Tag Archives: astro201

Mysterious as the Dark Side of the Moon

Posted on January 27, 2013 by rtjobe

If you’ve ever watched the Disney movie Mulan, then you’ve heard the phrase “mysterious as the dark side of the moon.” This is a pretty common–although somewhat incorrect–phrase to say that something is unknown, much like the side of the moon that we can’t see. The moon is in synchronous orbit with the Earth, meaning […] Continue reading →

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NASA meteor counter

Posted on January 27, 2013 by indianwm

  NASA has released an iPhone app that encourages people to go outside and observe the nights sky, particularly meteors. Not only does this app benefit the people using it, but it also helps NASA research with meteors and meteor showers. This app was initially developed to be a fun way for people to explore […] Continue reading →

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The Moon’s Appearance

Posted on January 27, 2013 by gerretyc

Following class on Wednesday, in which we discussed the lunar cycle and the moon’s appearance to us here on Earth, I looked up at the Moon while walking to my […] Continue reading →

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Deep Time and the Cosmic Calendar

Posted on January 27, 2013 by fosterec

As an Earth & Environmental Sciences major, I’ve become very familiar with the concept of Deep Time over the past few years. In addition to making a great  band name (alas, it has been done), deep time is the easiest way to think about time on a geological or cosmological scale. The Cosmic Calendar provides a […] Continue reading →

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The Unseen Universe

Posted on January 27, 2013 by indianwm

The size of the Universe is one of the most amazing topics that is brought up through astronomy. The universe is so large that we are able to look back billions of years to see the beginning of time. As we look back in time, we are able to discover the different changes that occurred to form […] Continue reading →

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A Light Perspective

Posted on January 27, 2013 by wherrysg

Source The fact that I have been unable to truly grasp the size of the universe–much less be able to put into perspective things like the speed of sound and light–I believe is largely attributed to this topic (Astronomy) involving surreal and almost unimaginable concepts. Much of my experience with the concept of the speed […] Continue reading →

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The Moon and its Lunar Eclipse

Posted on January 27, 2013 by jhughes216

People travel all over the world to catch a glimpse of the rare phenomenon known as a lunar eclipse. In the past, this misunderstood event inspired some fear as the Moon became darker and darker until in turned blood-red, signifying an act of some god or deity. Now, we know this event occurs every so […] Continue reading →

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Just how big is the universe?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by AlanL

It is impossible to comprehend just how big the universe is simply from a description. I could tell you that the Earth is approximately 150 million km from the sun and that it takes over 8 minutes for the sun’s light to reach us but understanding it is completely different. This video uploaded by stormeindustries […] Continue reading →

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Why does the moon look red?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by fathomingthestars

If you have ever seen an image of a lunar eclipse, or have had the privilege of viewing one in person, you probably noticed that the moon does not retain its bright, whitish color; instead, the moon turns a shade of orange or red.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, this very cool youtube video […] Continue reading →

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The Cosmic Calendar

Posted on January 27, 2013 by rtjobe

The purpose of the cosmic calendar is to put into perspective the relative time frame in which everything has happened in the universe. The 13.7 billion years of the universe’s life is condensed down into one Earth calendar year, with the big bang happening on the midnight of January 1st. Even though the big bang […] Continue reading →

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