Throughout human history people have been fascinated by the movements of the stars, planets, moon, and sun. One of the most impressive things for these ancient humans to witness were eclipses. Both of the sun and of the moon. A Solar Eclipse happens when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking its light. […]
One of the most prominent features of the night sky is our Moon. The way the Moon looks constantly changes in a predictable pattern. We call these changes phases. What are the phases of the moon, and what causes them? There are eight phases of the moon, and they are: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First […]
Our Solar System is made up of eight planets, each with its own unique characteristics. Here’s a brief overview of each one: Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and has very little atmosphere. As a result, it experiences extreme temperatures, with the days being incredibly hot and the nights being very cold. Venus […]
The moon is a natural satellite of the earth, consisting of rock, dust, and ice. It was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, soon after the formation of the earth. When a large planetoid collided with the earth, the resulting debris formed a ring around the earth. This ring eventually coalesced to form the moon. […]
One of the most breathtaking things to see with your own eyes, through a telescope, are the rings of Saturn. These beautiful rings looked like lobs or ears to ancient astronomers. Today we know that they are massive rings of orbiting dust, ice, debris, and moons. How did these rings form? There are three competing […]
If you were to look up in the sky tonight, chances are you may see the planet Jupiter. If you have a low powered telescope it is even possible that you might see the planet’s great red spot, or eye. This jovian “superstorm” has been raging for at least 350 years. The jupiter hurricane is […]
How does heating and cooling affect the landscape around us? As the seasons change, what changes do you see outside? If you live in a temperate zone, the cooler weather probably brings changing leaf colors and hibernating animals. Later as the warm weather once again returns, so does life. New leaves, flowers, and baby animals […]
This is one of the first questions that children often inquire of their parents. What makes the sky blue? Why is it not red, pink, or green? The answer to this question can be found by looking at the particulates floating in the air. The Earth’s atmosphere is filled with trillions of tiny dust particles. […]
Throughout most of history, the only tools that map makers had to help them understand and portray the shape of the Earth and its continents were the map maker’s writing implements and their own two legs. It is truly amazing how accurate maps were considering their limited technology. However, maps could vary greatly depending […]
Scientists divide our home planet into three spheres. Each sphere is categorized according to its physical characteristics. These spheres are the Atmosphere, which is made of all the Earth’s gases; the Lithosphere, which is made up of all the Earth’s physical materials, such as rocks and soil; and the Hydrosphere, which is made up of […]
