Tag Archives: Uncategorized

A Personal Satellite

Posted on April 9, 2014 by almetetj

Ardusat Breakdown Have you ever wished you could own your very own satellite? The space exploration hobbyist’s dream is coming true in a new arduino project called Ardusat. Developed by a company named Nanosatisfi, this product combines the open source user friendly interface of arduino technology with the space friendly CubeSat design platform. This project […] Continue reading →

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The Biggest Astronomical Question of Our Generation

Posted on April 9, 2014 by kaswat

Why is Pluto not a planet anymore? I mean, seriously? It makes us have to do things like rewrite textbooks and change our mnemonic devices.  What if we never find out the end of “My Very Earthly Mother Just Served Us Nine____”. Nine, what?!  Anyway, the bigger point here is what exactly defines a planet.… Continue reading →

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The Tunguska Asteroid

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Leigh

On June 30, 1908 an asteroid about 120 feet across entered Earth’s atmosphere and exploded above the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia. At an elevation of about 28,000 feet, the combination of pressure and heat made the space rock explode … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Any Sufficiently Advanced Technology is Indistinguishable from Awesome: Dyson Sphere!

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Sam Chance

In honor of Freeman Dyson’s upcoming visit, I thought we could talk about Dyson Spheres. A Dyson Sphere is a structure which surround a solar system and collects all of the energy which is given off by the star.  Dyson published this idea in his 1960 paper “Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infared Radiation“. … Continue reading Any Sufficiently Advanced Technology is Indistinguishable from Awesome: Dyson Sphere! → Continue reading →

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Nuclear Fusion, Power of The Future?

Posted on March 17, 2014 by almetetj

It is commonly accepted that energy produced by the Sun is the result of nuclear fusion, a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at high speeds to produce a new type of atomic nucleus in addition to large amounts of energy. This process, theoretically, is an idea power source as it produces zero carbon […] Continue reading →

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Dinnertime for our Supermassive Black Hole

Posted on March 17, 2014 by hughavanheesewijk

For the first time we will be able to see our supermassive black consume a gas cloud. We have not been able to see our black hole in action yet so this provides an excellent opportunity to learn more about this mysterious thing at the middle of our galaxy. However, scientists are not really sure […] Continue reading →

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The Mystery of Chaco Canyon

Posted on February 17, 2014 by haydenwalling

Chaco Canyon in New Mexico is one of the largest archeoastronmical sites in the world. The site is an artifact of the Pueblo peoples of north america and is now a protected national heritage site. Archeologists estimate that the main architectual landmark, the great Kiva of Chetro Keti, was constructed between 900 and 1150 AD. […] Continue reading →

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Blog #4: Telescopes

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Lauren

Even though I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, I have never taken the time to visit the renowned Griffith Observatory until this past winter break.  After my trip, I found my awestruck in wonder by the breathtaking beauty of the night sky.  It is difficult to see stars in the city since […] Continue reading →

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Blog Post #3: Defying Gravity

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Lauren

It always blew my mind that despite the vastness of the universe, there was a central force that centered it all.  Just thinking about how far away the sun is from the earth, but how a certain force (gravity) can still pull the two together past the distance to create an orbit and a revolution […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 10, 2014 by forestcsharp

My Chosen Astronomer: Johannes Kepler Picture via NASA Johannes Kepler was born in 1571 and died in 1630. Historical Events During Kepler’s Life In 1580, Francis Drake completed his circumnavigation of the globe. In 1605, Cervantes’s ‘Don Quixote de la … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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