Category Archives: Historical

Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 7, 2022 by jesszhang782

Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer who lived from February 15, 1564, to January 8, 1642. He made significant contributions to the field through his telescopic observations. Galileo learned of telescopes, a newly invented device at the time, and … Continue reading →

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The Gravitas of Sir Isaac Newton

Posted on February 6, 2022 by parallaxHubble

The astronomer that I am choosing to write about is Sir Isaac Newton. Newton was an important astronomer, mathematician, and physicist and perhaps one of the most important contributors to our current understanding of the solar system and universe today who lived from January 4, 1643 to March 31, 1727. Most notably, his discovery ofContinue reading “The Gravitas of Sir Isaac Newton” Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Lindsey

Nicholas Copernicus was incredibly important to astronomy because he first proposed a model of the universe in which the Sun was at the center and that Earth orbited it (heliocentric model). This was incredibly controversial during his time because most people believed the Earth was at the center of the universe and everything else orbited […] Continue reading →

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Eclipses of the Past

Posted on January 29, 2022 by isaiandrade01

Due to advancements in technology, we can easily explain the scientific reasoning behind astronomical events such as lunar and solar eclipses. We understand solar eclipses occur in the new moon phase when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, appearing to cover the Sun and cast its shadow on the Earth. The opposite is […] Continue reading →

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Space Exploration: History, Ethics, and Potentially-Conflicting Interests

Posted on May 4, 2021 by rightascensionanddeclinolan

But why, some say the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountian [sic]? Why – 35 years ago – why fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the Moon, we choose to go to the Moon in this decadeContinue reading “Space Exploration: History, Ethics, and Potentially-Conflicting Interests” Continue reading →

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Extraterrestrial Existence

Posted on May 4, 2021 by allyworthington

Shouldn’t Earth have been visited by extraterrestrials already? Enrico Fermi, a physicist from Italy, asked the same question in 1950 and sparked a wonderful conversation in the field of astronomy and astrobiology. In 1975, Michael Hart published “An Explanation for the Absence of Extraterrestrials on Earth,” noting that the lack of intelligent life from the … Continue reading Extraterrestrial Existence → Continue reading →

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Astrobiology

Posted on May 3, 2021 by justinboreskyvanderbiltedu

Astrobiology is the study of life and the universe and the search for life beyond it. Nasa lists astrobiology as having three questions “How does life begin and evolve? Is there life beyond Earth and, if so, how can we detect it? What is the future of life on Earth and in the universe?” andContinue reading “Astrobiology” Continue reading →

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Religious Pushback to Science: The Scopes Trial

Posted on May 2, 2021 by rightascensionanddeclinolan

When you first studied biology, you likely saw a picture like this: Though discussing evolution seems commonplace today, it wasn’t always accepted.  Notably, the debate over teaching it in schools bubbled up in our backyard just under one hundred years ago: the 1925 Dayton, Tennessee, Scopes Trial.  In this post, I’ll tell you about theContinue reading “Religious Pushback to Science: The Scopes Trial” Continue reading →

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A New Discovery in the World of Extremophiles

Posted on May 2, 2021 by joeangella13

Geologists have recently discovered an entire new species of extremophiles among us on planet earth, and the location may shock you. More than 500 km away from nutrients and sunlight, these extremophiles have made a home beneath the Antarctic ice shelf (SOURCE). While this discovery was not meant to actually happen, scientists are pleasantly surprisedContinue reading “A New Discovery in the World of Extremophiles” Continue reading →

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I Want To Believe!

Posted on May 1, 2021 by olivesobservatory

Forget Fermi’s paradox. Forget the Drake equation. Yet another hot-button topic relating to astronomy and (potential?) extraterrestrial life is- you guessed it- unidentified flying objects (UFOs for short). Do I think it’s kind of a stretch that I’m relating this to chapter 24? Absolutely! But with the (relatively) recent declassification by the Pentagon of three… Continue reading →

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