Tag Archives: blog7

Life on Moons

Posted on April 9, 2014 by paanvaannd

<Image for this post taken from here> The Galilean moons, especially Europa, have been objects of interest for decades for scientists interested in finding life in our own solar system. Europa’s relatively young surface is, for the most part, devoid of the pockmarked landscapes that signify a geologically inactive world, meaning that there must be … Continue reading Life on Moons → Continue reading →

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Asteroids and Orbital Resonance

Posted on April 9, 2014 by dhbrett

Why is there an asteroid belt in our solar system, and why is it located where it is? The main asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter, and it was formed by an effect called orbital resonance. Orbital resonance occurs when the gravity fields of two objects align. Because Jupiter was so large during … Continue reading Asteroids and Orbital Resonance → Continue reading →

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Life on Europa?

Posted on April 9, 2014 by thomasridgway

Europa is proposed to be a top contender in the possibility of having extraterrestrial life. Under the ice, the oceans …

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Ganymede Has a Hidden Ocean, and I Think That’s So Cool

Posted on April 9, 2014 by claremcdaniel

Ganymede is my personal favorite moon (sorry, Luna) because it has a hidden ocean inside of it, and I cannot get over that! I mean, sandwiched in between an external layer of icy matters and the core is an entire … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Europa’s Ocean

Posted on April 9, 2014 by blankster22

We often think that liquid water is the answer to life in the universe. While it certainly makes some forms of life possible, it doesn’t guarantee their existence. If it did, we would certainly not be alone, even in this solar system, as several Galilean moons are thought to have sub-surface water oceans. The most […] Continue reading →

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The Biggest Astronomical Question of Our Generation

Posted on April 9, 2014 by kaswat

Why is Pluto not a planet anymore? I mean, seriously? It makes us have to do things like rewrite textbooks and change our mnemonic devices.  What if we never find out the end of “My Very Earthly Mother Just Served Us Nine____”. Nine, what?!  Anyway, the bigger point here is what exactly defines a planet.… Continue reading →

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Neptune

Posted on April 9, 2014 by mariah0407

When I was in elementary school, I had to do a project on a planet.  I chose Neptune!  I spent hours coming up with a presentation and making a model.  Sadly, I don’t remember a lot from that presentation, but I’ve decided to brush up on my knowledge.  Neptune is a bright blue color and has […] Continue reading →

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The Curious Case of the Two-Tailed Comet

Posted on April 9, 2014 by zkorman

We’ve all pictured it in our heads: a comet, whizzing through the solar system, leaving behind a long, bright, stunning tail showing where it’s been and implying its prograde (forward) velocity direction. I used to think this was the case too. and then I learned later in life that a comet’s tail is only visible … Continue reading The Curious Case of the Two-Tailed Comet → Continue reading →

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The definition of “planet”

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Drew Hamilton

Ever since the IAU gathered in Prague in 2006 and published a new scientific definition of “planet”, there has been debate on how well they did, and whether they were right to “demote” Pluto from planet to the new “dwarf planet” classification. I aim here to critique the IAU’s definition of a planet. First, here… Continue reading →

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The Largest body not to get the planetary nod

Posted on April 8, 2014 by haydenwalling

Ganymede is the largest body in the solar system not to receive the distinction of being a planet ranking at number 9 in size for the solar system. Larger than even mercury, Ganymede is approximately 41.3% the radius of Earth yet strangely is comprised out of only 2.5% its mass. The ultra light moon lacks […] Continue reading →

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