Category Archives: Instruments

includes telescopes and space probes

Florida Asteroid Burning Up

Posted on April 15, 2021 by mwdobson3

On Monday April 13th, a small asteroid was spotted in the night sky off the east coast of Florida. One of my family members was all the way across the state on the western side of Florida and saw the asteroid’s fireball-like appearance as it passed by Earth over 26,000 km away. According to theContinue reading “Florida Asteroid Burning Up” Continue reading →

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Calling All Nerds! (Just Kidding, LOTR is Cool)

Posted on April 14, 2021 by olivesobservatory

This image may look familiar to all you high fantasy fans out there as the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings, but what if I told you that you didn’t have to travel to Middle-earth to see it? I know you’re all on the edge of your seats now! This is an image… Continue reading →

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Death in Space

Posted on March 22, 2021 by allyworthington

It is no secret that space travel is a risky and dangerous endeavor for all involved. As of 2021, 19 astronauts (including cosmonauts) have died in in-flight accidents. Only one accident, however, occurred in space—over 100 kilometers above the Earth.  Three Soviets (called cosmonauts) were aboard the Soyuz 11 in June of 1971, which was … Continue reading Death in Space → Continue reading →

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A History of Observing the Sun

Posted on March 22, 2021 by mwdobson3

Kevin Durant, a two-time NBA champion, once tweeted: “I’m wondering how do these people kno what’s goin on on the the sun.. ain’t nobody ever been.” Like his tweet from 2010, I too wondered how humans have been able to study the Sun’s surface and what discoveries have been made to determine the surface’s characteristics.Continue reading “A History of Observing the Sun” Continue reading →

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Radioactive Proof of the Earth’s Age

Posted on March 20, 2021 by jagobillot

Radioactivity of elements starts with an unstable elemental isotope. An unstable atom on radioactive elements carries too many protons or neutrons, and eventually, it must expel energy from the atom, and become an entirely new stable element through the process of beta decay. This process, for every unstable atom, is completely spontaneous and there isContinue reading “Radioactive Proof of the Earth’s Age” Continue reading →

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Spacecraft in the Milky Way

Posted on March 11, 2021 by gracelearnsspace

Since 1958 over 250 spacecraft have entered our solar system to explore and have given a little bit more insight to the huge universe around us. One of those spacecraft, Parker, is on a mission to get seven times closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft before. Parker was launched in 2018 by the […] Continue reading →

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The Thirty Meter Telescope

Posted on February 26, 2021 by mwdobson3

Currently, the largest single-aperture telescope in the world, the Gran Telescopio Canarias, spans 10.4 meters (about 32 feet). This telescope can see 500 million light-years deep into space, which was thought to be impossible out of a single, segmented reflecting telescope until it was built in 2006. While 10.4 meters is large, astronomers worldwide feltContinue reading “The Thirty Meter Telescope” Continue reading →

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Ephemerides: An Astronomer’s Excel

Posted on February 5, 2021 by mwdobson3

From the first time I observed lunar eclipses to now understanding how they occur, I have always wondered how astronomers are able to predict every piece of information about them years in advance. Also, in the bigger picture, I did not know how astronomers knew where the planets and stars were in our Solar SystemContinue reading “Ephemerides: An Astronomer’s Excel” Continue reading →

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Juno – Spacecraft, Roman Goddess, and….Lego Minifigure?

Posted on March 16, 2020 by alexsolarsystem

Currently orbiting Jupiter is a small satellite that goes by the name of Juno. This small spacecraft was launched in 2011 and was tasked with uncovering as much as possible about Jupiter and its mysterious history. Its main mission is to measure the composition, gravity field, and magnetic field of Jupiter while simultaneously looking forContinue reading “Juno – Spacecraft, Roman Goddess, and….Lego Minifigure?” Continue reading →

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Parker Solar Probe: Understanding Coronal Dynamics

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Dan Pitagora

Launched on August 12th, 2018, the Parker Solar Probe will make the closest approach to the Sun in history. Over a time period of roughly seven years, PSP will use Venus for gravitational assist to make successively closer approaches to the Sun at distances as small as 4 million miles from the sun’s surface. PSPContinue reading “Parker Solar Probe: Understanding Coronal Dynamics” Continue reading →

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