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Tag Archives: blog2
Spectroscopy and Stars
While it may seem impossible to be able to identify the types of elements that stars billions of light years away are made of, scientists discovered a way to do exactly that. In the 1850s, Kirchhoff and Bunsen managed to identify what the black lines in light spectra meant, and it allowed them to identifyContinue reading “Spectroscopy and Stars” Continue reading
Posted in Stars
Tagged astro2110, astronomy, blog2, Solar System, spectroscopy
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Newton and His Laws
Isaac Newton is a household name for his invention of calculus, laws of motion, and realization that gravity exists in the heavens (contrary to Aristotle’s beliefs!). College students that have studied introductory physics or math may have been exposed to Newton’s three laws of motion, but how exactly are they relevant in the context of … Continue reading Newton and His Laws → Continue reading
Tidal Friction: a 5 hour long day to a month long day
Due to the Universal law of gravitation, we know that objects of equal mass have a larger gravitation force between them when they are closer together. Because the near side of the Earth is closer to the Moon than the far side of the Earth, the force between the Moon and the near side ofContinue reading “Tidal Friction: a 5 hour long day to a month long day” Continue reading
Wanderers of Space
In this post we will talk about the concept of retrograde motion. If you watch the movement of planets, it is actually quite complex. The word planet comes from a greek term meaning “wandering star”. Planets typically move eastward throughout the constellations. When there is apparent retrograde motion the planets are moving westward throughout theContinue reading “Wanderers of Space” Continue reading
Stonehenge and Archeoastronomy
Stonehenge is one of the most easily recognizable sites across the globe. Often designated as one of the wonders of the ancient world, Stonehenge has both fascinated and confounded humanity for centuries. While some may still argue about how Stonehenge came to exist, whether it be aliens, magic, or old-fashioned hard work and sweat, oneContinue reading “Stonehenge and Archeoastronomy” Continue reading
Posted in Aliens, Historical
Tagged Archeoastronomy, astro2110, blog2, stonehenge
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The Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Deployed in 1990, the telescope is responsible for many of the discoveries made about distant solar systems and galaxies. According to the Nasa website, the Hubble “has made more than 1.4 million observations.” Without this great invention, we would still in be in the darkContinue reading “The Hubble Space Telescope” Continue reading
Examining Historical Astronomy Through the Lens of Fiction
Humans have been studying the skies for millennia with our theories about how space works evolving and growing over the same amount of time. Today, our understanding of astronomy is based primarily on natural and mathematical laws that allow us to evaluate and understand the heavens objectively. However, humanity’s understanding of astronomy has not always … Continue reading Examining Historical Astronomy Through the Lens of Fiction → Continue reading
Posted in Historical
Tagged astro2110, blog2, me
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Gravity of a Mysterious Object
Credit: Caltech/R.Hurt (IPAC) We know that there are 8 planets in the Solar System. This is a fact. You would be crazy to think that there is a 9th planet out there orbiting beyond Pluto. After all, if there was a 9th planet, why haven’t we seen it yet? Well, meet Konstantin Batygin, a professorContinue reading “Gravity of a Mysterious Object” Continue reading
Posted in Small SS Objects
Tagged astro2110, blog2, gravity, planets, Solar System
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Blog #2: Archaeoastronomy at El Castillo
El Castillo, also known as The Temple of Kukulcan, is a ceremonial structure in service to the Mayan deity of Kukulcan, ” the feathered serpent god”. The mesoamerican temple is the central architectural structure of the Chichen Itza archeological site located in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, and was constructed by the Maya around 800Continue reading “Blog #2: Archaeoastronomy at El Castillo” Continue reading
Eppur Si Muove
… were the words (supposedly) quietly uttered by Galileo following his trial with the Catholic church. The Church disapproved of his support of the Copernican system which depicted the Sun being at the center of our solar system with Earth orbiting it. This contrasted with the Church’s view that we were at the center ofContinue reading “Eppur Si Muove” Continue reading