Category Archives: Historical

Blog 3: The Golden Record

The Voyager Golden Record is a phonograph record that was launched on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. It contains a variety of sounds and images that are meant to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. The 116 images were carefully selected by a team led by astronomer Carl Sagan.  The cover of … Continue reading Blog 3: The Golden Record Continue reading

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Archeoastronomy

Last year, I decided to go out on a limb and enroll in ASTR 3000, which is better known as Principles of Astrophysics. I figured as an engineering major, the physics aspect wouldn’t be too unfamiliar- but little did I anticipate that the class would make me fall deeply in love with the subject of […] Continue reading

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Tell Us How the Heavens Flow: the Life and Execution of Giordano Bruno (Blog #3)

On February 17th, we will pass the 418th anniversary of Giordano Bruno’s execution. Bruno, while not as well-known as some of other cosmologists and theologians of the 16th century, proposed many theories which today are considered scientific fact. He took the Copernican model of the universe and took it to absolute extremes. While the Earth … Continue reading Tell Us How the Heavens Flow: the Life and Execution of Giordano Bruno (Blog #3) Continue reading

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Historical Astronomers in Context

My chosen astronomer is Nicolaus Copernicus who was born on February 19, 1473 and died on May 24, 1543. In 1512, Michelangelo finished the Sistine Chapel, which is regarded as one of the most notable interior space paintings of all time and took Michelangelo four years to complete. In 1520 the Stockholm Bloodbath saw King … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context Continue reading

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Historical Astronomers in Context

My chosen astronomer is Nicolaus Copernicus who was born on February 19, 1473 and died on May 24, 1543. In 1512, Michelangelo finished the Sistine Chapel, which is regarded as one of the most notable interior space paintings of all time and took Michelangelo four years to complete. In 1520 the Stockholm Bloodbath saw King … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context Continue reading

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On This Day in Astronomy History…

  Thirty-four years ago today, on February 7th 1984, NASA Astronaut Bruce McCandless II became the first person to fly untethered from their spacecraft. McCandless, who just recently passed December 21st at the age of 80, was able to travel 320 feet from the space shuttle Challenger without any connection to the shuttle. He accomplished […] Continue reading

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Johannes Kepler: A Sign of the Times

Today I want to talk about Johannes Kepler (Born on December 27, 1571 at 1 PM; Died November 15, 1630). Kepler was the guy who came up with the three laws of planetary motion and basically, is the reason why we know how planets orbit things today (NASA). But did you know what was going on … Continue reading Johannes Kepler: A Sign of the Times Continue reading

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Tycho Brahe (Dec. 14, 1546 – Oct. 24,1601) One of Brahe’s most acclaimed achievements was the observation of a supernova in 1572.  He used this event, along with a later observation of a comet, to refute the widely-accepted idea of celestial immutability.  Yet Brahe’s most important contributions to astronomy existed in the seemingly-mundane.  He recorded…

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Historical Events [1486] Giovanni Pico della Mirandola composes his Oration on the Dignity of Man. The best known philosopher of the Renaissance, it follows that his Oration, in which he defends 900 theological and philosophical theses, is the best known text of the 15th century. His challenge for debate on these topics attracted trouble from the church in the … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context Continue reading

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Historical Astronomers in Context: Tycho Brahe

Tycho Brahe was born on December 14, 1546 and he died on October 24, 1601. During the time of Tycho’s life, two significant historical events (among others) occurred. In 1560’s Europe, there was a great famine in which roughly 50% of all born infants would die within twelve months. The average life expectancy was about 45 years old. Also, In … Continue reading Historical Astronomers in Context: Tycho Brahe Continue reading

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