Category Archives: Observables

things we can see from Earth using our eyeballs or telescopes

Ancient Achievements

In other religions, there was no need for astronomy except for the creation of the calendar. Ancient Pagans used Stonehenge to determine their calendar. In Early Judaism, they created their calendar. For Christianity, although it helped dictate holidays, it had pushback from philosophy and scientific observations. Astronomy played a major role in early Islam. Besides … Continue reading Ancient Achievements Continue reading

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“Current” Events on Tides

SaltstraumenVideo Blocks The strait at Saltstraumen is one of the most interesting straits on the planet, and it has to do with more than just its notable beauty. Saltstraumen is the location of one of the strongest tidal currents in the world. When the tides come in and out from the large bodies of water … Continue reading “Current” Events on Tides Continue reading

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Bright Lights (and not much else)

Matchbox Twenty’s Bright Lights. CeeLo Green’s Bright Lights Bigger City. My personal favorite is Sara Bareilles’s Bright Lights and Cityscapes. There is no shortage of songs about… Read more “Bright Lights (and not much else)” Continue reading

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Blog #1: Solar Eclipse Calendar

A solar eclipse is when the moon comes between the sun and the Earth and completely or partially blocks the light from the sun. This can only occur when the moon is at the nodes of its orbit and when its precession allows it to be in this position while being between the sun and … Continue reading Blog #1: Solar Eclipse Calendar Continue reading

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Stellarium: a Great Planetarium Program

Wanna know what the sky looks like today? Here’s an amazing computer program where you can know everything about the sky without walking out of the door! It is simple to download Stellarium at stellarium.org and follow the instructions. After you install the program and open it, you can input any time and location you want … Continue reading Stellarium: a Great Planetarium Program Continue reading

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Eclipses and Wildlife

It’s an incredible experience to observe a solar eclipse, but not only for the eclipse itself. A large portion of the animal kingdom reacts to solar eclipses, some of them in surprisingly unique ways. A 2001 study of African wildlife showed that hippos feel like their daily routine has been disrupted, and act nervously after … Continue reading Eclipses and Wildlife Continue reading

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The Total Lunar Eclipse of January 2019!

This total lunar eclipse will be the last non-partial one Earthlings can observe until 2021. There will be several partial lunar eclipses, but no totals :-/ Total lunar eclipses are the neat ones because the Moon turns yellow-y, then orange-y, then copper-y, then red! Note that this eclipse is going to be LONG – FIVE […] Continue reading

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Where is “I Love Lucy” Now?

She’s definitely past Proxima Centauri. On October 15, 1951, CBS first broadcasted a new show across the world.  I Love Lucy … More Continue reading

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On This Day in Astronomy History…

  On April 27th, 1961, fifty-seven years ago, NASA launched Explorer 11 into space. This satellite held the first gamma-ray telescope to go into space. Gamma rays are the wavelength of light with the highest energy levels. These wavelengths can originate from sources such as supernova explosions, supermassive blackholes, and solar flares. While scientists had […] Continue reading

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Are Viruses the Missing Piece in Astrobiology?

Despite being the most abundant form of life on Earth, viruses and their dormant state known as virions, are often left out the conversation in identifying life outside this place. However, a group of scientists are now calling for this to change. Noting that the term virus is only used six times within NASA’s 250-paged […] Continue reading

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