Tag Archives: blog4

The Star-Crossed Fates of Phobos and Deimos

The planet Mars was named after Mars, who to the Romans was the God of War. Its two moons, Phobos and Deimos, carry the names of the Greek Gods of fear (from which we get phobia) and terror, respectively. However, despite the naming scheme that seems to be inspired by Death Metal, Phobos and Deimos … Continue reading The Star-Crossed Fates of Phobos and Deimos Continue reading

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What is St. Elmo’s Fire?

What is St. Elmo’s Fire? Well its not a 1980s “brat pack” movie, and it certainly has nothing to do with Sesame Street. In fact, St. Elmo’s Fire is a fascinating weather phenomenon that results from electrical charges in Earth’s atmosphere.  During (or shortly before/after) a thunderstorm, the difference in electrical charges between the air…

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Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus

    “Men are from Mars, women are from Venus” was a phrase I heard a lot when younger. It was meant to describe how men and women sometimes have such big differences that it is like we come from different planets. I never really thought too much about the expression when I was younger, … Continue reading Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus Continue reading

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Nuclear Fusion Here on Earth

Though nuclear fusion is most often talked about as something that takes place in the cores of stars, many people don’t realize that nuclear fusion has been produced by people here on Earth since the 1940s. Unfortunately for the first several decades that fusion occurred on Earth, it only served the purpose of destruction. Although … Continue reading Nuclear Fusion Here on Earth Continue reading

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Sunspots

Sunspots are areas of the sun that appear dark because they are cooler than their surroundings and are used as an indicator of solar activity. They are formed because material at the solar equator moves significantly faster than the materials at the poles, causing the magnetic field lines to become warped. If the magnetic field … Continue reading Sunspots Continue reading

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NASA Applied Sciences: Not just rocket science

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is known throughout the world as an organization whose focus in on what lies beyond Earth. A lesser-known NASA department, Applied Sciences, is an example of the opposite. Applied Sciences diverts resources and minds towards using satellite and aeronautical engineering for the Earth Sciences. Applied science measures air … Continue reading NASA Applied Sciences: Not just rocket science Continue reading

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Voyager 1

Voyager 1 is currently the farthest spacecraft we have ever sent out. It was launched in 1977 and is currently 141 AU or 13 billion miles away from Earth right now. It is traveling at 38,000 mph but has not even travel a full light day yet. The original purpose of the Voyager missions was … Continue reading Voyager 1 Continue reading

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Martian Dust Devils

  Martian dust devils are much like tornadoes on Earth. Both storms form the same way, but what distinguishes these dust devils from the tornadoes on Earth is that they are much bigger ( 1-2 km across and 8-10 km wide!) and the fact that dust devils occur much more frequently on Mars than tornadoes … Continue reading Martian Dust Devils Continue reading

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Martian Dust Devils

  Martian dust devils are much like tornadoes on Earth. Both storms form the same way, but what distinguishes these dust devils from the tornadoes on Earth is that they are much bigger ( 1-2 km across and 8-10 km wide!) and the fact that dust devils occur much more frequently on Mars than tornadoes … Continue reading Martian Dust Devils Continue reading

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Voyager 2

August 20, 1977. The flyby-type probe Voyager 2 was launched from Earth, destined to explore our Solar System and beyond. Passing by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, Voyager 2 carried with it instruments to relay close-up images of these Jovian planets, and a message from Earth to be read and listened to by those who … Continue reading Voyager 2 Continue reading

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