Articles and News

Solar System Astronomy

Submitted by ESSP on

The first topics encountered during the study of astronomy are the appearance and the motions of the Moon, the planets, and the stars on the Celestial Sphere.  Through careful observation of this set of objects that are visible to the unaided eye, you can construct a three dimensional model for the Earth's place in the Solar System and the Solar System's relationship to the distant stars.  The force of gravity is what binds the planets to the Sun and moons to planets, and it predicts properties like the orbital period, separation, and velocity of any two objects bound to each other.

Plate Tectonics

Submitted by ESSP on

Plate tectonics is the central paradigm of modern geology. It integrates and explains fundamental observations from many different components of Earth systems, including evidence from fossils, the distribution and ages of rock types at the surface, the position and shape of continents and ocean basins, the patterns of ocean circulation and climate, and the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes.

Energy

Submitted by ESSP on

Energy production and climate change, in particular, are complex topics that impact daily decision-making for individuals and societies; understanding the science behind such topics as clean coal and sea-level rise is critical to making choices that affect the future of the planet.

Climate

Submitted by ESSP on

Energy production and climate change, in particular, are complex topics that impact daily decision-making for individuals and societies; understanding the science behind such topics as clean coal and sea-level rise is critical to making choices that affect the future of the planet.

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