Tag Archives: technology

Spacecraft

Our solar system is full of many mysteries, and spacecraft are one of the main ways we can gather information about it. There are four types of robotic spacecraft: flybys, orbiters, landers and probes, and sample return missions.  Flybys travel past a world only once, and then continue on their way into space. Because of […] Continue reading

Posted in Instruments, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Spacecraft

Blog 2— Historical Context: the Ptolemaic Model

The Ptolemaic Model stood as the most accurate way to predict the movement of planets for 1,500 years, even though it was a geocentric model. This obviously serious error in the model caused there to be small inaccuracies in the predictive abilities of the model, but it was the best incorrect model created, so it […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Historical | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 2— Historical Context: the Ptolemaic Model

Blog 2 – Forecasting Tides

Image Source Have you ever wondered how we predict the rise and fall of tides? Tides are driven by the gravitational forces of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, and has been a relevant subject to astronomers for hundreds of years. In a general sense, we are able to predict the timing of high vs. low […] Continue reading

Posted in Moons | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Blog 2 – Forecasting Tides

Observational Limitation, Scientific Innovation

Our telescopes just keep impressing. There are just so many limitations, on a physics level, that prevent us from observing the Universe around us. Telescopes are hindered by light pollution and atmospheric disturbances on Earth, preventing them from peering into extreme distances. In space itself, obstructions such as gas clouds block our view of more […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Science | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Observational Limitation, Scientific Innovation

Historical Astronomers in Context

Johhanes Kepler was important to astronomy for many reasons, the major reason was for his 3 laws of planetary motion. One of them was that the planets orbit elliptical around the sun. Another is the square of the orbital period of a planet being proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of orbit. (Link) […] Continue reading

Posted in Historical, Science | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Historical Astronomers in Context

The Universe and Me

     Looking back on the whole course, I felt like I learned so much about our solar system and beyond. I think it’s important to understand where you come from so you can better understand yourself and your place in the universe. Now, I definitely know more about the theory behind the formation of our solar […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Universe and Me

The Drake Equation and its Implications

     I’ve always wondered if there was life like humans in space, and thanks to the Drake equation, I’m now 99.9% sure there are multiple alien civilizations as advanced, if not more advanced, than us in our own galaxy. The Drake Equation hypothesizes that the number of alien civilizations that can communicate can be calculated with […] Continue reading

Posted in Aliens, Class | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Drake Equation and its Implications

Cumulative Post Featuring the JUICE Launch

As I reflect on my blog posts this semester as well as overall topics within the class, I appreciate the time aspect. By that I mean that we have examined the past, present, and future of astronomy. My blogs included everything from the Carrington Event, a result of a large solar flare in 1859, to […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Space Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Cumulative Post Featuring the JUICE Launch

Artemis

Since there has not been another moon landing. Until now. In 2024, Artemis 2 will launch and send the first person of color and the first woman to the moon. This mission’s goal is to establish the first long-term occupancy on the moon. This mission is the first step to then sending our astronauts to […] Continue reading

Posted in Observables, Physics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Artemis

The Most Extreme Extremophile

An extremophile is an organism which is able to survive in the harshest of conditions. Acidophiles thrive in very acidic conditions, thermophiles thrive in environments with extremely high temperatures, psychrophiles thrive in very very low temperatures. There are many other types of extremophiles, one for every type of harsh environment in which organisms thrive in. […] Continue reading

Posted in Aliens, Science | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Most Extreme Extremophile