Author Archives: AndreaS

Future Visits to Solar System Worlds

Posted on May 2, 2022 by AndreaS

Now that I have learned a great deal about the Solar System, I am looking forward to keeping track of the ongoing and future missions sending spacecraft to various worlds in the solar system. This post will outline some highlights of upcoming missions, as well as their objectives. Additionally, these missions are the ones focused […] Continue reading →

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Extremophiles in Space

Posted on May 1, 2022 by AndreaS

Extremophiles are lifeforms that can survive in what we would consider extreme conditions, such as very hot, cold, acidic, or salty environments. Since the various worlds we have observed in the Solar System are vastly different from Earth, astrobiologists predict that if any lifeforms exist in these places, they would be extremophiles. In this post, […] Continue reading →

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The Moons of Saturn

Posted on April 17, 2022 by AndreaS

There are many moons of Saturn, but the two largest are Titan and Enceladus. Titan is an enormous moon, the second largest in the Solar System after Jupiter’s Ganymede. It is notable for its thick atmosphere, which is made up of mostly Nitrogen compounds. Its surface is characterized as geologically young, with evidence of lakes […] Continue reading →

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The Moons of Jupiter

Posted on April 17, 2022 by AndreaS

Jupiter has many moons, but the largest of them are the Galilean moon, Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io. This post will explore the defining features of these Jovian moons. The largest of Jupiter’s moons is Ganymede, the largest moon in the Solar System. In fact, Ganymede is larger than Mercury. This moon has a liquid […] Continue reading →

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The Evolution of Earth’s Atmosphere

Posted on March 22, 2022 by AndreaS

So many of Earth’s features today, from our blue sky to life itself, depend on the atmosphere surrounding the planet, but it has taken billions of years to evolve to where it is today. This post will explore the evolution and progression of Earth’s atmosphere as well as the processes that led to these changes. […] Continue reading →

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The Orion Nebula

Posted on March 21, 2022 by AndreaS

If you have participated in observing for class, then you have seen through a telescope the Orion Nebula. Nebulae are star-forming regions that when studied can tell us lots about how stars and solar systems come to be, and the Orion Nebula is no different. When we look at the Orion Nebula through a telescope, […] Continue reading →

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Historical Vanderbilt Astronomer

Posted on February 20, 2022 by AndreaS

If you have spent much time in E. Bronson Ingram residential college on Vanderbilt’s campus, you may have noticed that part of the dorm is named after one Edward Emerson Barnard. As it turns out, Barnard was an astronomer who attended the university from 1883-1887. His research focused on observation and photography of stars and […] Continue reading →

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Historical Astronomers in Context

Posted on February 10, 2022 by AndreaS

In this post we will be discussing Galileo Galilei in context of his historical era. But first, a little detail about Galilei himself. Galileo Galilei is notable for his astronomical work with the telescope. Using the apparatus that could magnify objects to 20 times their size, he was able to observe the surface of the […] Continue reading →

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Nashville’s Partial Lunar Eclipse

Posted on January 30, 2022 by AndreaS

Last November, Nashville witnessed a near-total lunar eclipse. Many of you likely remember hearing about it on the news or even stayed up late to see it – but why the commotion? What made this particular event noteworthy? To understand this, we will first explore the phenomena of lunar eclipses in general. Lunar eclipses occur […] Continue reading →

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Welcome!

Posted on January 23, 2022 by AndreaS

Hello my name is Andrea and I am a senior studying chemical engineering at Vanderbilt. This blog will explore space and space-related content. Enjoy! Continue reading →

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