Just like the parsec (an abbreviation for Parallax of one arcsecond) and kiloparsec (equivalent to 1,000 parsecs, or KPC for short), the megaparsec (or MPC) is a measurement unit that is used in astronomy to measure the great, vast distance between galaxies in intergalactic space. It is said that one parsec is equal to about […]
Meridian, latitude, longitude, equator – these are words normally used in geography. Not many people know that they are also used as terms in the field of astronomy. Meridian astronomy, in particular, is used to make correct measurements in the sky so that celestial bodies (stars, planets, etc.) can be charted – an astronomical time-keeping
A spectrometer is an instrument that is used in analyzing a specific portion of light. This instrument is commonly used in to provide spectral analysis in identifying materials. If you are highly observant, you would have noticed that these instruments have found their way into pop TV culture.
The speed of light is the fastest possible speed by which anything can travel. You cannot go faster than this. Numerically, the speed of light is approximately 186,280 miles per second. Photo by: Brews ohare Creative Commons What makes this quantity important? In astronomy, this is very important as distances are measured in light years.
Molecules are simply a group of two or more atoms held by a chemical bond. These are primitive components of matter, whether they are gases or organic substances. Just like atoms, these molecules are a higher form of building blocks, the next step before a new form of matter is completely created. In the same
Interstellar Molecules Read More »
Photo by: Darsie Creative Commons The semimajor axis is half of the major axis in an ellipse at its longest diameter, a line running through its center and the foci. The semimajor axis runs from the center to the ellipse’s edge through a focus. It is that measure of the orbit’s radius at its most
Although the public is familiar with microwaves as a tool to heating food, generally microwaves are minute wavelengths of electromagnetic energy that can be measured using centimeters, and are used in a broader sense. It is even believed in theory that microwaves are the cooled and calmed form of gamma radiation.
How many times do you pass by your favorite ice cream parlor in a week? If you answer five times a week, then it is how frequent you pass by your favorite ice cream parlor in a week. That?s the simplest explanation of frequency. It is the number of times or the repetition of a
The magnetopause is the layer that acts as the Earth’s shield from the solar wind. It is found between the surrounding plasma and magnetosphere or the magnetic field. The surface of the magnetopause has a complex shape. It flaps, ripples, and moves in different directions, inward or outward, depending on the solar wind conditions. The
When you look at the stars, you will notice that some of them are brighter than the others. The differences in brightness are assigned with specific numbers that correspond to their magnitude. Magnitude starts from -1, which is considered as the brightest star. The dimmer a star becomes, it gets a number with a higher
