The Planets Inspiring Art

Posted on March 8, 2023 by 88bw
This is the front cover of Gustav Holst’s first edition of his staple work, The Planets.

Planets have always been a large source of inspiration for classical music composers, and there is probably no larger example than Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite. This work’s popularity has also reached the masses, and his music is known to have significantly influenced John Williams in his compositions for his film scores. What I find interesting about this suite is that it only has seven movements for seven planets; the missing eighth planet is actually Earth. Lately with the focus on climate change and the survival of our planet, many more composers are writing with a focus on planet Earth. It is intriguing to see the artistic inspirations shift from other planets during Holst’s time (1874-1934) to our own planet’s beauties in contemporary art.

In addition to music, the recent conjunction of Jupiter and Venus along with exam 1’s connection to Shakespeare writing made me wonder if planet conjunctions ever inspired any romantic poems in the field of literature. I did find this poem from William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) and his experience with the same Jupiter-Venus conjunction of his lifetime. These works of art remind me about my motivation for learning about the solar system; it has been fun to learn about the concrete science and histories of the celestial bodies that have induced so much wonder and inexplicable beauty among humans.

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Kessler Syndrome and The Future of Satellite Use

Posted on March 8, 2023 by 88bw
This image from Wikipedia demonstrates the mass of satellites that orbit Earth in low Earth orbit.

The topic of spacecraft in our solar system made me curious about the use of satellites in our exploration of space. Although we hear more about the telescopes and imaging systems that we send far beyond Earth’s vicinity, the only low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite that I hear often about is the ISS. I wanted to learn more about the number of satellites and the frequency that we send one into orbit.

With a few quick searches, I found that the alarming rate of increase in satellite count has already been a concern for astronomers, even since the 1970s; Donald Kessler specified that larger numbers of satellites inevitably comes with growing amounts of space debris, and space debris could induce more collisions resulting in a positive feedback loop for more and more space “trash.” In fact, this concern reared its ugly head as recently as 2021, when an old Soviet satellite’s destruction led to the formation of a large debris cloud. There are even some worries that this debris could collide with the stately ISS. With such trends that do not bode well for the introduction of new satellites in the coming years, I am wondering if the realization of technological advancements will be hindered due to logistical hurdles in sending new spacecraft into an already crowded LEO.

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Star Formation

Posted on March 8, 2023 by niqretnuh

When I was a kid, I thought stars were mysterious, distant, beautiful little things in the sky. I often pictured them as little beacons far out into the universe where the “spacemans” – a cute figment of my imagination – use to locate themselves once they get lost in the dark. A polar opposite of the tranquil stars, I thought, was the fiery Sun. I always imagined the Sun to be a giant ball of red fire – a fire-breathing dragon perhaps. I was completely shocked the first time I was told that they are actually the same thing – that both the Sun and the stars were spheres of extremely hot and dense gas emitting extremely hot light.

In their initial formation, the prototypes of stars accrete matter, faster and faster as its mass increases and gravitational forces become stronger. Gravity pulls matter closer to its center and the dense core begins to get hotter and hotter – at some point the inner pressure of the star cannot counter the gravitational force, and the protostar collapses. In this process, the core gets even denser until it is hot enough to perform hydrogen fusion, at which point the heat pressure inside the star is enough to counter the effect of gravitational collapse, and the star officially enters its main-sequence life stage.

Depending on its mass, the star can evolve into different astronomical bodies after it uses up its hydrogen. For small mass stars (like our sun), it will become hot enough to perform helium fusion but not more than that. When its core turns into a carbon ball, the star will officially be dead. Its outer layer will be carried out by stellar wind and become a planetary nebula where the matter will be reused, and its carbon core will be exposed, called a white dwarf.

For high mass stars, the star will continue to fuse heavier elements after helium – all the way until iron, where fusion does not create more energy anymore. The star will collapse and form a big explosion – supernova – and either turn into a neutron star or a black hole.

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The Λ-CDM Model

Posted on March 8, 2023 by dromalley
The Λ-CDM Model of Cosmology

As this blog post presents me with much more freedom in topic, I’ve decided to discuss the most widely accepted theory for the origin and evolution of our universe: the Λ-CDM model. This model, named for the cosmological constant Λ which governs the accelerating expansion of space-time and for Cold Dark Matter, lays out a model of the universal from the Big Bang through now which aligns very closely with observations. Under the Λ-CDM model, about 68% of the mass-energy of the universe (Einstein showed how the two are linked) is accounted for by dark energy, which causes the acceleration of expansion. The next largest portion (~27%) is comprised of Cold Dark Matter, which interacts with other particles only through gravity and cannot be detected by other means. Finally, about 5% of our universe is Baryonic Matter, which makes up the various stars and galaxies which fill the night sky. The Λ-CDM model also provides explanations for various phenomena we see in the modern universe, such as the formation of galaxies around dark matter haloes which formed first and attracted baryonic matter around them. While there are certainly still areas of cosmology to explore, the Λ-CDM model is believed to be largely correct, and allows astronomers to make accurate predictions about the universe around them.

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The Unimaginable Nature of Space-Time

Posted on March 8, 2023 by jackdoyle25

Most depictions of the space-time continuum display it as a two-dimensional plane in three-dimensional space. In such a model, objects make indents in the plane based on their gravity, with more massive objects having larger indents. This model is helpful to display how gravity works, but it doesn’t capture the whole picture.

The Sun makes an indentation in the space-time continuum, and the Earth’s motion is guided by the resulting curve.

The planar model of space-time is useful, but as we know, celestial objects do not lie on a two-dimensional plane. A more accurate model would depict objects as making indentations in three-dimensional space.

It is at this point that we need to somewhat abandon any hope of visualizing the space-time continuum. Take a moment to imagine for yourself what an indentation in three-dimensional space would look like. Most will have a great deal more difficulty imagining such a phenomenon than the planar model.

For another example, suppose that a circle in two dimensions corresponds to a sphere in three dimensions. It follows that a four-dimensional shape must exist that corresponds to a sphere. However, in our three-dimensional perception, the sphere has nowhere else to expand; it has no more observable dimensions to grow into.

This emphasizes an important but often overlooked feature of astronomy: observation has its limits because human perception is limited. Though the origins of astronomy, and indeed much of current astronomical study, is based on observation, the study of space-time is a more conceptual science. In order to reach the heights of astronomical study, it is thus necessary to let go of our reliance on perception, as astronomers are studying phenomena they are not capable of perceiving.

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What would happen if an asteroid struck present-day Earth?

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Myles7235

We normally only see asteroids striking Earth in science fiction (what a relief!). NASA actually has an observatory whose sole purpose is to track both asteroids and comets and that appear like they might come close to Earth. During December of 2022, there were 5 asteroids that were placed on watch. Two of these asteroids were the size of a commercial jet. Luckily, all of these asteroids flew straight by Earth. In that same year, an asteroid thought to be this size of the New York City’s Empire State Building flew by Earth as well.

Although we haven’t witnessed a large asteroid hit Earth recently, the most famous asteroid hit Earth about 66 million years ago. The asteroid left a crater the size of a mountain near the cost of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is believed that his asteroid caused massive tsunamis and was able able to block off sunlight from the amount of water and dust it flung into the air. This is the famous asteroid that is thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

There are low chances of an asteroid hitting Earth. NASA has stated that all most of the asteroids that they have tracked have a low chance of actually making impact. In order for an asteroid to do significant damage to Earth, it would have to be at least the size of a house. If this type of asteroid were to hit Earth, concrete buildings and wooden structures around the impact site would be flattened. This would be enough to cause significant damage to a city. We may not have encountered asteroids that appear to hit Earth, but that doesn’t mean that there are unknown asteroids out there that could make their impact on our planet.

You can find out more about asteroids here

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Nuclear Fusion

Posted on March 8, 2023 by niqretnuh

At noon on a hot summer’s day, have you ever wondered how the Sun acquires so much energy that the light coming from it, 150 million kilometers away, can bring so much heat that it even burns your eyes and skin? The answer lies in hydrogen fusion happening in the Sun’s core.

In its initial formation, stars gather enough hydrogen molecules that their center becomes incredibly dense and hot. At extreme high temperatures – about 100 million degrees Kelvin, entirely unimaginable by humans – hydrogen fusion becomes possible. This fusion, how our Sun is able to create a constant source of energy that is the basis of life on our planet, is called a “proton-proton chain” reaction. Four hydrogen atoms fuse together into one helium (with two protons), 2 hydrogen atoms, neutrinos. In this process, a microscopic amount of mass is lost, and converted into an enormous amount of energy. The amount of energy released can be predicted by Einstein’s formula E = mc^2, where E stands for energy released, m stands for the lost mass, and c represents the speed of light (3 * 10^8 m / s).

Nuclear fusion is very difficult to replicate on Earth, since we cannot easily create the amount of heat required to allow such actions. Nuclear fission, on the other hand, can be done much easier. In this reaction, a heavy element is split into several different elements and protons, releasing a large amount of energy – we use this principle for inventions such as nuclear power plants or atomic bombs. Using nuclear fission technology, we were able to create hydrogen fusion on Earth – hydrogen bomb – and we could achieve it because it is powered by an atomic nuclear-fission bomb. The atomic bomb creates a high enough temperature for nuclear fusion.

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The Diversity of Terrestrial World Atmospheres: Venus, Mars and Earth

Posted on March 8, 2023 by theyounesadventure

Terrestrial planets’ atmospheres, including those of Venus, Earth, and Mars, are crucial to their general behavior and possible habitability. Many elements, including the planet’s distance from the sun, the makeup of its surface, and the presence of geological activity, all impact these atmospheres. The atmospheres of terrestrial worlds display a startling variation in behavior and characteristics despite having identical chemical compositions.

For instance, Venus has a very dense and hostile atmosphere, with surface pressures 90 times higher than Earth’s. Carbon dioxide dominates the atmosphere, with minor amounts of nitrogen and sulfuric acid. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system because of a greenhouse effect caused by the planet’s dense clouds, which reflect a large portion of the sun’s energy back into space. Despite Venus’ hostile environment, researchers are still looking for hints about the planet’s geological past and possibilities for life.

Image of Venus by Nasa

Yet, compared to Earth and Venus, Mars has a much thinner atmosphere that ismainlyy made of carbon dioxide with minute amounts of nitrogen and argon. Mars has a surface temperature of about -80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Image of Mars by Nasa

Earth’s atmosphere is by far the most habitable since it supports us ‘humans’. With traces of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases, nitrogen and oxygen make up the majority of the atmosphere on Earth. The atmosphere is essential for maintaining a stable climate, controlling the planet’s temperature, shielding it from dangerous solar radiation, and supporting weather patterns and ocean currents.

Image of Earth by Nasa

In conclusion, the atmospheres of terrestrial worlds are incredibly diverse and fascinating, providing critical insights into the nature of these planets. 

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The Titius-Bode law

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Rocket Man

Titius Bode’s law is a fascinating concept in astronomy that has been intriguing scientists for centuries. This law is a mathematical relationship between the distances of the planets in our solar system from the Sun. It was first formulated in the 18th century by Johann Daniel Titius and later popularized by Johann Elert Bode.

Portrait of Johann Daniel Titius. Source: Wikipedia
Portrait of Johann Elert Bode. Source: Wikipedia

According to Titius Bode’s law, there is a pattern in the distances of the planets from the Sun. This pattern is represented by a simple mathematical formula that can be used to predict the distance of a planet from the Sun based on its position in the solar system.

First, let’s take a look at the table below, which shows the distances of the planets from the Sun in astronomical units (AU), as predicted by Titius Bode’s law:

PlanetsDistance (AU)
Mercury0.4
Venus0.7
Earth1.0
Mars1.6
Ceres2.8
Jupiter5.2
Saturn10.0
Uranus19.6
Neptune38.8

As you can see, the distances of the planets follow a clear pattern: each planet is approximately twice as far from the Sun as the previous planet. This pattern continues until Neptune, which is located much farther from the Sun than predicted by the law.

Interestingly, Titius Bode’s law also predicted the existence of a planet between Mars and Jupiter, which was later discovered and named Ceres. This discovery was significant because it provided evidence for the existence of a previously unknown region of the solar system, now known as the asteroid belt.

Despite its accuracy in predicting the distances of most of the planets, there is still some debate among astronomers about the significance of Titius Bode’s law. Some argue that it is simply a coincidence, while others suggest that it may be related to the formation of our solar system.

One hypothesis is that the law reflects the distribution of matter in the early solar system. According to this theory, the matter in the solar system was distributed in a series of rings, with planets forming in regions where the density of matter was highest. Titius Bode’s law may reflect this distribution of matter, with each planet forming in a ring that was approximately twice as far from the Sun as the previous ring.

Titius Bode’s law has been using to search for new planets beyond our solar system. By applying the same mathematical formula to other star systems, astronomers can estimate the likely distances of any planets that might be orbiting those stars. This information can then be used to guide the search for exoplanets, or planets located outside of our solar system.

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The International Space Station

Posted on March 7, 2023 by sahilreddy2
Astronaut Matthias Maurer of ESA doing a Space Walk on the truss of the ISS

The international space station is a collaboration that unites humanity to pursue the largest frontier, space. The ISS is the largest and most equipped space station humanity has ever had in space and provides opportunities to research exploration of space and how to help people back on earth. The ISS orbits the earth 386 kilometers above the Earth and has been home for a rotating crew of astronauts. These crews stay on orbit for six months at a time and learn about how living in space affects the human body physically and psychologically. Solar panels on the station are larger than the wingspan of a jet plane which being in constant orbit s able to harness energy from the sun and provide electrical power to all parts of the station. 16 different countries are involved with the ISS and each played a role in building the 15000 cubic feet of habitable space. The ISS has been indispensable in providing information for the future of humanity’s venture into space and provides a deeper understanding for how we can survive in the universe.

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