Tag Archives: blog5

Super Earths, what’s beyond the solar system?

Super Earth  CoRoT-7b next to Earth and Neptune for comparison, Source: Science News, Wikipedia The planets of the solar system, and the categories they fall into is basically common knowledge in this day and age. There are the rocky and dwarf worlds with a mass and size comparable or less than that of Earths. These […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Exoplanets | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Super Earths, what’s beyond the solar system?

Comets and Their Periods

Comets are characterized by their highly eccentric orbits and incredibly long periods. Comet Swift-Tuttle, for example, has an orbital period of 133 years. This is comparable to the orbital period of the furthest planet from the Sun, Neptune, which has a period of 165 years. From our perspective on Earth, 150 years is a long […] Continue reading

Posted in Class | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Comets and Their Periods

What is up with Io?

Today I wanted to talk about one of the most fascinating moons in the Solar System, Io is one of the four Galilean moons that orbits Jupiter, which are each large enough to be counted as planets or dwarf planets if they orbited the Sun. Io is covered in snow, and yet is by far […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Jovians, Moons | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What is up with Io?

Miranda

Uranus is the only planet in the Solar System that rotates on its side, with an axis tilt of 97.77 degrees. This is most likely the result of a large collision not long after the planet formed. Among Uranus’ moons, there is one in particular that has drawn my attention, one that is also likely […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, SolarSystem | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Miranda

Callisto, The Ugly Duckling

When it comes to Jupiter’s Galilean moons, Callisto is the odd one out. Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System, Io is the most volcanically active world in the Solar System, Europa has incredible, potentially life-bearing subsurface liquid oceans, and Callisto… looks as dead as Mercury. It does not take part in the […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Moons | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Callisto, The Ugly Duckling

Dwarf Planet Eris

Eris, the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System, was discovered in 2005 by a team of astronomers led by Mike Brown. With a diameter of approximately 2,326 kilometers, Eris is located in the outer Solar System and has an elliptical orbit that takes it from as close as 38.2 astronomical units (AU) to […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Science | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Dwarf Planet Eris

Strange Dwarf Planets!

We all recognize Pluto as one of the most famous dwarf planets in our solar system. Since its reclassification in 2006, moreover, it has continued to intrigue both astronomers and the general public. From its icy surface to its various moons, Pluto is an incredibly unique world. However, there are many more interesting dwarf planets […] Continue reading

Posted in Dwarf Planets, General, Science | Tagged , | Comments Off on Strange Dwarf Planets!

Pluto

Pluto is a particularly interesting dwarf planet, which […] Continue reading

Posted in Class | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Pluto

Mine

Gotteem. This ain’t about Valentine’s Day. Nor is it about Minecraft. Nor the seagulls from Finding Nemo. This is about asteroid mining. You’ve been jabaited. But stick around for the ride of your life, or well, a mildly exciting exploration of the next generation of mining. The Earth is limited in its resources, as we […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, General, Public Policy | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Mine

Blog5: Pluto

Since its unveiling in 1930, Pluto has occupied a special role in our exploration and understanding of the solar system. Although it no longer retains its status as the ninth planet, this mysterious celestial object has piqued the interest of astronomers, researchers, and the wider public through its elaborate geological features and ever-evolving atmosphere. In […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Observables | Tagged , | Comments Off on Blog5: Pluto