Tag Archives: astro201

Weird Life on Titan?

Posted on April 7, 2014 by joshkphilips

Image Source People are fascinated by the Universe for a variety of reasons. Some are intrigued by black holes, while others may be obsessed with the formation of stars and planets. But one thing is for sure, the possibility of life elsewhere is definitely an exciting topic no matter what you’re interested in. When we […] Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens, Moons | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Weird Life on Titan?

Is Pluto a planet?

Posted on April 7, 2014 by joshkip

A few weeks ago, I was discussing my astronomy class with a friend, when he interrupted to tell me his summation of the subject: “Spoiler Alert,” he told me. “Pluto isn’t a planet after all.” It wasn’t as thrilling as the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Dwarf Planets, General | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Is Pluto a planet?

Jupiter: Magnetosphere Explained

Posted on April 7, 2014 by joshkip

One feature of Jupiter that may come as a surprise is that it contains a magnetic field more than 20,000 times as strong as that of Earth’s. But, how is this possible if the Gas Giant is comprised of only … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Physics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Jupiter: Magnetosphere Explained

NASA’s Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities Initiative

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Leigh

NASA has had a lot of success with their commercial space flight initiatives, and so is looking to branch out and extend offers to work with US private enterprises to offer more, new commercial space experiences. NASA is looking for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Historical, Instruments | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on NASA’s Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities Initiative

The Tunguska Asteroid

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Leigh

On June 30, 1908 an asteroid about 120 feet across entered Earth’s atmosphere and exploded above the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia. At an elevation of about 28,000 feet, the combination of pressure and heat made the space rock explode … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Historical | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Tunguska Asteroid

Much Stars So Wow 2014-04-06 17:17:05

Posted on April 6, 2014 by gradytlynch

This charismatic account of the first rogue planet discovered touches on many interesting points. The video discusses our ever-changing definition of what constitutes a planet. At first, we simply defined a planet as anything we observed that was similar to our 8 local planets. However, after incredibly massive planets (around ten times the mass of […] Continue reading →

Posted in Exoplanets | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Much Stars So Wow 2014-04-06 17:17:05

Lagrange Points

Posted on April 6, 2014 by gradytlynch

This video by Sixty Symbols gives an in depth look at lagrange points, delving into the physics of orbiting bodies. The video outlines the five lagrange points of the Earth-Sun system. L1 is between the Earth and Sun, L2 is slightly farther from the Sun than Earth, and L3 is on the opposite side of […] Continue reading →

Posted in Physics | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Lagrange Points

Asteroid With Rings Found

Posted on April 6, 2014 by waldentb

Last month an asteroid in orbiting between Saturn and Uranus was discovered to hang a ring system. This asteroid is …

Continue reading →

Continue reading →

Posted in Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Asteroid With Rings Found

Largest Solid Known Object in Solar System Found in Kuiper Belt

Posted on April 6, 2014 by waldentb

Californian Institute of Technology astronomers have recently found a new object floating in an outer region of our solar system …

Continue reading →

Continue reading →

Posted in Observables | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Largest Solid Known Object in Solar System Found in Kuiper Belt

Science Fiction to Science Fact

Posted on March 30, 2014 by jblubin

It has always been the fantasy of science fiction writers to mine an asteroid for its precious materials. Stories such as Catch that Rabbit by Isaac Asimov, The Rolling Stones by Robert A. Heinlein, and the Heechee stories by Frederik Pohl are among hundreds that feature futuristic mining camps on asteroids. But now humanity has … Continue reading Science Fiction to Science Fact → Continue reading →

Posted in Historical | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Science Fiction to Science Fact