Emma
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Evidence vs. Belief
I remember something my ninth grade advanced biology teacher told our class. It was essentially a story about an invisible dragon. Now why, you ask, would a biology teacher teach us about an invisible dragon? Her message had nothing to…
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The True Brightness of Stars
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and noticed that while relatively bright stars outline the constellations, there are numerous other stars that are almost too faint to see with the naked eye? If you ever noticed this,…
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Stars and Proper Motion
Recognize this constellation? Well, at the time stamp of about 2000 AD (CE), I think you will. It’s one of the most famous constellations in the night sky. Well, technically, it’s not a constellation at all. It’s an asterism — a…
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Distances Between Stars
When you look up into the sky on a clear night away from the glare of the city, you see trillions upon trillions of stars. Thousands of years ago, the classical astronomers saw the same thing you do today — except…
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Solar Weather
When you hear the word “weather,” you probably think of clouds and lightning bolts and rainstorms. Maybe, if you live in particularly high elevation or latitude, you think snowstorms or even blizzards. We humans are used to these weather patterns.…
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The Sun’s Magnetic Show
Do you recognize the name Galileo Galilei? Galileo was the classical astronomer who made the drawing above. I have little idea what his writing actually says — it’s in Latin — but it’s clear enough what this early diagram is…
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Spots on the Sun
Have you ever looked at the sun, and seen something like this? Now, before you decide to look at it right now and see what you see, it’s my responsibility as an amateur astronomer to remind you of the safety…
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The Solar Neutrino
Ever heard of a neutrino? Well, I guess now you have. But what exactly is a neutrino? Don’t worry, they’re not harmful. They’re passing through you this very second and you’ll never notice them, not in your whole life. They’ll never…
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Energy Flow from the Sun’s Core
Ask any climate scientist how we should power our world without fossil fuels, and they’re bound to tell you about wind and solar power. You might be surprised to know that both of these come from the sun. Solar panels…
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The Proton-Proton Chain
Take a wild guess: how much energy do you think the sun generates? Think about it. It definitely generates enough energy to power a world. Humans depend on the photosynthesis of plants, which converts sunlight into energy. And that’s not…
