Tag Archives: astronomy

Blog 1: Our Expanding Universe

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Charles Knoll

Our expanding universe is a captivating cosmic phenomenon that continues to unfold in the vastness of space. Galaxies throughout the cosmos are in a state of expansion, distancing themselves from one another as space itself expands between them. From our vantage point on Earth, nearly every galaxy beyond our Local Cluster is gradually moving away […] Continue reading →

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Blog 1: size of the universe

Posted on January 18, 2024 by matthewastro

The size and scale of our universe is nearly incomprehensible. While many comparisons have been formulated to describe certain cosmological distance (such as from the Earth to the Moon, and so on), I believe that only one can even claim to do justice to the size of the universe. To gain even a slight comprehension […] Continue reading →

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Introduction

Posted on January 15, 2024 by matthewastro

My name is Matthew Moy. I am an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University. I am pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in Astronomy. I am passionate about learning more about astronomy and astrophysics. I am also the President and Founder of Vanderbilt Undergraduate Science Olympiad (VUSO). While we work on finishing our […] Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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