Category Archives: Science

There’s a Star in the East

Posted on January 4, 2019 by mossjon314159

Long winter nights. Crisp clear skies. Denser colder atmosphere. These are a few of my favorite things during the winter months and they add up to darker skies and brighter stars.  This weekend also has a few things going for … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Jupiter, Mercury, Science, Seasons, Solar System, STEM, Venus, Winter | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted on December 5, 2017 by mossjon314159

My final astronomy discussion topic attempts to answer “Why are some wavelengths of radio emission better than others in searching for extraterrestrial civilizations?”   Radio waves can travel immense distances without being significantly altered by interstellar medium.  They penetrate dust … Continue reading →

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Universal Song Remains the Same and Beyond All the Light We Cannot See

Posted on November 28, 2017 by mossjon314159

For such a small chapter, this week’s topic on Cosmology has some large and deep concepts.  I’m attempting to delve into “How did the period of inflation cause the universe to become homogeneous and isotropic?” Definitions Big Bang ~ Universe … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Science | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Just A Sun-Day Drive Around the Galactic Neighborhood

Posted on November 15, 2017 by mossjon314159

This week I’m tackling the subject of our Sun’s motion through the Milky Way Galaxy and approximately how long one orbit is. The Milky Way Galaxy has two major spiral arms, named the Perseus Arm and the Scutum-Centaurus Arm.  There … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Deep Sky, Galaxies, Milky Way, Science, STEM | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Stellar Death Blasts

Posted on November 7, 2017 by mossjon314159

This week I discuss types of supernovae, specifically relating to the scenario where “Hydrogen lines are prominent in Type II supernovae but absent in Type Ia.  Type Ia supernovae decline gradually for more than a year, whereas  Type II supernovae … Continue reading →

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Flashy, Bizarre, Weird Degeneracy

Posted on October 31, 2017 by mossjon314159

Just in time for Halloween, my topic this week focuses on electron degeneracy pressure specifically to delve into how “A degenerate gas does not expand when the temperature increases as an ordinary gas does.” In 1923, Arthur Stanley Eddington derived … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Science, Stars, STEM | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Absolute Magnitude Luminates Absolutely

Posted on October 24, 2017 by mossjon314159

This week I want to discuss “What might cause the closer of two identical stars to appear dimmer than the farther one?” Apparent Magnitude: A measurement of the brightness of stars without regard to their distance from Earth. The scale … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Constellations, Mathematics, Science, Sirius, Stars, STEM, Ursa Major, Vega | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Solar Cycle Stranger Things

Posted on October 17, 2017 by mossjon314159

I’ve reached the halfway point through my Introduction to Astronomy class. This week marks the eighth week of fifteen, sixteen if you count the first week where we just spent time getting to know each other and exploring the textbook … Continue reading →

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No, Chicken Little, the Sky is Not Falling

Posted on October 9, 2017 by mossjon314159

My topic for discussion this week will attempt to answer the question: Why do astronomers believe that the debris that creates many isolated meteors comes from asteroids, whereas the debris that creates meteor showers is related to comets? But first, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asteroids, Astronomy, Comets, Mathematics, Science, Solar System, STEM | Leave a comment

Blue and Green with Envy

Posted on October 3, 2017 by mossjon314159

In this week’s discussion topic, I attempt to answer the question “Why are Uranus and Neptune distinctly bluer than Jupiter and Saturn?” On Uranus and Neptune, the methane absorbs red, orange and yellow light, reflecting back the blue.  In contrast, … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Neptune, Science, Solar System, STEM, Uranus | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment