Tag Archives: astronomy

The Apollo 11 Quarantine

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Trevor Pillow

When Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins returned from space after the Apollo 11 moon landing, they were immediately placed into a quarantine. This was the first manned mission to the moon, and the scientists weren’t sure if there would be any dangerous particles on the moon that the astronauts might bring back to […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Apollo 11 Quarantine

Blog Post 8: How astro2110 Has Changed My View On Astronomy

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Myles7235

Before coming into astro2110, I knew very little about astronomy. Now, after completing the course, my appreciation for astronomy has greatly increased. A few days before the semester started, one of my friends who is an astronomy nerd laughed at me for not knowing the phases of the Moon. I thought to myself, “I’m a […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Science, Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Blog Post 8: How astro2110 Has Changed My View On Astronomy

Launching Spacecraft with Nuclear Bombs

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Trevor Pillow

You might be familiar with the Orion Spacecraft, which is the vehicle being used in NASA’s Artemis series of lunar missions. However, have you ever heard of Project Orion? Most conventional spacecraft are propelled using chemical reactions which create high velocity exhaust that is focused through a rocket nozzle. Newton’s Third Law dictates that the […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Launching Spacecraft with Nuclear Bombs

Blog 8 – Changed View of Astronomy

Posted on April 21, 2023 by kevkoppa123

I’ve learned so much about the formation of star systems, planets, the physics and chemistry that sustain life, the different space missions that have pushed technology and engineering, and more. I have a much greater appreciation for missions that collect data from other planets and star systems now that I understand the level of technology, […] Continue reading →

Posted in Science | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 8 – Changed View of Astronomy

Nemesis: The Ultimate Party (And Ort Cloud) Crasher

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Alex Diefenbach

(Hypothetical Rendition of Nemesis – https://images.app.goo.gl/214dFoRtpLU4LSW59) There is a theory concerning the orbit of celestial bodies which has been proposed that would explain the extinction of the dinosaurs. The theory rests on the idea that our sun is part of an astronomical dynamic called a binary system. A binary system resembles the mechanics of satellite […] Continue reading →

Posted in Physics, Universe | Tagged , | Comments Off on Nemesis: The Ultimate Party (And Ort Cloud) Crasher

Astronaut Bone Density

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Alex Diefenbach

(X-Rays of astronauts in space for extended periods of time: https://images.app.goo.gl/yfa81MRNQ1S5k5UL7) When I was in 6th grade, I participated in a summer engineering competition called Zero Robotics through MIT. The objective was to create a code that would allow for droids aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take pictures of research targets the most […] Continue reading →

Posted in Physics, Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Astronaut Bone Density

The Λ-CDM Model

Posted on March 8, 2023 by dromalley

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 […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Λ-CDM Model

The Imaginary Planet

Posted on March 7, 2023 by dromalley

While the five planets visible to the naked eye have been known for almost all of astronomy’s history, it was not until the discovery of Uranus in 1781 by Sir William Herschel that astronomers began searching for other planets in our Solar System. After Neptune was discovered in 1846, astronomers began turning their telescopes towards […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class, SolarSystem | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Imaginary Planet

Where Did We Get Our Water?

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Trevor Pillow

We know that Earth is the only planet in the solar system currently capable of housing liquid water. The other planets are too low pressure or too hot for water to exist as it does on Earth. However, other bodies in the solar system do have solid water, also known as ice! The moon and […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Where Did We Get Our Water?

Could We Give Mars a Better Atmosphere?

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Trevor Pillow

Is it possible to give Mars a livable atmosphere? In theory, yes! However, it would be infeasible to do it in our lifetimes. Or within the next couple hundred years. This video from Kurzgesagt (fantastic channel, by the way) details how we might be able to give Mars an atmosphere and biosphere using our current […] Continue reading →

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Could We Give Mars a Better Atmosphere?