Earth
-
A Solar System Tour
In the grand scheme of the universe, planets are small. But that doesn’t make them unimportant. We live on a planet. Understanding how planets form and how the evolution of their solar system affects them is critical to answering one…
-
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
March 2024: This post has been updated and republished from Sept 2017. Show of hands — who’s heard about the lunar eclipse coming up on March 14? As I always do for eclipses, both solar and lunar, I’ve spruced up…
-
What is an Annular Eclipse?
Sept 2024: This post has been updated and republished from Sept 2017. First of all, my apologies for missing the last few weeks of posts. I’ve been completely bogged down with physics homework! (Ironic that I’m missing physics-related posts in…
-
What is a Solar Eclipse?
March 2024: This post has been updated and republished from Sept 2017. A solar eclipse is the most amazing astronomical sight you’ll ever see. Not only is it the only time you’ll ever be able to clearly see the “new…
-
How Lightning Strikes
There’s a saying that “lightning strikes whatever’s tallest.” But this is only partly true. Tall objects do attract lightning bolts, but there’s a second condition for lightning to strike: electrical conductivity. Meaning, a lightning bolt will only strike an object…
-
What Causes the Lunar Phases?
We see it almost every night of our lives. For thousands of years, the greatest philosophers and astronomers alike have watched its face change and wondered why. Step outside and observe the moon every day for a month and you…
-
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…
-
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.…
-
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…
-
Infrared & High-Energy Astronomy
You probably recognize this image. You see something like it whenever you look up at the sky. Some days are clearer than others — some, you might even see a completely blue sky — but regardless, you know that this…
