Tag Archives: technology

A Messenger From Afar

Posted on April 7, 2024 by John Newell

 ‘Oumuamua, our first confirmed Extrasolar Object On October 19th, 2017, a telescope at the University of Hawaii, called Pan-STARRS1 detected an object unlike any before observed in our Solar System. It was highly elongated (by a ratio of at least 10:1), completely inert (no dust floating around or behind), and composed of rock and possibly […] Continue reading →

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Upcoming Mission: Dragonfly

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Adriana Santos

Since our class is coming to a close, I have been curious about future astronomical missions. What will the students who take ASTR 2110 learn that we do not have access to yet? One of NASA’s upcoming missions in partnership with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, is called Dragonfly and it will be observing the […] Continue reading →

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SpaceTech – An Emerging Industry

Posted on April 7, 2024 by James Bamshad

The SpaceTech industry is filled with companies attempting to reduce costs and drive innovation in the world of space exploration. In this blog post, I will cover a few leading companies in this space. Continue reading →

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Exoplanet exploration: 700 light-years away

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Adriana Santos

It might seem strange that we are currently exploring planets that are so far away from us, especially since we cannot travel to them. But, these planets, called exoplanets or extrasolar planets can teach us a lot about star-system formation. We can then take this information and apply it to our own solar system! One […] Continue reading →

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Combining Forces: Nuclear Fusion in the Solar System

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Seth Creech

Business Insider Ignition Image Shown above is from the National Ignition Facility, where scientists successfully produced (and reproduced) a nuclear fusion reaction that had more energy output than input. The underlying math behind this lies in E=mc2, which shows that Mass (m) can be converted into a large amount of energy at the sacrifice of […] Continue reading →

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Blog 3: Fusion

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Jonas Kobza

We hear it all the time: Fusion is the future; it’s how the sun creates energy. But, how does it work? At its core, fusion generates energy by converting four hydrogen atoms (protons) into 1 helium atom with two neutrons (Helium-4 ). On the surface, it is hard to see how any energy is created […] Continue reading →

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Our Voyage

Posted on March 5, 2024 by John Newell

We have an innate desire to explore. If we look at our history as a species, that seems to be consistently true from the very beginning. But the frontier of space presents a distinct challenge from previous frontiers — it is simply SO large. Large enough, in fact, that for the first time in the […] Continue reading →

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Nature’s Closely Guarded Secret – Nuclear Fusion

Posted on March 5, 2024 by John Newell

We are, quite literally, made of stardust. Stars are the birthplace of many of the elements that make up our physical reality as we know it. Heavier elements (heavier than Iron, specifically) were created in a Supernova — a violent explosion of epic proportions at the end of a massive stars life. Inside of every […] Continue reading →

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Blog 4: Telescope Industry

Posted on March 4, 2024 by James Bamshad

Telescope Industry Size Projection The astronomical telescope industry is experiencing a gradual yet significant rise, with a projected market size of USD 1,298.71 million by 2031. This growth is driven by several key drivers, including technological advancements, increased interest in astronomy, and applications in education and research. Technological integration, such as the incorporation of digital […] Continue reading →

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Blog 3: Climate Change Startups!

Posted on March 4, 2024 by James Bamshad

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. With each passing year, the evidence of its devastating impacts becomes more apparent, from extreme weather events to biodiversity loss. Addressing this crisis requires urgent efforts across various sectors. In recent years, startups have emerged, helping fight against climate change, leveraging innovation and […] Continue reading →

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