Category Archives: Historical

What if the Carrington Event Occurred Today?

Posted on March 16, 2021 by olivesobservatory

Are we ready for a Carrington-level event today? The short answer- not really. In 1859, Richard Carrington observed “two patches of intensely bright and white light” (a solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection) on the surface of the Sun. The next morning, brilliant red, green, and purple auroral displays appeared as far as… Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on March 16, 2021 by yvan247

Nicholas Copernicus (Feb 9th, 1473- May 24th, 1543) Copernicus was born just 5 years before first Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition was a tactic by the catholic monarch ruling over Europe to spread Catholicism all across territories they controlled. They deployed officers to target individuals engaging in heresy, that is displaying beliefs or actions that […] Continue reading →

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History of Telescopes

Posted on March 2, 2021 by weatherbysofferings

While there were some objects artificially resembling telescopes in the ancient world, and even some used for sighting, the first modern telescope would have been the work of a Dutch glasses-maker named Hans Lippershey, in 1608. This is merely the first documented one though, as he was the person to file a patent, and theContinue reading “History of Telescopes” Continue reading →

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Nabta Playa

Posted on February 28, 2021 by adisonfields

Nabta Playa is the world’s first astronomical site, having been built at an estimated 7000 years ago.  For reference, this was when the Neolithic Revolution was occurring, and agriculture was first being practiced.  In order to assist with this, the Nabta Playa stone circle was built, about 700 miles south of the Great Pyramid of Giza inContinue reading “Nabta Playa” Continue reading →

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Evolution of Spectroscopy

Posted on February 28, 2021 by miichellewang

Spectroscopy describes the study of the interaction between matter and the wavelength of the light it produces, although this definition has been updated to include anything measured as a function of frequency or wavelength. Isaac Newton was one of the first people to demonstrate that light from the Sun could be scattered into a spectrumContinue reading “Evolution of Spectroscopy” Continue reading →

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Mound 72

Posted on February 28, 2021 by wslopes

Image Source Mound 72 is a very interesting example of the knowledge early Native Americans had about astronomy in at least 950 CE. Mound 72 is the sight of one of several “woodhenges” created by the Cahokia people of south west Illinois. These woodhenges were all relatively identical in relation to the positioning of theContinue reading “Mound 72” Continue reading →

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Pi’ilanihale Heiau

Posted on February 27, 2021 by solarcecily

Pi’ilanihale Heiau is located on the island of Maui, Hawai’i. It’s the largest shrine on the island, and throughout all of Hawai’i. Temples like this one are custom throughout ancient Polynesia, and many individual households would build their own smaller, personal household shrines. In face, “Pi’ilanihale” directly translates to “house of Pi’ilani.” The structure extendsContinue reading “Pi’ilanihale Heiau” Continue reading →

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The Tides of Mont-Saint-Michel

Posted on February 27, 2021 by connorrobbwilcox

As many know, the Moon causes the tides to occur all over our planet. But those same people may not know the place that has the largest change in high and low tides. Said place is an islet and commune called Mont-Saint-Michel. Off the coast of Normandy, France, it has an accessible walkway to itsContinue reading “The Tides of Mont-Saint-Michel” Continue reading →

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Newgrange

Posted on February 27, 2021 by bellagoodnight

When reading up on archaeoastronomy, I was immediately fascinated by Newgrange, a structure located in Ireland. This fascination was not only due to my slight obsession with Ireland, but also because of its age. It was built roughly around 3200 BC, meaning it is actually older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge! On the outside,Continue reading “Newgrange” Continue reading →

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Stonehenge and Archeoastronomy

Posted on February 27, 2021 by hunterspiveyastr

Stonehenge is one of the most easily recognizable sites across the globe. Often designated as one of the wonders of the ancient world, Stonehenge has both fascinated and confounded humanity for centuries. While some may still argue about how Stonehenge came to exist, whether it be aliens, magic, or old-fashioned hard work and sweat, oneContinue reading “Stonehenge and Archeoastronomy” Continue reading →

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