Category: Class

Nuclear Fusion in the sun

March 3rd, 2023

Nuclear fusion in the sun is an incredibly powerful process that generates an enormous amount of energy. In fact, the amount of energy produced by fusion in the sun is what makes life on Earth possible.

Scientists estimate that the sun loses about 4 million metric tons of mass every second due to the energy produced by nuclear fusion. This may seem like a lot, but it’s actually a very small fraction of the sun’s total mass, which is about 2 x 10^30 kilograms.

picture from NASA 2014

In the sun, the primary fusion reaction is the fusion of hydrogen nuclei (protons) into helium. This process is known as the proton-proton chain reaction. It occurs in the sun’s core, where temperatures are high enough to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between the positively charged protons.

learn more about the nuclear fusion in the sun
Celestial navigation

February 11th, 2023

Celestial navigation is a method used by sailors and navigators to determine their position on the earth using the positions of celestial bodies, such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. It is based on the idea that the position of these celestial bodies can be used to determine the latitude and longitude of a ship or aircraft. This method of navigation has been used for thousands of years and was crucial in early maritime exploration, helping sailors navigate their way across vast oceans without the aid of modern navigation technology.

learn more about sextant

Celestial navigation involves observing the position of celestial bodies in the sky and using mathematical calculations to determine the observer’s position on the earth. The main tool used in celestial navigation is the sextant, an instrument that measures the angle between the horizon and a celestial body. This measurement, along with knowledge of the time and the position of the celestial body, is used to determine the observer’s latitude and longitude.

Celestial navigation has largely been replaced by GPS technology, but it is still used by some navigators and sailors who prefer the traditional method or who find themselves in situations where GPS signals are unavailable. Additionally, celestial navigation is considered an important skill for survival in a survival situation, where a person may need to navigate without modern technology.
The Galilean Moons

January 22nd, 2023

The Galilean moons, or Galilean satellites, are the four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. They were first seen by Galileo Galilei in December 1609 or January 1610, and recognized by him as satellites of Jupiter in March 1610. They were the first objects found to orbit a planet other than the Earth.

This was a photo taken by myself using an unprofessional telescope, there should be four Galilean satellites, but in this picture there is only three. The one on the right lower corner was an optical illusion of Jupiter itself. It is not the telescope’s problem, in fact, it is my phone camera’s fault.

Learn more about Jupiter’s moons
Introduction

January 17th, 2023

Hi! My name is Tianyou Xie, you can call me Bill.

I’m in the class of 2026 and I came from China

This is a picture of me and my cousin, I’m the one on the right.

Go to LEGO website

Category: Class

Nuclear Fusion in the sun

Celestial navigation

The Galilean Moons

Introduction