Mr. Ippolito
AP Biology
9/21/18
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New York Times,
21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectionco
llection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=hig
hlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectionco
llection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=hig
hlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
This article discusses NASA’s planet hunting satellite TESS, sent into space by SpaceX in April of 2018.
TESS stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. The satellite has been searching for other planets
throughout the stars. The first light science image taken by the satellite was released, showing the southern
sky and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. According to the leader of the project, George Ricker
TESS has discovered 73 stars that may foster exoplanets. In the recent surge to find another planet
habitable for humans, few ideal locations have been identified. The most plausible of those 10 to 15 light
years away. The most important discovery made by TESS was its announcement of the "super-earth", the
closest planet to Earth so far. Unfortunately, it is too warm, but it provides hope we may be closer to
finding the ideal replacement. TESS authors wrote, "It is worth remembering that 90 percent of the sky
has not yet been surveyed by either TESS or Kepler."
In the future, these discoveries will be very important. Once the Earth begins to decay or the human race,
damages it enough to force its destruction, it will be important to have another planet similar to Earth.
Therefore, the importance of spreading word of these events is very important. The more funding for
other satellite projects, the quicker we may find a new planet. It is also more important to understand the
universe we are living in. Projects such as TESS that expand our knowledge of the space around us, are
definitely worth identifying.
This article did a very good job of highlighting the important aspects of the project. It is short and brief,
easy to read quickly, as a new fact rather than a lab description. This also made the article less informative.
There could have been much more said about the statistics and goals of the mission. This area of the
article lacked the strength it required. I would suggest the author add more content to the article, and keep
it as brief as possible. That way, there would be more content and it would continue to be a short essay.
This article was related to my favorite aspects of science, and was very interesting to review.
TESS stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. The satellite has been searching for other planets
throughout the stars. The first light science image taken by the satellite was released, showing the southern
sky and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. According to the leader of the project, George Ricker
TESS has discovered 73 stars that may foster exoplanets. In the recent surge to find another planet
habitable for humans, few ideal locations have been identified. The most plausible of those 10 to 15 light
years away. The most important discovery made by TESS was its announcement of the "super-earth", the
closest planet to Earth so far. Unfortunately, it is too warm, but it provides hope we may be closer to
finding the ideal replacement. TESS authors wrote, "It is worth remembering that 90 percent of the sky
has not yet been surveyed by either TESS or Kepler."
In the future, these discoveries will be very important. Once the Earth begins to decay or the human race,
damages it enough to force its destruction, it will be important to have another planet similar to Earth.
Therefore, the importance of spreading word of these events is very important. The more funding for
other satellite projects, the quicker we may find a new planet. It is also more important to understand the
universe we are living in. Projects such as TESS that expand our knowledge of the space around us, are
definitely worth identifying.
This article did a very good job of highlighting the important aspects of the project. It is short and brief,
easy to read quickly, as a new fact rather than a lab description. This also made the article less informative.
There could have been much more said about the statistics and goals of the mission. This area of the
article lacked the strength it required. I would suggest the author add more content to the article, and keep
it as brief as possible. That way, there would be more content and it would continue to be a short essay.
This article was related to my favorite aspects of science, and was very interesting to review.
Harry Villanueva
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Biology
9/29/18
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The
New York Times, 21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
In this review, Chris reflects on NASA’s satellite, TESS, which is currently seeking out planets for potential human habitation. This review is overall very thorough in the way that it describes and explains the context of TESS. In general, the review is well written and informative. Another admirable aspect about the review was that it was strengthened by the details that Chris pulled out of the article. I like that Chris added the fact that TESS has found 73 stars that possibly foster exoplanets, while the most realistic future home for the human race is 10 to 15 light years away from earth. These small details greatly contributed to my knowledge of this subject. At the same time, Chris also gave solid criticism of the article stating that it lacked information for the reader.
One thing that would have been interesting is if Chris described whether he thought that moving to a new planet is even realistic. It is made clear by both the article and review that earth is deteriorating as we know it and the closest possibly habitable planet is nearly 15 light years away. I think that the review would have been particularly interesting if Chris gave his personal opinion on the matter. The review could have also been more specific when Chris stated that the article could have had more content. In his criticism, he makes the point that the article was a little short and could have included more content for the readers. Chris could have elaborated a little bit more and described what kind of content a reader would demand.
As a whole, the article and review touch upon a conflict that will be felt by every human on the planet as time goes on, that conflict being that humans are destroying the earth. Due to this problem, we are seeking new planets to inhabit as preparation for the time that this earth does collapse. The article brings awareness to the fact that scientists are still very far from truly finding a planet that will satisfy the human population. As of right now, we have found a planet that “might” be habitable and is almost 15 light years away from us. We are very far from our end goal. As an individual the article reminds me that the earth simply will not last forever and we as people should do everything in our power to preserve it.
Charlotte Cagliostro
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Biology
9/30/18
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
I enjoyed reading Chris Hutchins’ review of “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets” for three main reasons. First, Chris wrote sophisticatedly and informatively. His review was quite captivating, so I never got bored while reading it. Second, I really liked this topic he chose; space exploration is a topic that has moved back into the public eye, so I appreciated the relevance of his article. Finally, I believe Chris incorporated a lot of great evidence into his review. He used quotes, facts, and statistics to further strengthen his review. Specifically, I liked how Chris included a quote from TESS authors about how only roughly ten percent of space has been explored; the quote supported one of the article’s main ideas: that space is widely uncharted and unknown to man.
I have two suggestions for Chris on how he could improve his piece. First, I think Chris should define some of the challenging scientific terms he mentions in his first paragraph. For example, I was not entirely sure what “exoplanets” or “magellanic clouds” were. If he were to provide a definition for some of this terms, Chris could reach and inform a wider audience. Secondly, I believe that Chris should add a bit more information to his primary paragraph regarding TESS and its operation. I just wanted to learn bit more about the company: their goals, their accomplishments, and their upcoming ventures. Chris’ review was quite strong, so these suggestions are relatively small, but I do think that they would enhance the reader’s understanding of the piece.
One interesting thing I learned from reading this review is that TESS discovered the “super-earth”. Although it is too warm to inhabit, I still find it incredibly interesting that scientists have found a new planet that is most comparable to Earth. Overall, Chris did a fantastic job and I learned a lot about space and the future of galactic exploration.
Eva Dani
ReplyDelete09/28/2018
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New York Times,
21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectionco
llection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=hig
hlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
Chris’s article on SpaceX and NASA’s satellite initiative to discover new stars and planets does a good job on summarizing TESS’s goals and purpose as well as hypothesizing it’s future benefits and effects. Chris explains what TESS is simply and efficiently, and gives examples of what TESS has and has not accomplished (ex discovering a “super earth). Chris’s writing is grammatically correct and he explains his points clearly and concisely.
Although Chris’s article was informative, it could have delved deeper into TESS’s other goals, such as searching for life and more in depth on how it is using stars to guide exploration of new planets. For a summary, Chris does a good job of condensing the information from the article, and his personal thoughts are introspective; however in the future, Chris may want to include more information to give a more rounded view for the reader.
I did not previously know how invested NASA was in discovering new planets, focusing on life inhabiting ones as well. The topic is in interesting one due to global warming and the uncertainty of the future state of our planet, as Chris mentioned. Although it seems like science fiction, the possibility of sending humans to other planets or discovering planets with life is slowly becoming a possibility. I hope that in my lifetime, space exploration such as TESS will evolve into a wider understanding of space, much of which is unknown.
Jordan Hoang
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Ap Biology C Odd
10/8/18
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Sept. 2018 www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectionco
llection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
In this specific review, Chris elaborated on the recent findings of TESS, a space satellite which was just launched 6 months ago. Throughout his review, Chris clearly and effectively states the purpose of TESS, indicating that it has been “searching for other planets throughout the stars”. He didn’t overcomplicate the intentions for TESS, which made his review easy to understand. Additionally, I found this topic especially intriguing, especially when Chris mentioned TESS discovering a “super earth”, a planet very similar and close to Earth itself. This could have dramatic implications in science moving forward, as Chris also explicitly states. Due to our continuous destruction of Earth, it is very crucial for us to find another planet habitable for humans. I resonated strongly with Chris’s statement and enjoyed how he stated this clearly in his opinions on the article.
While Chris’s review was interesting and well-written, I believe that he could have informed readers about the environment that makes these new planets livable for humans. Since the search for a “new Earth” is a relatively new topic, I believe he could have explained more about the specific parameters that allows for a planet to be inhabited by humans. Additionally, while Chris’s review was overall grammatically correct, I found some of his sentences to have a slightly awkward structure. The words “the most plausible of those 10 to 15 light years away” for instance, was more of a fragment rather than a sentence, and it wasn’t clear in identifying what “the most plausible of those” meant . Just being a little more clear with what he was referring to and proofreading some of sentences would make his review ever more clear and comprehensible.
It is unbelievable to me the amount of discoveries that they are making with just this one satellite. As Chris mentioned, I believe that funding more explorations like TESS would allow for great advancements in space exploration. Considering that our Earth is being subjected to a lot of stress, needing a new planet will eventually be a very probable necessity. And with the help of TESS and more space satellites, we can begin to learn more about the extraordinary and alluring outer space.
Brian Li
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Biology
9 October 2018
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New
York Times, 21 Sept. 2018,
www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
Chris does a good job in his introduction describing his topic, which is about a recent satellite TESS and its uses, by not only describing the project’s purpose but also its progress. He also does a good job in remaining tentative about the project’s results in finding suitable planets for life, while also maintaining a certain optimism that keeps the reader interested in the project he is describing. Especially, in his second paragraph, he not only states the important implications of his topic, but also a call to action for things we could do to support satellites like this. Furthermore, Chris does not overload his review with details and extraneous information, instead choosing to the quote the article and citing statistics only they demonstrate the project’s significance and findings.
I think that Chris did a good job overall in explaining his topic, but he did not directly define exoplanets, which are essentially planets outside our solar system and important to understanding his article. Some readers might conflate exoplanets with “goldilocks” planet because he uses the terms interchangeably throughout his review. Chris also mentions that the author should add more statistics and goals to the experiment, but it would have been better if he could have elaborated more on what goals or statistics he specifically was looking for.
Finally, I thought that Chris’ quote was extremely inspiring, referring to the fact that 90% of the sky has not yet been explored, as it is something I never knew but also demonstrates the great potential, which these endeavors hold and the possibilities available. Not only that but it also means that 10% of space was explored by Kepler or TESS, meaning that the task at hand is making progress. The infinite expanse of space is becoming just a little smaller.
Michael Grieco
ReplyDeleteAP Biology
Current Event 5 - Comment
October 17, 2018
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New
York Times, 21 Sept. 2018, .
In Chris’ review, he remained very concise with his points, allowing the reader to get a brief understanding of the topic without reading the article. He introduced the topic with, “TESS stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. The satellite has been searching for other planets throughout the stars.” This brief statement allowed me to contextualize the reviewed article, allowing me to comprehend it better. Additionally, Chris’ use of statistics was helpful in understanding the current progress of this project. He says they have found 73 exoplanets that could possibly inhabit life, and the distance in light years away. These specific details helped me in evaluating the project. And finally, Chris analyzed the implications of the TESS project that made it stand out. He says, “Projects such as TESS that expand our knowledge of the space around us, are definitely worth identifying.” This makes me associate value with the project, and it has definitely caught my interest.
Despite catching my attention in many different ways, Chris left out some important details. After reading the article itself, some statistics, including the satellite’s speed were not included in the review. I believe that if Chris incorporated some of these statistics, he could have added more value to the topic. Additionally, Chris used some bland and repetitive language in some areas that if improved upon, he could make the review more interesting and appealing. For example, he repeats the adjective, “important” several times in the second paragraph. If he used a different word each time, the review would have kept me hooked for longer.
The one part about this study that jumps out is the possibility of life on planets. This satellite is able to look farther into the solar system than we ever have. This new distance can provide more information not just about new planets that could inhabit life, but it could also further our understanding concerning the origin of the universe.
Alisa Kanganis
ReplyDeleteAP Biology
October 14, 2018
Current Event 5
Overbye, Dennis. “NASA's TESS Starts Collecting Planets.” The New York Times, The New York Times,21 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/science/nasa-tess-planets.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront.
I enjoyed reading Chris’ review of the article “NASA’s TESS Starts Collecting Planets” by Dennis Overbye. His summary was very concise, so I was able to grasp a brief understanding of the topic very quickly. Through his use of statistics, he was able to highlight some of the recent achievements of the satellite TESS. Chris mentions that “TESS has discovered 73 stars that may foster exoplanets” and “The most plausible of those 10 to 15 light years away.” This helped me build some context around the search for habitable planets. I also like how he suggested that the author should add more statistics in their article to make it more informative.
One way Chris could improve his review would be by adding definitions for the scientific terms. For example, I am not sure what an “exoplanet” is which made it hard to understand that part of the review. I also think it would have been fitting if he elaborated on his opinion about the search for habitable planets. For instance, does he think it is possible? Or does he support the idea of moving to a new planet instead of trying to fix Earth?
I think this topic is very interesting, but I wouldn’t say that it is particularly useful. I agree that we should support funding for space exploration, however, I personally don't believe that there is another planet out there that resembles Earth enough to support human life. At least not one that is within reach. And even if there is, it would take enormous amounts of money and time to build a new community on it. I think we should focus our efforts on fixing the Earth the best we can.