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Tag Archives: astronomy
The History of Astronomy
Astronomy, the scientific study of the universe and of the objects that exist naturally in space, is one of the oldest natural sciences to reach a high level of sophistication. The history of this science has impressive continuity and duration, as observed changes would take thousands, millions, and even billions of years. In 3000 BC,Continue reading “The History of Astronomy” Continue reading
Unfathomably Insignificant
It never fails to boggle my mind whenever I think about how vast and endless our universe truly is. Our cosmic address in the universe, beginning on Earth, to within our solar system, within the Milky Way Galaxy, within our Local Galactic Group, within the Virgo Supercluster, and within our Local Superclusters, is unbelievably microscopicContinue reading “Unfathomably Insignificant” Continue reading
exo… moons?
What are exomoons? Well, we have already studied exoplanets (short for extra-solar planets) which are planets that are not from our star system. Accordingly, exo-moons are moons that orbit planets that orbit stars that aren’t the Sun. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well exomoons get even more interesting. In fact, exomoons are currently the subject of…
Dark Matter and Dark Energy
One of the more peculiar parts of our universe is the presence of a great deal of mass that we cannot see. When looking at the gravitational effects on the mass in the universe, it is apparent that a significant amount of matter must be present but is not visible to us, leading to its … Continue reading Dark Matter and Dark Energy → Continue reading
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Archeoastronomy and the Newgrange monument
Newgrange is a monument located in County Meath, Ireland. This mysterious structure is estimated to be over 5,000 years old and was built by ancient inhabitants of Ireland during the Neolithic period. Since its construction, word of the structure was passed down through generations as part of Irish folklore. In the meantime, the mound-like shape…
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Tagged astro2110, astronomy, blog2
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Retrograde Motion simplified.
The path of Mars, as viewed from the Earth. Retrograde motion is the apparent backward motion of a planet caused by its being lapped by another planet, or vice-versa.1 These two planets are usually on two different orbits, a larger one and a smaller one, and they move around the sun … Continue reading Retrograde Motion simplified. → Continue reading
Copernicus in Context
Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus was born February 19, 1473 and died May 24, 1543. Copernicus‘ most important contribution to astronomy is his heliocentric model of the solar system that placed the Sun at a fixed point in the center, and depicted the planets orbiting the Sun. In this model, Earth was just another planet. The … Continue reading Copernicus in Context → Continue reading
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Using Stellarium for observing
“Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.” – Stellarium webpage Stellarium is an amazing bit of software to use for help with astronomical observing. It is free 🙂 and you can…
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Tagged astro2110, astronomy, blog1, Observations
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How Tiny Are We?
One of the most beautiful aspects of astronomy is learning about our place in the vast universe. Although we humans often feel as if we are the center of the universe, we are so tiny and so young compared to the whole cosmos. At around 20 years of age, most of us probably feel as […] Continue reading
Astronomy’s Lasting Influence on Human Thought
If my short study of Astronomy has taught one thing, it is how influential Astronomy has been on our way of thinking as a species. This influence can be seen in ancient times, when civilizations such as in Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica, Egypt, China, India, and Greece placed Astronomy and Astrology at the centers of their ideology, […] Continue reading
Posted in Class, Historical
Tagged astro2110, astronomy, blog8
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