Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Physics
Recent Evolution Of The Eta Carinae Supernova Imposter System, Greta L. Helmel
Recent Evolution Of The Eta Carinae Supernova Imposter System, Greta L. Helmel
Physics and Astronomy Honors Projects
The supernova imposter Eta Carinae and its surrounding Homunculus reflection nebula have been of great interest for the last several decades. As the most massive star known in our Galaxy, this object is of particular importance in understanding high mass loss episodes and final stages in the evolution of other similarly massive stars in the later stages of their lives. Observations using the STIS CCD Instrument have been taken over the past 20 years for both the central star and the Homunculus as part of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Treasury Program on Eta Carinae. Recent changes in …
M Dwarf Planet Habitability, Ben Koenigs
M Dwarf Planet Habitability, Ben Koenigs
Gateway Prize for Excellent Writing
The habitability of M dwarf planets has been debated greatly, as their parent stars possess both beneficial and detrimental qualities for the development of life. Initially, the astrobiological community questioned their habitability (Dole 1964), but as research and modeling techniques have improved, astrobiologists have become more accepting of the idea of life on M dwarf planets (Shields et al. 2016). The question of these planets’ habitability has great significance, because their long lifespans and commonality in the universe make them legitimate candidates for a plethora of extrasolar spacecraft missions, and potentially for the first discovery of life in other systems.