Tag Archives: Solar System

A Different Spin on Scale

Posted on January 26, 2014 by jgarrett9

The universe is massive. We know it, we think we can understand it, but every time we see one of those pictures with a tiny Earth next to a huge star, it still blows our mind. So yes, based on the principle of size, I agree that we are tiny and insignificant compared to the… Continue reading →

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Star Walk: Planetarium in Your Pocket

Posted on January 25, 2014 by hollyreichert

When looking up into the sky at night, usually I can’t identify all the constellations above.  The Star Walk app knows where you are and tells you what stars and planets are above you.  You can hold it up wherever you are and it is like having a mobile planetarium.  Even in the city where […] Continue reading →

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An out of this world semester…

Posted on May 1, 2013 by sharpew

What a wild ride it has been for me in astronomy 201. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I am not strong in science, I took this course because I needed a credit for MNS and i sounded really interesting, and I didn’t know anyone in the class when it began. […] Continue reading →

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Extremo-cool-creatures

Posted on May 1, 2013 by sharpew

Extreomophiles are mircobes that can survive in ‘extreme’ environments. Our knowledge of these life forms forces us to reconsider the possibility of life on other planets because environments that seem inhospitable to us humans are actually hospitable for these extremophiles. There are several known types of extremophiles: thermophilies that can withstand extremely high temperatures, psychrophiles that can […] Continue reading →

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A Grim Future, Brightened by the Stars

Posted on April 29, 2013 by burnspress

For my culminating post, I want to reflect on how my perspective on space and the future of astronomy has changed over the course of Astronomy 201. Firstly, everything I learned in this course, from gravity and planetary formation to stars and habitable zones, has given me a fundamental and scientifically realistic understanding of space […] Continue reading →

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Semester in Review

Posted on April 28, 2013 by jhughes216

Final Thoughts… I have always been interested in space and the subject of astronomy. This is mainly because I was a huge Star Wars fan when I was younger and always hoped to see a ufo flying through the sky. However, after learning more on this subject I am truly amazed by all that our universe […] Continue reading →

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What excites me? Mars!!

Posted on April 28, 2013 by jacob933

Well, it’s been a great semester. I loved astronomy going into this class, and I love it even more going out. It definitely made me realize that planetary science is my favorite part of astronomy, and that’s why I’m pursuing the minor! However, I wanted to make this post about what excites me regarding the […] Continue reading →

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The Complex Chemistry of Titan

Posted on April 28, 2013 by jacob933

A recent experiment by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory simulating Titan’s atmosphere has shown that there is some exciting chemistry going on not only in it’s upper atmosphere, but in the lower atmosphere too! Before this, scientists had assumed that as you got closer to the surface, the air became “dull and inert.” However, this team […] Continue reading →

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The Constant Search For Life

Posted on April 25, 2013 by indianwm

In this past week, three new planets have been discovered in Kepler’s habitable zone. These three planets are announced to potentially host life. This may or may not be true, but the thought of finding planets slightly larger than earth that are in the Goldilocks zone is exciting in itself. For me, this is what […] Continue reading →

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UK Astrobiolgy Centre Searching For Life In Space

Posted on April 25, 2013 by indianwm

The UK atrobiology centre is seeking life outside of earth. The astrobiology field is still developing because we have not found any life forms of any kind outside of earth. But the UK centre is determined to succeed. They believe that Mars has a high probability of containing life. However, the surface of mars is […] Continue reading →

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