Since the beginning of my freshman year, I have always been looking for opportunities to explore various aspect of astronomy. I enjoyed taking several introductory astronomy and planetary classes during my first year. These classes have given me a broad general background in astronomy and related planetary science. I started doing astronomy research in my sophomore year by joining Prof.Frebel’s group at the MIT Kavli Institute and at the same time as taking an astronomy observation class. That is when I discovered that I really like observational-related projects. I decided at the time that I want to continue doing research in observational astronomy and that I want to go to graduate school. After finishing my Ph.D., I would like to stay in …show more content…
Specifically I had been working with Professor Frebel on analysis of metal-poor stars since my sophomore year until now. Using this technique, I have done one project involving chemical evolution of Phosphorus. I was responsible for analyzing high-resolution UV spectra of several metal-poor stars from Hubble archive to determine properties of the stars such as metallicity, temperature, and surface gravity by measuring equivalent width of Fe I and Fe II lines. I was also responsible for measuring phosphorus abundance of the stars using its UV doublet using spectral synthesis method. The result shows how phosphorus abundance in the universe evolves with time and the project results in two publications. As of now, I am in a process of preparing and writing a paper that involves using this same technique to measure the abundances of neutron-captured elements in an r-process star. The preliminary result suggests that the star exhibits r-process signature. The result from this project will add more data into the forming process of these little-known stars. From my broad experience in astronomy research, I believe that the skills I obtained during college will help me succeed in astronomy. I am confident that going to graduate school and pursuing an Astronomy Ph.D. is a right path for me since I enjoy observing, doing astronomy research, and teaching in
Dyson, Marianne J. Space and Astronomy: Decade by Decade. New York: Facts on File, 2007. 14+. Print.
Sophia Brahe then began to assist her brother with many observations and projects some of which included tracking comets, watching lunar eclipses and timing them and predictions of planetary movements and orbits. Although Tychro specifically told Sophia not to study astronomy, she continued doing so anyway by increasing her knowledge in astronomy by reading and studying German books and paying a great deal of money so that old Latin books could be translated (Christianson, Page 112). Sophia was determined to become more knowledgeable in her field that she would do so at any cost even ...
Since elementary school, I have been fascinated with the field of astronomy and have enjoyed learning, researching, and reading about this topic, purely to satisfy my own intellectual curiosity. I began visiting our school planterium and eventually found myself venturing into research on complicated celestial bodies such as black holes, quasars, and pulsars. Though my school does not offer courses on astronomy, I pursued topics of relevance such as calculus and physics, thus enabling me to delve deeper into topics at a collegiate level which are interrelated to astronomy.
What is astronomy? Astronomy consist of a lot of things that make up our solar system such as: the nine planets, asteroids, meteorites, the moon and the sun. Astronomy is also a fascinating hobby that can be followed by anyone. You do not need to be, as some people seem to imagine, ‘mathematically-minded’ , in order to start, or even to become a very experienced observer. Yet astronomy is one of the few hobbies where not only can you gain great enjoyment, but if you feel want to can very easily make observations of great scientific value.
2, Alter Dinsmore, Cleminshaw H. Clarence, Philips G John. Pictorial Astronomy. United States: Sidney Feinberg, 1963.
Similarly, I will continue my explorations outside of the classroom to enrich the quality of my time at college as well as those around me. Between classes, I see myself with new friends, but it is hard to predict what I will be up to. Investigating the area is definitely one of the first things I would do if I attend Boulder. Besides this, I will participate in clubs on campus and volunteer to the community. These are two factors of my life that I intend to carry with me in college because they have been a crucial part in my personal development, and I find it my responsibility to remain devoted to the rest of the world. Now back to the academic side, I chose to major in chemical engineering so that I can conduct research and apply my knowledge in a way that will benefit society and the planet. With this as my primary career goal, I do not take the decision of a college lightly, for it feels as if my life has prepared me for this calling. The school I attend will be an accurate fit of this model in which I seek, and I hope to carry out this passion at a school that encompasses this deep
Tyler, Pat. Supernova. NASA’s Heasarc: Education and Public Information. 26 Jan. 2003. 22 Nov. 2004
I first became interested in astronomy when my 7th science grade teacher was teaching us how black holes work. Although I didn’t understand much of what I was being taught, I began to have tons of question on the subject. This longing for answers lead me to seek the help required to understanding the universe. I began to read more books and seeked help from those who might help me answer my questions. I plan to pursue my interest in USC by taking advantage of the astronomy programs that they offer and push my understanding of astronomy so that I can ask more thought provoking questions to myself as well as my peers. I am also hoping to take part research opportunities in the astronomy or cosmology fields.
This project for Earth Science proved to be quite engaging. At first, I thought that the project was going to be long and arduous, however, being able to choose my topic for the project actually helped in galvanizing interest in it. Through this project, I learned a whole lot about the Jovian planets that fascinated me when I was a child. From gargantuan Jupiter, ringed Saturn, peculiar Uranus, and stormy Neptune, I learned many facts that I couldn’t discover outside of Earth Science. I learned many facts like how the Jovian planets got their colors, and whether or not Gas Giants are solely made of gas. I enjoy the fact that we are able to choose what we want to research about, choosing what interests us the most. Thanks to this project, I feel that I know just a bit more about the vast amount of knowledge of our Universe.
Physics or Computer Science? That was the dilemma I faced four years ago when I had to choose a major. Although I enjoyed programming, and was often told that I had a natural flair for it by my school teachers, it was physics that had always captured my imagination and aroused my curiosity. Nothing equaled my euphoria at gaining an additional insight into the universe. Consequently, I decided to abandon programming and pursue a career in theoretical physics. I now know that I made the right choice, as my love for physics has grown much stronger; I was particularly fascinated by topics in gravitation and cosmology. However, I also came to realize that it was possible to apply my aptitude for programming to further our knowledge of physics. Thus the field of computational astrophysics offered me the best of both worlds. Numerical simulations are the sole means to explore systems that are too distant in space and time to be observed directly and too complex to be solved analytically. The prospect of harnessing the ever increasing power of state-of-the art computing machines to unravel the mysteries of the
Human fascination with the stars is as ancient as Babylonians and has been suggested to be older than Stonehenge. From “be fruitful and multiply” to “live long and prosper,” the instinct to protect and propagate the species has manifested in religion, art, and the imaginations of countless individuals. As human understanding of space treks out of the fantastical and into the scientific, the realities of traveling through and living in space are becoming clearer. Exploring, investigating, and living in space pose an expansive series of problems. However, the solutions to the problems faced by mankind's desire to reach beyond the horizon, through the night sky, and into the stars are solutions that will help in all areas of life on Earth.
As aforementioned I am pursuing engineering after high school. Truly though my dream job would be theoretical physics as I have always looked up to minds such as Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein as the most brilliant of recent times. I do not feel that theoretical physics is a safe job outlet for me after high school as there are not as many job openings for it as engineering. The part of theoretical physics that really sparks my interest is the astronomical level of it, as stated earlier I look up to stephen hawking and would one day I would hope that I may have the opportunity to do what he does. I feel that engineering is a nice prerequisite and that the knowledge i could gain from the
One thing us as humans have never been able to fully understand is astronomy. Always having an unexplained mystery, astronomy also has served as a way to keep time and predict the future. The word “astronomy” is defined as the study of heavenly bodies, meaning anything in the sky such as stars, galaxies, comets, planets, nebulae, and so on. Many people, if not everyone, is amazed by the night sky on a clear, moonless night.
Space has always been a pivotal and utmost important subject for many years. In the past, scientists have made monumental advances in this field such as sending people into orbit and landing a man on the moon. Of course, this has only barely been explored and we still have a lot more to see of the ever-vast outer space. One of the most significant topics of all of science has only been touched and there’s still more to come.
The invited participants were chosen from a diverse group based on his or her interest or knowledge of science and astronomy, work experience, and the ability to easily engage in conversation. Out of...