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Tag Archives: Life

On Life and Being

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on April 17, 2020 by Deirdre KelleghanApril 27, 2020

On Life and Being One day after visiting my mother at the hospice I arrived home and painted the above. It poured out of me very quickly. She is painted in that in-between place that will come to all of us. Even though mam was 84 I painted her young and, pregnant. She is at the same time shown old floating between life and no life. Her life and being vanishing in time to natures beat. The Man Made of Rain by Brendan Kennelly Between living and dying is the calmest place I’ve ever been. He stood opposite me and smiled. I smiled too, I think because this was the first time I’d seen a man made of rain though once or twice my heart was chilled by men of ice. The rain poured through him, through his eyes, face, neck, shoulders, chest, all his body but no rain reached the ground, it ended at his skin. He looked at … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Culture | Tagged Being alive, Energy, Life, Spectrum, Universe | 5 Replies

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

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on May 25, 2018 by Bob TrembleyMay 26, 2018

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 →

Posted in Astronomy, Commentary, Outreach, Science | Tagged COSMOS, Earth, Earth Systems, Enceladus, Europa, Hydrothermal, Life, Magnificent Universe, Mars2020, planetary science, TESS, Universe | 2 Replies

Across the Universe: What is life?

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 4, 2018 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2018
This entry is part 158 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in January 2015 Every year, the University of Arizona’s College of Sciences puts on a public lecture series; the 2015 theme was “Life in the Universe”. Given my ability to deliver good entertainment (my ancestors were in Vaudeville) I’ve been asked to present the opening lecture: “What is life?” My background is extraterrestrial geology, not biology. When biologists define life as the chemistry of complex long-chain hydrocarbons, I think of my favorite complex framework silicate mineral crystals, like plagioclase. If life were nothing more than complicated chemistry, then why not offer a seven part lecture series on Plagioclase in the Universe? Of course, no one would show up. Yes, life is complex chemistry. But to limit one’s view to mere chemistry misses the truth behind why lectures on life would draw a better crowd than lectures on minerals. It also neglects the underlying truth of why we scientists are fascinated by the subject  … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Space Exploration | Tagged Defining life, Life | 1 Reply

Musings From a 7th Grade Biology Class

Sacred Space Astronomy Posted on March 2, 2017 by Constance L. Martin-TrembleyDecember 11, 2017
This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Guest Column

When people ask me what I do for a living I generally respond:  For the past 16 years I have been teaching science to the hormonally impaired. Here in the United States that means teaching sixth through eighth grade, i.e., my students range from 10 to 14 years old.  These students are either entering the fun age of puberty, or are in the complete throws of hormonal impairment , which means they have other things on their mind besides studying. About this time of year I usually enter into the biology phase of science with my 7th graders; and inevitably, the introduction of cells leads to a discussion of evolution and God. I teach in a small town in southeast Michigan called New Haven. The religious base of this town is either Baptist or Lutheran, along with some Catholics and various other religions. When I bring up that prokaryotic cells eventually evolved into eukaryotic cells (single-celled organisms into complex multi-celled … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Education, Religion, Science | Tagged Evolution, Life, Teaching | 2 Replies

Enceladus, Ocean World

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on September 16, 2015 by Bob TrembleySeptember 16, 2015

NASA’s Cassini mission scientists have determined that the slight wobble observed in Saturn’s moon Enceladus, as it orbits the ringed giant planet, is too large for the moon to be entirely frozen to its core. This wobble, referred to as a libration, reveals that the icy crust of Enceladus is disconnected from its rocky interior. In other words: Enceladus’ icy crust is sliding around on top of a global ocean of liquid water, and where there’s water, life may follow. This graphic (above) is an update to Enceladus: Possible Hydrothermal Activity (left), which showed only a regional sea beneath the south polar region of Enceladus. As Enceladus orbits Saturn, it is subject to tidal forces due to gravitation. These forces stretch the moon, causing friction, which heat up the moon’s interior. This is a process is called tidal heating. Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system, as a result of tidal heating. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Science, Space Exploration | Tagged Cassini, Enceladus, Europa, Life, Saturn | Leave a reply

Large Impacts can Create Hydrothermal Systems

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on July 30, 2015 by Bob TrembleyAugust 4, 2015

Impact cratering is a fundamental geological process throughout our Solar System. Impact craters can be seen on a majority of rocky and icy planets, asteroids, and many moons in our Solar System[1]. Craters are created by the massive release of energy from a hypervelocity impact of a meteoroid with a larger body – such as the Moon or Earth. The typical relative velocity for an inner Solar System meteoroid encountering the Earth is between 4-30 km/s[2]; a comet falling inward from the the outer reaches of the Solar System can encounter the Earth at relative speeds of 12-72 km/s[3]. The destructive potential of meteoroid impacts was demonstrated when the shards of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit the atmosphere of Jupiter in July of 1994. The effects of large impacts on Earth’s environment and biosphere are known largely due to the discovery of the Chicxulub impact structure in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. That impact has been linked to the mass extinction event marking … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | Tagged Cratering, Geology, Hydrothermal, Impacts, Life | Leave a reply

An Epiphany Visit From the Star in the East

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on November 24, 2014 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMarch 21, 2015

(An article from The Tablet, first published in January, 2004) Amid the snow and frigid winds whirling across Lake Superior and around the tiny city of Marquette, Michigan, I spent Christmas morning with my brother Ed. Between Midnight Mass and Christmas dinner, I kept an eye all day on my computer, checking the BBC web site every few hours, hoping to hear news of the British Mars lander, the Beagle II. Alas, though the Beagle had landed, we never heard it bark. I felt badly for my friends on the science team, Colin and Ian and the others, watching with ever fainter hope as the dream they’d pursued through the years of planning and fund-raising, constructing and testing, launching into space and guiding to the surface of the planet, finally at the last minute failed. Landing a probe successfully on Mars is a very difficult proposition. The failures have outnumbered the successes, two to one. And even a successful landing … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Beagle II, Life, Mars | Leave a reply
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Faith and Science (Fiction), but Different

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 27, 2021 by Christopher M. GraneyFebruary 22, 2021

The Vatican Observatory Faith and Science web resource contains hundreds of entries on the broad topic of faith and science.  I am Editor of this resource, and my more recent efforts in this regard have tended toward trying to find a wide variety of different material to add to the … Continue reading…

Posted in Extraterrestrial, Popular Culture, Religion | Leave a reply

Grand Finale Painting inspired by the Cassini Mission

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 26, 2021 by Deirdre KelleghanFebruary 26, 2021

Cassini Mission This blog was first published in March 2016, slightly updated here. I am fascinated by the surfaces of other worlds. The images taken by the robotic explorers are very inspiring. Canvases emerge directly from my observations of a tiny fraction of an image or are influenced by an … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, Education, Space Exploration | Tagged Cassini, Grand Finale, Painting, Saturn Observation Campaign | Leave a reply

ⓜ Believing in things…

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 25, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoFebruary 24, 2021
This entry is part of 60 in the series And Then I Wrote

And then I wrote… in 2014, the national Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor invited me to submit a few words about science and faith…  as anyone who reads these pages knows, it’s hard to shut me up on the topic! This covers familiar ground; but it does it in a … Continue reading…

Posted in And Then I Wrote | Tagged faith and science | Leave a reply

In the Sky This Week – February 23, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 23, 2021 by Bob TrembleyFebruary 24, 2021
This entry is part 184 of 184 in the series In the Sky This Week

Millions of people around the planet have seen NASA’s Perseverance Rover descent and touchdown video – I’ve watched it over and over! I tweeted that this landing made me feel like a kid during the Apollo era again! Cameras were not part of the rover’s initial design – and were … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, Outreach | Tagged Dyson Sphere Program, Jupiter, Mars, Mars Perseverance Rover, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Sun, Supernova 1987A, Uranus | 1 Reply

Arrival: Mars Takes Center Stage As Probes Arrive At The Red Planet!

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 22, 2021 by Fr. James KurzynskiFebruary 24, 2021

These past couple of weeks have greeted us with exciting news from Mars! First, the United Arab Emirates mission to place a weather satellite named Al-Amal into orbit around the red planet was a success! One of the main goals of the “hope probe” is to understand the red planet’s … Continue reading…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 28 February, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on February 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoFebruary 24, 2021

Featuring Dr. Robert Janusz, and the latest news of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope! Just for our paying members: on the next Full Moon (actually, the day after full Moon, this month), Sunday, February 28, we’ll be holding our regular on-line meetup where we get to know and chat with … Continue reading…

Posted in Announcement | Tagged Meetup | Leave a reply
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Recent Comments

  • Fr. Bruce Wilkinson February 23, 2021 at 4:05 pm on In the Sky This Week – February 23, 2021I completely agree with you that putting cameras on EVERY space mission - without question and without fail. The ability to see the accomplishments of the various robotic missions have inspired future generations to want to become part of the space exploration crowd
  • Ed Yepez February 20, 2021 at 7:51 am on The Sun Rules!Excellent! Thank you very much for presenting this in such an understandable form. Also let me appreciate the math.(a lot of which I had forgotten) With Kepler, how you can make the correct observations, yet still come to an erroneous conclusion? But the observations remain correct, even useful for further...
  • Bob Trembley February 19, 2021 at 5:16 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021I joined a NASA Night Sky Network Zoom Watch Party - it was pretty cool! When I joined, an engineer was talking about his work on the helicopter - those wings are HUGE! I watched the the landing with my in-laws; it was cool to see the same image up...
  • Richard Hill February 19, 2021 at 12:54 am on Skyward by David Levy: February 2021Very nice meteor photo! Reminds me of one Geminid I saw as I was walking to night lunch on Kitt Peak. It passed right through Orion. Burned a memory in my brain.
  • Benjamin Goodison February 18, 2021 at 5:26 pm on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021... and three days later, Perseverance finally touched down successfully and is snapping its first images!I'm sure there were more than a few spontaneous prayers in the NASA control room in those last few minutes... there certainly were at my end :) Really looking forward to the wealth of new...
  • Bob Trembley February 16, 2021 at 8:31 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Oh my goodness! Thank you SO MUCH for the kind replies!
  • Joseph O'Donnell February 16, 2021 at 8:00 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Thank you for this. Always so helpful and enlightening.
  • Stan Sienkiewicz February 16, 2021 at 7:47 am on In the Sky This Week – February 16, 2021Bob, another great post. Wonderful way to start the day. Thanks for putting in the time to create these posts. Educational, beautiful, and awe inspiring. I really appreciate seeing these each week. Thank you, Stan
  • Fr. James Kurzynski February 12, 2021 at 10:40 pm on Space Exploration As An Act Of Interfaith Dialogue.Thanks Joel! I greatly appreciate your insight and encouragement!
  • Fr. James Kurzynski February 10, 2021 at 10:46 am on Polar Vortex, Snowy Owls, Puffins, and Answering the Question: Fr. James, If Global Warming Is Real, Why Am I So Cold?Thanks for you response! My apologies if it came across that Wisconsin was the southernmost Snowy Owls travel. That was not my intent. In my prep, I saw articles of sightings as south as Texas. The point being that some birds go south, others don't, and its a bit of...
  • Jim Cook February 10, 2021 at 8:05 am on Polar Vortex, Snowy Owls, Puffins, and Answering the Question: Fr. James, If Global Warming Is Real, Why Am I So Cold?Wisconsin is actually NOT very far south to find Snowy Owls in winter, as you can see from its eBird range map: https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/snoowl1/range-map I've subscribed to eBird's Snowy Owl reports list for almost 10 years now and while some years have seen more reports of sightings than others, they typically...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé February 8, 2021 at 8:38 am on A telescope made by an Angel…Br. Guy: This would make a great beginning to your opening address to the Solar Eclipse Retreat in 2024 for Bishops/Priests. I am going to save this. Fr. Timothy Sauppé
  • Richard Saam February 7, 2021 at 10:20 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceI want to make an additional point on hexagons: In the realm of crystallography as described in solid state physics, there is an equivalence between real(energy) and reciprocal(momentum) hexagonal space. This was mathematically presented in Charles Kittel's (recently deceased) text "Introduction to Solid State Physics". And then something to ponder:...
  • Joel Hopko February 1, 2021 at 11:23 am on Space Exploration As An Act Of Interfaith Dialogue.Fr. Kurzynski -- I too was very moved by the Emirates and the other national efforts (Japanese, Indian etc.) Like you I found in them an expression of the human spirit and even the religious wellsprings that can inspire us toward a shared destiny beyond our fear and confusion. Thanks...
  • Richard Saam February 1, 2021 at 10:33 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceAdding to Fernando's comments 'hexagons are pretty much everywhere in the universe': It can be argued that universal space time can be expressed as oscillating virtual hexagonal (~50 cm, ~8 hr) lattice units conforming to the conservation of energy and momentum and the universe vacuum energy density. There is some...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 27, 2021 at 9:05 am on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksGood! Glad to hear it. As for myself I still think they need more on Kepler, at least if they are going to throw in bits of history with any religion content. It would help with those many students who are afraid that science is all about being non-theistic.
  • Joel Hopko January 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksProfessor Graney -- Call me easily placated, but I was actually somewhat relieved that most of the texts reviewed at least attempted to provide some nuance to the Galileo narrative. Certainly an improvement over the "martyr for science" trope so frequently dispensed over popular media. Obviously much work remains, but...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski January 20, 2021 at 6:48 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thanks Janine! I love your reflection on the Al Amal mission! I was so impressed with the video they produced and, yes, I can't wait to see the United Arab Emirates contribution to science! It's something that isn't mentioned much, but should be mentioned more: True science, by its very...
  • Janine Samz January 19, 2021 at 9:37 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thank you, Father. Let's see. I am drawn to three! The Emirates one is interesting because of the extent of what they are looking for and from history I know the Arab culture used to be a leader in science. It would be interesting to see them at work again...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 19, 2021 at 8:59 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonMy experience with students and the general public is that a reasonable number of people will be amazed by the real universe. For example, people who saw the conjunction on the 21st were generally amazed. But certainly Cosmos seems to think that stuff has to be over the top.

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