The problem with space travel is that of propulsion. One has to literally throw stuff out of the back of the ship to accelerate. Basically, give that stuff momentum in one direction, and the ship will gain momentum in the…
Category: Astronomy
Fifty Years of Exploration
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Exactly 50 years ago, July 14th and 15th, 1965, the Mariner 4 Probe made the first fly-by of another planet, Mars. Yesterday, July 14, 2015, New Horizons made the first fly-by of Pluto, thus completing our first survey of the…
Inferences about Life in the Universe
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Recently, Brendon Brewer posted an interesting piece titled “Life in the Universe” on how the information that life appeared early in Earth’s history affects one’s inferences about whether it is easy to form life or if life is rare. Its…
New Horizons Returns First Images of Pluto
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The New Horizons probe (after being launched in 2006) is finally approaching Pluto with an arrival on July 14, 2015. It has been traveling since two years before my son Henry was born. This is a very important event, since…