The general meaning of the word inclination is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction. When it comes to astronomy, it is defined as a measure of the tilt of a certain planet’s orbital plane in relation to that of Earth.
Determining precise positions on Earth requires the use of three basic geographic parameters: latitude, longitude and elevation. These parameters are not very easy to determine and require accurate measurement procedures and state-of-the-art equipments.
We know of galaxies as massive systems of stars and other interstellar objects bound together by gravity, such as the Milky Way our solar system belongs to. Think of a galaxy as an entire human body. The earth is the universe, organ systems inside the human body are solar or planetary systems, and their respective
For hundreds of years, ancient travelers have relied on a guiding star to locate their destination. In moments which they perceive themselves lost, they only need to literally look up to a star just to find their way. Imagine their disappointment if they only knew that their guiding star, isn’t actually a star. The morning
A magnetosphere is created through the interaction between a planet’s magnetic field and a stream of charged particles. For example, when the solar wind interacts with Earth’s intrinsic magnetic field, the stream of charged particles from the solar wind will be deflected by the planets own magnetic field. This results to what scientists call a
Planets, stars and moons are not the only occupants of the universe. Our solar system alone is filled with amazing things and phenomena that are sometimes difficult to explain. Microgravity is one phenomena. Learning in school, we learn that gravity is an invisible force between objects as the Earth tries to pull everything down towards
On May 9, 2003, an attempt to launch a spacecraft aimed to investigate an asteroid was attempted by the Japanese at the Kagoshima Space Center. The asteroid was feared and suspected to collide against the earth, and it was the mission of Mu Space Engineering Spacecraft C, or MUSES-C to investigate the possibility, and to
The heavenly body that brightens evenings isn’t the only moon there is. At the same time, the Earth is not the only planet with a celestial body orbiting around it. A moon is a natural satellite, and its main task is to orbit a planet, or other forms larger than itself. The moon we see
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The term may be misleading at first, especially in this time and age when catalogs usually refer to fashion articles and products. But the Messier Catalog, in essence, is a list of a different kind. It is one of the most valuable tools in the world of astronomy – and possibly one of the most
When a person thinks of a telescope, he may subconsciously attach other words to it, words like planets, the sky or the solar system. But even Hans Lippershey – the person associated with the invention of said device in 1608 – may not have been aware that the simple telescope can be taken into a
