Astronomy Shorthand
Talking to the Moon
Astrology - Fact or Fiction
The All-Star Round
The Planets Suite
200
It's the shorthand name of two coordinates that can help us find stars... or when we can find them
What are RA and DEC?
200
Despite their distance, the Sun and the Moon can work together to make this highest of high tides.
What is spring tide?
200
FACT: Unfortunately, astrology comes to us by way of Western colonialism, being taken by this now ancient group of people
Who are the Babylonians?
200
A star that is happy, healthy, and not too heavy will spend tens of millions of years in this phase of its life.
What is the main sequence?
200
The Bringer of War
What is Mars?
400
This shorthand for a unit of measure is used to represent the distance between planets and their stars.
What is AU?
400
Without this veil, the Moon has come to look quite similar to the Sun's next-door neighbor
What is an atmosphere?
400
FACT: You know, you can't even see your star sign constellation during your birth month because of this.
What is the Sun?
400
I hate to gatekeep stars, but if it can't even do this, can you really call it a star? No, you can't.
What is nuclear fusion?
400
The Bringer of Peace
What is Venus?
600
It's a shorthand for something that struck Earth 65 million years ago... and many more still could.
What is an NEA?
600
Because of this phenomenon, the Moon is unwilling to show its darker half
What is tidal locking?
600
FICTION: No matter how you try to slice it, a planet exhibiting this motion is not an actual indicator for your future prospects.
What is retrograde?
600
Polaris is part of this constellation, and contrary to its name, it certainly is pretty important.
What is Ursa Minor?
600
The Winged Messenger
What is Mercury?
800
This particularly large black hole at the center of the Milky Way has this special shorthand distinction given to many black holes at the center of other spiral galaxies.
What is an SMBH?
800
It's a term that refers to when the Moon's phases are increasing in size and brightness
What is waxing?
800
FICTION: Spring was once called the "first light of Aries", but that isn't even true anymore. Besides, if you really want to see Aries, it'd be best viewed during this season.
What is autumn (or fall)?
800
It's a category of stars, but I'm sure that the sports teams that share its name have some all-stars of their own.
What are (the) Giants?
800
The Bringer of Jollity
What is Jupiter?
1000
The shorthand of the name of this telescope is appreciated, as said in full, it's an excessively apt, unimaginative name.
What is the ELT?
1000
If you look at these blemishes on the Moon just right, you might be able to see a rabbit!
What are maria?
1000
FACT: The dates that each zodiac were associated with may have been accurate once upon a time, but now they aren't because of this quirk in Earth's motion.
What is precession?
1000
A neutron star may be dense to the point of nearly collapsing, but the natural repulsion between these particles is just enough to keep it upright.
What are neutrons?
1000
The Mystic
What is Neptune?