Category Archives: Class

NASA’s Astrobiology Program

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Angela Harris

Astrobiologists at NASA use data from many NASA missions to study the possibility of life on other worlds. Here are a few ways they use data from other missions to support the NASA Astrobiology Program:  Chandra X-ray Observatory   The Chandra X-ray Observatory is a telescope that detects emission from extremely hot regions of space (exploded […] Continue reading →

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Blog 7 – Extremophiles

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Leni Ertel

Extremophiles are organisms, usually microbacteria, that can survive in extreme environments. These environments are characterized by conditions uninhabitable to humans. The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, is iconic for its bright, seemingly unnatural colors. However, these colors are a result of extremophiles, specifically, thermophiles! Thermophiles are classified as “heat-loving” organisms, and are one […] Continue reading →

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The End of the Universe

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Owen Purcell

One of the more morbid questions that astronomers have debated over the last few decades has been the possibility of the end of the universe. With the widespread acceptance of a model of the universe that is in some way finite, there are questions about how the state of that universe could change over time. […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context— Galileo

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Seth Creech

Picture of Galileo Galileo (February 15, 1564 – January 8, 1642) made major strides in the argument for heliocentrism, observing sunspots and the phases of Venus, two pieces of information that seemed to point to the imperfection of the celestial world and that the Sun was the gravitational center of the Solar System about which […] Continue reading →

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Blog 8 – ASTRONOMY!!!

Posted on April 25, 2024 by James Bamshad

My favorite astronomy image! In this blog post, I will give an overview of my experience in astronomy so far, and what I am excited about in the future. I have found ways to integrate astronomy in many conversations. My favorite example is when I related the world of astronomy to a concept that came […] Continue reading →

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How do we Reconcile With the Fermi Paradox?

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Justin Kim

The Fermi Paradox questions the discrepancy between the vastness of the universe and the apparent lack of intelligent life. This paradox has been discussed at length with many experts and as all paradoxes go, there is no clear conclusion. However, there does appear to be strong rebuttals to the paradox. One rebuttal that I find […] Continue reading →

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Blog 7 – Drake Equation “Haters”

Posted on April 25, 2024 by James Bamshad

Frank Drake in front of his “Drake Equation” I had a great time learning about and using the Drake Equation during our class period. However, after doing more research, I found many people who are heavily against the Drake Equation. In this blog post, I will review some of their main arguments. First, on “Y […] Continue reading →

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Gotta find them all!!

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Abbie!!

Knowing about all the planets in our own solar system made us wonder if there are other planetary systems out there as well. And there are!! But how did we detect these extrasolar planets? There are four ways to detect extrasolar planets. The simplest way, but not always the easiest way, is direct observation. That’s […] Continue reading →

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No, we cannot communicate with aliens

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Owen Purcell

Since the beginning of our endeavors in the final frontier, one of the central themes has been the expectation and hope of extraterrestrial life. It has been the theme for an incalculable quantity of science fiction, and one of the paramount symbols used when justifying our efforts to explore the universe. In that effect, many […] Continue reading →

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All is Said and Sun

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Adriana Santos

Wow, I cannot believe we are already at the end of the semester! This class has certainly been a journey, and we learned so much together! At the beginning of this course, I was not sure what to expect, and I was nervous that it was totally out of my wheelhouse, but ASTR 2110 gave […] Continue reading →

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