Blog
Here are some of the latest entries from my blog related to events and news about Space, Physics, and our Planet in general. For all posts, please visit my blog @ https://sanikaiyer.wordpress.com
New Year’s Eve Solar Flare
On New Year’s Eve, a powerful burst of energy created the largest solar flare that has been detected since 2017. A solar flare is an
Dark Stars
As predicted, the James Webb Space Telescope has continued to prove itself as a telescope to be reckoned with. It continues to make discoveries that
3D Printed Hearts in Space
Scientists are now developing 3D-printed hearts to be sent to the International Space Station. This paves the way for astronauts to travel deeper into space
Lick Observatory
As a volunteer at the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, I am enabled to witness not only the best sunsets I have ever seen, but
Weird Black Holes
It is well known that black holes sit at the center of massive galaxies. This was the only known location for these massive celestial objects
Lyrid Meteor Shower
The April Lyrids are a series of meteors that shower from April 16 to April 25 each year. A meteor is a rocky or metallic
Relativity!
In honor of Einstein’s birthday tomorrow (which also happens to be pi day!), let’s talk about relativity. Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity pertains to
Clauser and Quantum Entanglement
John Francis Clauser, an American theoretical and experimental physicist, recently won the Nobel Prize in physics for groundbreaking work. His experiments with light helped to
Famous Astrophysicists
Many people have contributed to our study of astronomical objects and phenomena, applying the methods and principles of other sciences, especially chemistry and physics. In
Black Holes
As part of my Astrophysics Club at school, I began researching black holes and became deeply intrigued. Here is a quick rundown of what I
James Webb’s Images!
On July 12th, NASA’s James Webb telescope released its first images to the public. The four targets of this telescope include three images and one
Celestial Alignment
2 days ago, viewers all around the world were able to see the rare alignment of 5 planets. Throughout the month of June, the alignment
Sci-fi Inaccuracies
As part of the Astrophysics Club in my school, I conducted research on a series of movies to determine their science fiction accuracies and inaccuracies.
Artemis I
NASA has come up with yet another mission with the main purpose of scientific and technological investigations. NASA wants to ensure a safe “module entry,
Triple Galaxy Merger
Just recently, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured a marvelous sight: a triple galaxy merger. A triple galaxy merger is a process in which three entirely
Sunsets!
I love a good sunset. And lately, there have been plenty of beautiful sunsets lighting up the sky in California. After doing a little research,
James Webb Space Telescope
This Christmas, there were several new astronomical developments. NASA launched a new telescope, known as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This infrared space observatory
Exoplanets!
What is an exoplanet? Exoplanets are planets that reside just outside the solar system and orbit a star that is not the Sun. Recently, astronomers
Solar Flares and Northern Lights
On Thursday, October 28, the sun fired off a solar flare, which had massive impacts. A solar flare is an eruption (typically brief) of high-energy
Landsat Launch!
Tomorrow, NASA has planned to launch Landsat 9, one of its newest, most powerful satellites. Landsat 9 is set to lift off of the Vandenberg
A Fiery Moon
Marking the end of summer and the beginning of the school year, wildfires throughout the state of California have surged yet again. Earlier this week,
Volcanism on Venus?!
As per a summer program I am partaking at Brown University, I am studying the dynamics of Solar System formation and change. For my final
A New Type of Supernova
Astronomers have recently discovered and identified a new, unique kind of supernova. For those who don’t know, a supernova is a giant explosion that occurs
Solar Eclipses, Ganymede, and other Space News…
This week in the astronomical world has been rather eventful! On June 10th, 2021, Earth got to view a solar eclipse! This particular eclipse was
Redefining the Age of Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy
As I was doing some light reading, I came across some fascinating new evidence about the formation of the Milky Way, redefining our knowledge of
Nighttime Splashdown
This morning, NASA’s SpaceX Dragon made a successful splashdown, marking the end of SpaceX’s first long-duration mission! SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, named Resilience carried four astronauts
NASA’s Upcoming Helicopter Launch
Earlier today, NASA announced its upcoming take-off from Mars. NASA has scheduled the first flight of the helicopter, Ingenuity, for Monday, April 19, at 3:30
Then vs Now…
On March 30, 2017, exactly four years from today, SpaceX launched and landed its very first used rocket. You might be wondering what exactly a