Category Archives: Observables

things we can see from Earth using our eyeballs or telescopes

Giant Planets

Posted on November 17, 2024 by jasonljohnson465

Image from NASA In our Solar System, the giant planets are the outer four of the eight planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In other words, they are the Jovian planets. However, these planets are split into two categories of giant planets: gas giant and ice giant. While all four of the planets are gaseous […] Continue reading →

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Pluto

Posted on November 17, 2024 by jasonljohnson465

Image from NASA Pluto was once the 9th planet of our Solar System. However, it has since been rebranded as a “dwarf planet.” Pluto is located in a distant region of the Solar System called the Kuiper Belt, found beyond the location of Neptune. Pluto was discovered in 1930 by an astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh […] Continue reading →

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Retrograde Motion

Posted on September 23, 2024 by jasonljohnson465

Diagram of Retrograde Motion Retrograde motion is when the motion of a planet seems to reverse direction in the sky. The name of this phenomenon is derived from the Latin word retrogradus, which means “going backward.” This motion, however, is purely an illusion as the planet’s motion does not actually change and start moving backward […] Continue reading →

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A New Era of Stargazing

Posted on April 24, 2024 by liamoneill95

This beach pictured on Nantucket Island is my favorite place on Earth, and the origin of my interest in astronomy and curiosity of what lies beyond what we know. This beach is on the tip of the island, making light pollution a limited issue and allowing for incredible stargazing when the sun sets beyond the […] Continue reading →

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The Moon

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Maddy Pollard

Last night I got to go observing for the first time! We used telescopes to look at three different astronomical objects, but my favorite thing to look at was the Moon. It was in the waxing gibbous phase, but it was so close to being full that it looked like a perfect circle (see the […] Continue reading →

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Life on Mars?

Posted on April 22, 2024 by liamoneill95

Does life/did life once exist in areas of the solar system outside of our home planet Earth? In trying to answer this question, we turn to our closest neighbor and most likely candidate, Mars. As of right now, there is no evidence, past or present, that Mars has ever been home to life. That being […] Continue reading →

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THE SUN

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Thomas Shelton

OK K.O.! To put it simply, the Sun is fascinating. A simple symbol that all children put in the upper corner of their drawings is actually so much more. The Sun is what holds together our Solar System. Standing at a whopping size with a diameter of 865,000 miles (over 100 times bigger than that […] Continue reading →

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The Universe’s Greatest Mystery That Threatens the Fabric of Physics

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Landon Peaden

Wikipedia The foundational aspect of science is that a scientific theory that explains something about the natural world must be repeatedly tested and confirmed. If it cannot apply to every situation that meets the requisite parameters, then it is not a theory. Some information or calibration is missing, and the theory will be refined. Dark […] Continue reading →

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Blog 2: Ancient Mayan Astronomy

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Mackenna Guadagnoli

Thousands of years before telescopes and computers, the ancient Mayans had the ability to predict eclipses and track retrograde motion. They are some of the most advanced astronomers of the ancient world. Astronomy was a central part of Mayan culture. Calendars were based on the movements of the Sun, moon, and planets and festivals, rituals, and […] Continue reading →

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Blog 1: Eclipse Chasers

Posted on January 23, 2024 by liamoneill95

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will happen in North America. For those in Nashville, a mere 2-3 hour drive will allow viewers to witness it. For some, it is worth the journey to witness this rare occurrence, and for others perhaps not. For a select few, however, it is always worth the […] Continue reading →

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