Tag Archives: blog8

Titan

Titan is the largest of Saturn’s moons, and one of the biggest moons in our solar system period, 50% larger than our own moon. In my opinion, it’s also one of the coolest. While it’s not exactly the prettiest to look at, kind of just being a grosser and hazier version of Saturn minus theContinue reading “Titan” Continue reading

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The Diversity of The Solar System

After being in ASTR 2110, my biggest takeaway is probably the intense diversity that exists in our own solar system. Everything here is all made from the same protoplanetary disk, yet we have small terrestrial dwarf planets, medium sized terrestrial planets, and gas giants. How can the same material that made Venus’ thick atmosphere alsoContinue reading “The Diversity of The Solar System” Continue reading

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Supermassive Blackholes and the Milky Way

In 1993, radio engineer Karl Janksy was recording 20.5 MHz radio waves when he noticed something strange. He could clearly classify majority of the waves received into either distant or nearby thunderstorms. However, there was a third type of static that he could not explain. Janksy put on his detective hat and, after many monthsContinue reading “Supermassive Blackholes and the Milky Way” Continue reading

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The Northern Lights

The northern lights are one of Earth’s beautiful sights that everyone wants to see. However, little people actually know how they occur. The northern lights, which are aurora, are caused by electrified gas from the Sun getting caught by Earth’s magnetic field which leads to the North and South poles. These particles from the sun […] Continue reading

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Farewell, InSight Lander!

On Saturday, May 5, NASA is launching its newest Mars lander. The Mars InSight lander is set to arrive at Mars in November. This spacecraft is a first of its kind because it will be launched from the West Coast unlike other launches to Mars. More importantly, however, this lander is unique because it will … Continue reading “Farewell, InSight Lander!” Continue reading

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Expanding Our Minds: The Science Behind the Expansion of the Universe

You’ve probably heard of the name Hubble before. “Hey, isn’t that that big telescope that’s out in space taking pictures of the universe?” And, you would be right if you did ask such a question. But, like many things that are named and sent to space, these names have a meaning. The history of the… Continue Reading → Continue reading

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How Will the Universe End?

Just like everything in life, the universe will eventually meet its demise. And while this event is not expected to happen for some time (estimates range from 2.8 to 22 billion years from now), scientists are wasting no time in theorizing about the end of everything. When scientists first started researching the beginning of the … Continue reading How Will the Universe End? Continue reading

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How Will the Universe End?

Just like everything in life, the universe will eventually meet its demise. And while this event is not expected to happen for some time (estimates range from 2.8 to 22 billion years from now), scientists are wasting no time in theorizing about the end of everything. When scientists first started researching the beginning of the … Continue reading How Will the Universe End? Continue reading

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The Expanding Universality of the Cosmic Perspective is Fundamental to Human Prosperity

To call back to the late Carl Sagan, the study of astronomy is a humbling experience. The vast scale of the Universe is beyond true understanding relative to the human experience. Yet it is through the study of this  incomprehensible immensity that one develops a regard for the significance an ever growing cosmic perspective affords … Continue reading The Expanding Universality of the Cosmic Perspective is Fundamental to Human Prosperity Continue reading

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The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST)

WFIRST, which stands for Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope, is NASA’s observatory that is designed to research the area of dark energy, exoplanets, as well as infrared astrophysics for six years. WFIRST’s primary mirror is 2.4 meters, which is 7.9 feet, in diameter. This size is the same as the size of Hubble Space Telescope’s … Continue reading The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Continue reading

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