Category Archives: Instruments

includes telescopes and space probes

The Constant Search For Life

Posted on April 25, 2013 by indianwm

In this past week, three new planets have been discovered in Kepler’s habitable zone. These three planets are announced to potentially host life. This may or may not be true, but the thought of finding planets slightly larger than earth that are in the Goldilocks zone is exciting in itself. For me, this is what […] Continue reading →

Posted in Aliens, Historical, Instruments, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Constant Search For Life

UK Astrobiolgy Centre Searching For Life In Space

Posted on April 25, 2013 by indianwm

The UK atrobiology centre is seeking life outside of earth. The astrobiology field is still developing because we have not found any life forms of any kind outside of earth. But the UK centre is determined to succeed. They believe that Mars has a high probability of containing life. However, the surface of mars is […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Observables | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on UK Astrobiolgy Centre Searching For Life In Space

TESS: a New Eye in the Sky

Posted on April 10, 2013 by zvgio

NASA has a new project set to launch in 2017 and it’s going to be big. The TESS project will be tasked with the most trendy task in astronomy these days: finding exoplanets. Using a slew of wide-view cameras, TESS will peer tirelessly at the stars looking for “transits,” or dips in brightness when an […] Continue reading →

Posted in Exoplanets, Instruments | Tagged , , | Comments Off on TESS: a New Eye in the Sky

Final Maven Instrument for Mars

Posted on April 8, 2013 by indianwm

The instrument above will be fitted on Mars Atmosphere and Volotile and Evolution spacecraft, or MAVEN. This instrument is a spectrometer for neutral gas and ion mass which will test the upper atmosphere of Mars. This instrument is important so we can understand the changes that have occurred within the upper atmosphere and analyze the […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Observables, Space Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Final Maven Instrument for Mars

Dark Matter Discovered?

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Megan C

Scientists announced today that they may have finally found dark matter. Dark matter is the invisible matter making up most of the universe, but scientists can’t see it because it emits no light.  Scientists only know it exists because dark matter’s gravity bends light – gravitational lensing – and because stars are orbiting in galaxies […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Dark Matter Discovered?

GRAIL Maps the Gravity of the Moon

Posted on March 20, 2013 by JT McJunkins

  Twin NASA probes orbiting the moon for the Gravity Recovery and Interior Labority (GRAIL) mission have created the most highly detailed gravity field map of any celestial body. Pictured above, this map reveals an abundance of features includ… Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Moons, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on GRAIL Maps the Gravity of the Moon

Mars: Trend in Water Presence

Posted on March 19, 2013 by indianwm

Last week, the Mars rover named Curiosity, found evidence for water-bearing minerals in rocks. The rover Curiosity was launched in 2011 from Cape Canaveral and landed on Mars in August, 2012. This rover is equipped with many devices that have multiple uses for observing and testing the terrain and environment on Mars. Among these is […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Observables, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mars: Trend in Water Presence

Voyager 2 and Its Solar System Exploration

Posted on March 19, 2013 by indianwm

Voyager 2 is the second spacecraft to explore the outer solar system, following the Voyager 1. However, Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft that has accomplished the task of studying Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune at close distances. Voyager 2 was launched on August 20th, 1977 to study the outer solar system, as well as […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments, Observables, Science, Space Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Voyager 2 and Its Solar System Exploration

Magellan to the New World

Posted on March 16, 2013 by a2megal

In class we recently discussed the four primary types of robotic missions that we can send into space: flyby orbiter lander or probe sample return mission In general the concept of sending physical objects into space so that we can collect data about plates, stars, or anything really that we can’t directly observe here on […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Magellan to the New World

The Webb Space Telescope: the Future of Viewing the Past

Posted on February 20, 2013 by zvgio

Every time you look at the stars , you are looking back in time. The universe is a big place and light takes time to move through it, so if you’re currently admiring Polaris, the photons hitting your eyes have been traveling for about 434 years to reach you. That may seem like a long […] Continue reading →

Posted in Instruments | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Webb Space Telescope: the Future of Viewing the Past