Tag Archives: Uncategorized

These Are Not the Droids We’re Looking For

Posted on March 15, 2016 by evinske

Knowledge is power. We want more and more of it. It’s no surprise, then, that we see the Solar System as a well full of knowledge we’ve never encountered before. So, we send spacecrafts out into the Solar System, looking for information. We want pictures, data, surprises, and (now) sound. We’re obsessed. But we too often […] Continue reading →

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Nuclear Fusion: Our Potential Savior?

Posted on March 10, 2016 by paxtonastronomy

Nuclear fusion is what powers main sequence stars to shine so brightly and for so long. In the most basic sense, nuclear fusion is the process in which 2+ atomic nuclei crash together. When this occurs with nuclei of lower masses, energy is released. However, the process isn’t as simple as it sounds. An extreme […] Continue reading →

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Terraforming Mars: Exploring The World Of Cosmic Cosmetics

Posted on March 10, 2016 by andyastronomer

If there is anything we have learned from observing the universe, it’s that Earth is incredibly unique. Of course, we could find out soon enough how utterly ordinary we are should we discover Earth-like planets bearing life beyond our Solar System, but until, we seem to be pretty special. Nasa’s Kepler Mission has discovered tens of […] Continue reading →

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Olympus Mons

Posted on March 9, 2016 by alecsolarsystem

Mars is the home of the largest volcano in the Solar System: Olympus Mons. It stands 22km above the surface of Mars, and is it so wide it takes up an incredible 300,000 square kilometers of land. In comparison, Mt. Everest is only 8.8km tall, and Olympus Mons is approximately the size of Italy. As seen in […] Continue reading →

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The Simplicity of Science

Posted on February 17, 2016 by paxtonastronomy

When studying science, something that often overwhelms or pushes people away is the apparently complexity of it. In chemistry, a lot of people give up when they reach organic; in physics, some people just can’t get past certain theories. However, when reading about the nature of science in chapter three, something occurred to me: science […] Continue reading →

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The Slowest Speed of Light

Posted on February 16, 2016 by nickwtheastronomer

Quickly imagine the speed of light. It’s fast right? I’m sure you’ve been taught that the average speed of light falls somewhere around 3 x 10^8 m/s (6.706 x 10^8 mph) and you are partially correct. But what if I told you that you would have been equally right with an answer of just 38 […] Continue reading →

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Project Orion: Riding Atomic Explosions into Space

Posted on February 16, 2016 by nickwtheastronomer

From the LSD-laden project MK Ultra to the ill-fated foray into psychic warfare that was Stargate Project, the U.S. government has sanctioned some truly strange studies over the past century. But one research endeavor stands out among all the others throught its sheer magnitude, ridiculousness, and surprising potential. I am talking, of course, about Project Orion. […] Continue reading →

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HW #B4 – To Blink Or Not To Blink

Posted on February 16, 2016 by evinske

On a warm night this summer on Edisto Island, SC, my friends and I took to the beach to go shrimping. The after-dark escapade turned into a feeding frenzy, reaping monstrous crustaceans with beady, red eyes. The younger kids eventually took turns in the water, and I sat on a sand dune and looked up at the clear […] Continue reading →

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Limitations of Gravitational Slingshots in our Solar System

Posted on February 16, 2016 by chasejaeger

The use of gravity assist has been an integral part of space exploration. Gravitational slingshots have been used time and time again to send spacecraft to areas that would be impossible to get to otherwise by providing the spacecraft with increased speed. Accordingly, spacecrafts are able to get places faster and use less fuel. (Voyager […] Continue reading →

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Limitations of Gravitational Slingshots in our Solar System

Posted on February 16, 2016 by chasejaeger

The use of gravity assist has been an integral part of space exploration. Gravitational slingshots have been used time and time again to send spacecraft to areas that would be impossible to get to otherwise by providing the spacecraft with increased speed. Accordingly, spacecrafts are able to get places faster and use less fuel. (Voyager […] Continue reading →

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