Category Archives: Moons

The Great Titan

Titan Picture Source Titan is Saturn’s Largest moon (the second largest moon in the solar system), and was discovered in 1655. Titan is almost the size of the largest moon, which is Ganymede (Jupiter’s largest moon). However, despite their similar size and relatively similar distance from the Sun, Titan has characteristics that Ganymede does not. … Continue reading The Great Titan Continue reading

Posted in Class, Historical, Moons | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Great Titan

Voyager 1

Voyager 1 is currently the farthest spacecraft we have ever sent out. It was launched in 1977 and is currently 141 AU or 13 billion miles away from Earth right now. It is traveling at 38,000 mph but has not even travel a full light day yet. The original purpose of the Voyager missions was … Continue reading Voyager 1 Continue reading

Posted in Jovians, Moons, Space Travel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Voyager 1

Blog 4: The Sirens of Titan

One of my favorite novels is The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. As the title suggests a portion of the novel takes place on Saturn’s moon Titan, though this fiction is more concerned with the philosophical and not the realistic astronomical. I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction. Discovered in 1655, Titan is Saturn’s … Continue reading Blog 4: The Sirens of Titan Continue reading

Posted in Class, Instruments, Moons | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Blog 4: The Sirens of Titan

What if the Earth had 2 moons

I know what you’re thinking so let’s get that out of the way. High tide would be a lot higher. Whenever the two moons are aligned on the same side of Earth, their combined gravitational pull would increase the tide significantly. This would probably push civilization further inland, as living near a coast or river … Continue reading What if the Earth had 2 moons Continue reading

Posted in Moons | Tagged , , | Comments Off on What if the Earth had 2 moons

Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

This image was made by the NASA Visualization Explorer to show the path of totality of the 2017 solar eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. As the moon blocks the sun, it casts on a shadow on earth that travels west to east very quickly due … Continue reading Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Continue reading

Posted in Class, Moons | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

This image was made by the NASA Visualization Explorer to show the path of totality of the 2017 solar eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. As the moon blocks the sun, it casts on a shadow on earth that travels west to east very quickly due … Continue reading Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Continue reading

Posted in Class, Moons | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 1: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

Blog 8 – Life on Enceladus?

Several Jovian moons are candidates for extraterrestrial life.  One of these is Enceladus, a medium-sized moon of Saturn.  Like Europa, there is strong evidence for a subsurface ocean, which is likely 30-40 kilometers below the moon’s surface, and then extends down another 30 kilometers.  Due to the suspected ocean’s thickness, it is more likely that […] Continue reading

Posted in Jovians, Moons | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 8 – Life on Enceladus?

Specific Europa Mission Currently Under Works, Now Named

In the quest to find habitable bodies, Jupiter’s moon Europa has been a high priority on the exploration list due to its liquid saltwater ocean underneath its ice crust. Three key ingredients for life must be present in order for biological activity to take place: liquid water, chemical ingredients, and energy sources able to enable […] Continue reading

Posted in General, Moons, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Specific Europa Mission Currently Under Works, Now Named

Europa’s Oceans & Aliens

In September of last year, the Hubble Space telescope observed what is believed to be plumes of water erupting from the surface of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. The surface of Europa is covered in a layer of ice of unknown thickness, and it is widely believed that there could be vast oceans of liquid water underneath […] Continue reading

Posted in Jovians, Moons | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Europa’s Oceans & Aliens

Saturn and its Moons

Saturn lays outside of the asteroid belt among the giant planets. With a total of 53 moons (or 62 pending a few new discoveries),  Saturn is a planet that yields a huge amount of force in the Solar System. The moons orbiting Saturn are all unique and have distinct features. Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, has an atmosphere… Continue reading Saturn and its Moons Continue reading

Posted in Jovians, Moons | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Saturn and its Moons