Category Archives: Class

Blog5: Pluto

Posted on April 8, 2023 by lucasliu6

Since its unveiling in 1930, Pluto has occupied a special role in our exploration and understanding of the solar system. Although it no longer retains its status as the ninth planet, this mysterious celestial object has piqued the interest of astronomers, researchers, and the wider public through its elaborate geological features and ever-evolving atmosphere. In […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Observables | Tagged , | Comments Off on Blog5: Pluto

Strange Stars (Literally)

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Europa

Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of massive stars of 10-25 solar masses. They are formed when these supergiant stars collapse under their own gravity and undergo a supernova explosion, which compresses the star’s core to the extremely high density of atomic nuclei. In fact, they are called neutron stars because the extreme forces within […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Physics, Stars | Tagged , | Comments Off on Strange Stars (Literally)

The Dwarf Planet Debate

Posted on April 8, 2023 by araceal

(picture of the colorization of Pluto) We all know the controversy that Pluto causes. Should it be a planet? Should it not be one? Why should or shouldn’t it be?  Although astronomers and other scientists claim that Pluto should not be considered a planet, some researches believe that this decision was unfair and incorrect and […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Observables, Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Dwarf Planet Debate

Ocean Worlds of Supercritical Fluid

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Europa

In class, we learned about various categories of exoplanets, including Super-Earths, terrestrials, ice giants, gas giants, and hot Jupiters. One other category that was mentioned was “water worlds,” an ill-defined and not entirely proven category of planets. This category would describe planets that are on the border between terrestrials and ice giants, or terrestrial worlds […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Exoplanets, Physics | Tagged , | Comments Off on Ocean Worlds of Supercritical Fluid

“Mars Will Come to Fear My Botany Powers”

Posted on April 7, 2023 by oilrigatoni

While this line was a comical hit in the box-office hit “The Martian,” it also emphasizes a particular problem that we are experiencing as we explore new worlds. It is very heavy, cumbersome, and expensive to send all the food we need on space missions, and for a prolonged colonization mission, it just isn’t feasible. […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, General | Tagged , | Comments Off on “Mars Will Come to Fear My Botany Powers”

Halley’s Comet

Posted on April 7, 2023 by sydneyastr2110

I used measurements from Halley’s Comet for the impact homework, so I wanted to learn more about it. It certainly has name recognition, but I wanted to learn more about it. I found some great information from NASA that I figured I would share. Halley’s Comet is named after an astronomer by the name of […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Historical, Observables | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Halley’s Comet

The Fascinating World of Pluto

Posted on April 7, 2023 by theyounesadventure

Pluto, known as the ninth planet of the solar system, was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006. Pluto is one of the most interesting objects to study in our solar system. In this blog test, I will discuss the biggest moon Charon and the discoveries of the New Horizons spacecraft. Pluto-Image by NASA One […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Fascinating World of Pluto

The Kuiper Belt: Exploring New Horizons

Posted on April 7, 2023 by 7smessier45

Hello (again), and welcome (back) to my Astronomy Blog! Today’s post is about the Kuiper Belt and its objects.  What is the Kuiper Belt?  The Kuiper (Kai-per) Belt is a donut-shaped region beyond the orbit of Neptune. Within the Kuiper Belt, it is estimated that millions of icy objects (or even trillions of these objects, […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Dwarf Planets, Historical | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Kuiper Belt: Exploring New Horizons

aurorae

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Emma Williams

The shimmering curtains of color that make up the Northern Lights are incredibly fascinating. For many (myself included), it is a life goal to get to witness this phenomenon in person. The name Aurora Borealis has its roots in classical mythology. Famous astronomer Galileo Galilei combined the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, with the […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on aurorae

comets

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Emma Williams

The terms ‘asteroid’ and ‘comet’ are often used interchangeably, but in reality there are important differences between the two! The primary difference is in their composition; asteroids are rocky because they formed in the inner Solar System, and comets are more icy because they formed beyond the frost line! Comets are visible every few years […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Observables, SolarSystem | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on comets