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Read more about the article Intriguing Myths, Discoveries, and Star Systems of Your Zodiac Constellation

Intriguing Myths, Discoveries, and Star Systems of Your Zodiac Constellation

Skip to your Zodiac constellation: Aries - (March 21 – April 19)Taurus - (April 20 – May 20)Gemini - (May 21 – June 20)Cancer - (June 22 – July 22)Leo - (July 23 - August 22)Virgo - (August 23 – September 22)Libra - (September 23 – October 22)Scorpio - (October 23 – November 21)Sagittarius - (October 23 – November 21)Capricorn – (October 23 – November 21)Aquarius - (January 20 – February 18)Pisces - (February 19 – March 20) What is the Zodiac? The "zodiac" is a stretch of the sky in which the Sun, Moon, and planets move across. The Zodiac extends 9° above and below the ecliptic, or the Earth's orbital plane around the Sun. Almost all planetary bodies of the Solar System appear in the nighttime sky along the ecliptic since the planets orbit the Sun roughly on the same plane.Your Zodiac sign coincides with the Zodiac constellation the…

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Read more about the article Getting Started in Stargazing Tonight

Getting Started in Stargazing Tonight

Our movement and change through time and space are fundamental characteristics of what it means to be alive. Imagine a world where everything was still, no time, no past, no future, nothing. Without movement and change, absolutely nothing would exist. As much as the entropy of change eventually dooms us all, it also gives us life. There is no life without movement. There’s no life without change, time, and space. The stars and planets give an overwhelming perspective on movement, change, space, and time. It’s fundamental to how we live our lives. Look at your watch. Have you ever wondered why an hour is 60 mins? Why are there 24 hours a day? Seven days in a week? Why do we have months, seasons, or years? Who made up the rule that months are around 30 days? Where did your zodiac sign come from? Where did “military time” come from? The Greeks,…

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Read more about the article The Polarizing Reasons Pluto is Not a Planet Anymore
Icy mountains on the surface of Pluto. Photograph: New Horizons/NASA

The Polarizing Reasons Pluto is Not a Planet Anymore

Pluto was previously considered a planet since its discovery in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh. Pluto had little resistance to its classification as the ninth planet upon its discovery.This may have been a slight case of confirmation bias since the presence of a "ninth planet" or "planet X" was hypothesized by Percival Lowell. Lowell believed that the apparent discrepancies of Uranus were the causation of another planet beyond Neptune.Pluto was within only 6 degrees of the predicted location of the ninth planet predicted by Lowell. However, Lowell predicted that this planet would be around 6.6 the mass of Earth.As telescopes improved, we were able to learn more about Pluto. In 1950, Gerard Kuiper observed Pluto as a spherical world using a 200-inch telescope at Mount Palomar. Kuiper estimated that Pluto's diameter was around 5,900 kilometers.In 1965, Pluto passed near a star allowing astronomers to conclude that Pluto was a small body. As…

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Read more about the article Why Saturn’s Moon Mimas is so Awesome

Why Saturn’s Moon Mimas is so Awesome

Mimas is Saturn's seventh moon and one of the most mysterious objects in the Solar System. One would think that Mimas inspired the Death Star from the 1977 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, but the movie was made three years before the crater's discovery by Pioneer 11 in 1979.Voyager 1, Voyager 2, the Cassini probe in 2010 have visited Mimas since its discovery. Mimas, however, did make a pop culture appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5, Episode 19, The First Duty. The episode featured the moon when Wesley Crusher was beamed to Mimas in an emergency after some suspect piloting Wes and pals, but that's another issue."Mimas" was derived from the "Giants" in Greek mythology. But don't confuse the Giants with the Titans. Both groups have the same mother and father, Gaia and Uranus. Although they had the same parents, how the Giants came into this world is just a tad bit…

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Read more about the article The Solar Republic Game Play Instructions and Rules
Solar Republic Card Game - Model Laura Harwood

The Solar Republic Game Play Instructions and Rules

The Solar Republic game is a great game for those familiar with the common games of Spades and Euchre but also appreciate a little “space” in their card games. The game was created with an affinity for space exploration, astronomy, and astronomical symbols.Imagine a future, not quite dystopian, but by far not a walk in the park. We are space-faring but still human. Our technological advances have allowed us to thrive in places we would have never dreamed of.The adventurous are truly going where no man has gone before, setting up settlements and colonies throughout the Solar System. Land is the new currency. The more you own, the more you can secure a future for yourself and your family amidst constant unrest.You have three goals. Demonstrate your Prowess. Explore the Unknown. Conquer the Solar System.The Solar Republic Game Play in 5 minsThe deck consists of 52 cards, 5 suits, and 2…

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Read more about the article Mae C. Jemison: When Art and Science Combine

Mae C. Jemison: When Art and Science Combine

By Emily ZubritskyCan you be a dancer, an astronaut, a doctor, and a professor? Yes. But you’ll need the tenacity and intellect of Mae C. Jemison, whose belief is that the arts and sciences should be taught together and are not at all separate.On September 12, 1992, Jemison made history when she became the first African-American woman to travel into space aboard the Endeavour on mission STS47. She didn’t mean to become a role model but quickly became one to girls, particularly girls of color, everywhere.And what is it that made Jemison so successful? A supportive family, a drive to learn, and a balance of art and science. Jemison was born in Alabama but raised on the South Side of Chicago. Since age 11, she has been an avid dancer, practicing many different types, such as African dancing, ballet, jazz, modern, and Japanese dance. While attending Morgan Park High School in Chicago, she…

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