Tag Archives: COSMOS

The Scale of the Universe (re-run)

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This is a re-run of a post that I originally wrote Nov 11, 2015. I think it goes well with the recent posts on the expanding universe. I added some additional closing thoughts. Arguably, one of the most important concepts one learns from studying astronomy, is the astounding vastness of the cosmos. This vastness extends not only out to the very VERY large and far away – it extends down to the very VERY small. The human mind is ill-equipped to grasp the scale of the universe – but we can sure give it a try! Over the last few decades, several videos have been made showing the scale of the Universe. 1977: The iconic Powers of Ten video – remember: this was made before computer graphics: 1980: Cosmos: “The Edge of Forever” – Carl Sagan discusses the origins and structure of the Universe, and gives us the quote: “We are made of star stuff; we are a way for the … Continue reading →

Does Studying the Universe Change Your Perspective of the Environment Around You?

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An 8th grader doing a research project on astronomy recently emailed the Warren Astronomical Society asking “Does studying the universe change your perspective of the environment around you?” In this post, I expand upon the response I wrote back to that student.   Absolutely it does! Astronomy and cosmology are enormously wide fields of study, encompassing everything from quantum mechanics down at the sub-atomic level, to the interactions of (as of yet) unseen dark matter on the large-scale structure of the universe. Climate studies Studying how gases in Earth’s atmosphere and liquid in the oceans reflect and adsorb light, and radiate heat is but a small part of understanding how Earth’s climate functions and can change over time. The same principles used to study the Earth’s atmosphere can be applied to the atmospheres of other worlds; Venus is an example of a “runaway greenhouse effect,” and should be viewed as a cautionary tale for Earth’s ever increasing CO2 level (410.31 parts per … Continue reading →

The Scale of the Universe

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Arguably, one of the most important concepts one learns from studying astronomy, is the astounding vastness of the cosmos. This vastness extends not only out to the very VERY large and far away – it extends down to the very VERY small. The human mind is ill-equipped to grasp the scale of the universe – but we can sure give it a try! Over the last few decades, several videos have been made showing the scale of the Universe. 1977: The iconic Powers of Ten video – remember: this was made before computer graphics: 1980: Cosmos: “The Edge of Forever” – Carl Sagan discusses the origins and structure of the Universe, and gives us the quote: “We are made of star stuff; we are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.” Here is the intro to the episode: 1996: IMAX movie Cosmic Voyage – narrated by Morgan Freeman. An updated version of Powers of Ten, with some nice computer … Continue reading →

Perspective on the Anniversary of the “Pale Blue Dot” of Carl Sagan

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One of the most impactful reflections on our place in the universe is Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot.” The anniversary of the iconic image of our earth as “a spec of dust” in our solar system was remembered a short time ago and addressed in a previous post on “The Catholic Astronomer.” Personally, I love the combination of Sagan’s reflections on life and our small, blue home. Yet, amid this brilliant reflection, there is one part of the pale blue dot that provides a moment of discomfort: Sagan’s bold statement that we are delusional for thinking we have a privileged place in this universe. Now, from the standpoint of a material analysis of the world, Sagan is correct. When analyzing our material existence in relation to the rest of the universe, we make bacteria on a wet mound in a science lab look like the Milky Way galaxy. Yet, there is something that must be considered when exploring our place … Continue reading →