The rings of Saturn, the sixth planet and second gas giant from the sun, are no mystery. Merely tannish-brown at first glance, with more recently discovered gray and pink tones, Saturnian rings are much brighter than those of Jupiter, the fifth planet and first gas giant from the sun. While all four gas giants (Uranus […]
Jupiter’s rings: a lesser-known astronomical phenomenon Read More »
Some people are familiar with gamma rays, known as gamma radiation, from their high school science courses or as what caused Bruce Banner to turn into the Hulk. This energetic form of light is the result of the decay of atomic nuclei. It is most common in space and usually ends up being absorbed by
Breaking Records and Taking Names: How Gamma-Ray Bursts Explain the Universe Read More »
When you look up at the night sky, how many light-years do you think you’d be able to see into space? 1 million? 2 million? In contrast, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is able to see a whopping 13.6 billion light-years deep. It’s NASA’s most powerful telescope to date, built to help us understand
The science behind the JWST images Read More »
NASA, as part of its everlasting odyssey to acquire knowledge about Earth’s famous neighbor, has launched yet another rover to embark on a treacherous expedition to the red, rocky terrains of Mars. The spacecraft was granted the name Perseverance, a title fitting for the government agency’s undertaking. This mission would be no straightforward task. Prior
Perseverance rover perseveres: Explaining Mars’ atmosphere Read More »
With trillions of stars and unknown planets alike, space has always been an endless void of possibilities and resources. And, as humans continue to ravage the Earth, we have begun to look towards space as an alternative supply of opportunities. But, without international law, what will prevent another misuse and overuse of resources? Meet the
First rockets, now politics: How the Artemis Accords are tackling space governance Read More »
In a world of climate crises and fears of societal collapse, planetary relocation has become much more than just a supernormal topic discussed in sci-fi novels, with increasing fields of research being devoted to space discovery and exploration. The advanced research tools used by organizations such as NASA and SpaceX allow for the determination of
The Mars Odyssey: Secrets of the red planet Read More »
You awaken to your Alexa alarm blaring. You ask the virtual assistant for the weather report and a reminder of the day’s appointments. After a quick FaceTime with a friend across the world, you casually scroll past the headline “New SpaceX crew blasts off to International Space Station.” Only 50 years ago, Stanley Kubrick’s cult
Starchild Awaits: The Technology of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Read More »
Painted in his chariot ascending towards the light, the Greek god Apollo has long been known to represent archery, prophecy, and above all else, the sun. His twin, Artemis, is most famously the goddess of the hunt, nature, and the moon. Greek mythology follows us wherever we roam, from the constellations over our heads to
NASA’s plan to return to the moon and land on Mars Read More »
The United States has landed nine payloads on Mars — the fourth planet from the sun, with a reddish-brown coloration — dating all the way back to 1976. And yet, no human has ever set foot on Mars. Although Earth’s and Mars’ days are approximately equivalent lengths, many stark differences exist between the two celestial
Sending humans to Mars: Outlook, barriers, and timeline Read More »