Category Archives: Instruments

includes telescopes and space probes

Using Variable Stars to Find Exoplanets

Posted on April 17, 2022 by alexlitt

One of the preeminent methods for finding exoplanets is tracking periodic variations in stellar brightness. In class, we practiced this technique by examining the light curves of certain variable stars and identifying the presence of orbiting exoplanets. In the real world, scientists must first identify variable stars and then determine which of these variable stars’ […] Continue reading →

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Legacy Survey of Space and Time: The future of astronomical observation is here…. almost!

Posted on March 22, 2022 by alexlitt

Just two years from now, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will commence operations, beginning its mission to image nearly 40 billion celestial objects over 10 years! These observations will be made with the world’s largest digital camera and an enormous 8.4 meter (in diameter) telescope, ensuring that its images will be of the highest quality. […] Continue reading →

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Rock Samples from Mars

Posted on March 19, 2022 by jesszhang782

Mars has been of interest because of evidence that it may have once supported life. NASA’s latest rover, Perseverance, has been sent to Mars to look for signs of ancient life. A big part of this endeavor is sending samples from Mars back to Earth for m… Continue reading →

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Blog #2: Archeoastronomy

Posted on February 20, 2022 by nadiamcglynn

Reflecting on how science and astronomy have grown and blossomed into what we study today really illustrates how amazing ancient feats of astronomy and observation were. The impacts of ancient observations of the night sky still effect us today, including in the name of months, the days of the week, and the length of our days and years. Continue reading →

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The First Space Telescope

Posted on February 19, 2022 by jesszhang782

Telescopes have come a long way since they were invented in 1608. Not only have ground based telescopes made significant advances, but in recent decades telescopes have even been launched into space to mitigate the effects of Earth’s atmosphere on obse… Continue reading →

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The James Webb Space Telescope (Post 2)

Posted on February 19, 2022 by ccatanese1

The Hubble Space Telescope has been a staple in the NASA space program since its launch in 1990. It has led to monumental discoveries and pictures such as the famous Hubble Deep Field; however, 30 years later, technology has evolved tremendously and so, NASA has launched a new telescope aimed at succeeding it. Planning of […] 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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Junk in space: how do we deal with it?

Posted on May 4, 2021 by allyworthington

Junk floating through space, affectionately known as space junk, is dangerous to spacecraft and satellites, for obvious reasons. A team in Australia wants to use laser technology to track and destroy it. Adaptive optics is the technology that helps telescopes see stars without a twinkle, attributed to the Earth’s atmosphere. Adaptive optics sharpens images of … Continue reading Junk in space: how do we deal with it? → Continue reading →

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NASA’s Picture of the Day

Posted on May 4, 2021 by mwdobson3

For the class Astronomical Experiences assignment, I was going to write about NASA’s May 3rd, 2021 Astronomy Picture of the Day. As I went to search for the daily image, I also found a PBS Nova video on the Mars mission involving Perseverance and I was hooked. Now that I can blog about anything forContinue reading “NASA’s Picture of the Day” Continue reading →

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TESS: The Modern Exoplanet Finder

Posted on April 15, 2021 by mwdobson3

The Kepler mission marked a significant jump in exoplanet discovery when the space telescope was launched over 10 years ago. Since then, astronomers worked hard to research, develop, and design a more modern approach to discovering these distant and unknown planets. The solution was the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). TESS’s mission was to lookContinue reading “TESS: The Modern Exoplanet Finder” Continue reading →

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