrnes

Not much is known about the Oort Cloud, because it is simply so far away! Rather than being a disk like the asteroid and Kuiper belts, it is thought to be a spherical shell that surrounds the Solar system. The precise bounds of the cloud are not known, but it is thought to extend from […] Continue reading →

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