Category Archives: Light

Is the speed of light constant or actually variable?

Posted on February 13, 2017 by astromalhotra

Throughout studies into interactions of various celestial bodies, one constant in putting into scope the mind-bogglingly vast distances has been the speed of light, via the distance unit of a light-year. The concept of the speed of light was first fully suggested when Einstein hypothesized that the speed of light plays the role of infinite speed […] Continue reading →

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Light Cones

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Natalie

We all know that light travels really fast. It can appear instantaneous to us on earth, but when you look out … More Continue reading →

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Ether and the Michelson-Morley Experiment

Posted on February 13, 2017 by brandonandthesolarsystem

Before Einstein’s revolutionary ideas changed the landscape of physics, very little was known about the speed of light. The fact is that, at the time, light was an anomaly; it had characteristics unique to anything else we experienced in the world. For example, was light a particle or a wave? And more importantly, if light […] Continue reading →

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Light Can Do the Twist Too

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Ashley Garcia

As many of my fellow classmates may know, the Earth orbits about the Sun, while also spinning on its axis. It is less known however, that light exhibits the same behavior. Normally, measurements regarding light record things such as direction and energy, and occasionally the spin polarization. Light also has an orbital angular momentum (OAM) however,… Continue reading Light Can Do the Twist Too Continue reading →

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Gravity vs. Light

Posted on February 12, 2017 by ksun1

The light from a distant galaxy gets warped and distorted thanks to the immense gravity of the closer reddish-orange galaxy We usually think light is pretty fast. Usain Bolt can set new records for how quickly man can run. There are motorcycles that can travel faster than our own nerve impulses. Aircraft has long since broken the sound barrier. […] Continue reading →

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Zodiacal Light and False Dawn

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Ashley Garcia

Despite the name, zodiacal light is not a component of a horoscope, but is instead a band of light that is occasionally visible. The phenomenon of zodiacal light is caused by clouds of interplanetary dust particles that orbit the Sun near the ecliptic, similar to the orbit of other planets. The light from the Sun… Continue reading Zodiacal Light and False Dawn Continue reading →

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The Universal Speed Limit

Posted on February 8, 2017 by kic27

What if your car was MUCH faster than it is now? Continue reading →

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Light from the Past

Posted on February 2, 2017 by joneastr

Although light travels through space at the fastest speed physically possible (no object with mass can reach the speed of … More Continue reading →

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Cherenkov Radiation

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Haley Topper

This is the excerpt for your very first post. Continue reading →

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Anti-Matter Propulsion

Posted on April 26, 2016 by chasejaeger

The use of anti-matter propulsion might be the key to interstellar travel. Anti-matter is basically normal matter that has opposite charges. When matter and anti-matter collide with one another, they annihilate one another and energy is released. Unlike with nuclear fusion, where only 3% of the total mass of the matter is converted into energy, […] Continue reading →

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