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POP! ASTRONOMY: Explore The Science All Around Us

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POP! ASTRONOMY: Explore The Science All Around Us

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • POP! VIDEO GALLERY
  • …  
    • HOME
    • ABOUT
    • POP! VIDEO GALLERY
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    Have you ever eaten a Milky Way candy bar?

     

    Have you noticed how many everyday products are named after astronomy terms?

     

    Ever wonder about the science behind these popular consumer brand names?

     

    For example, the candy bar "Milky Way" was named after our home galaxy

    — one of the many countless galaxies in the universe!

     
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  • POP! Astronomy is an educational video series and online science communications campaign featuring scientific presentations made by undergraduate students at MIT.

     

    We invite you to explore the science behind the names of consumer brands you already know such as Milky Way Candy Bars, Nerds Rainbow Candy, Orbit Chewing Gum, Moon Pies, Blue Moon Beer, Quasar Electronics & Quasar Candy, Pulsar Watches, Tide Laundry Detergent, Samsung Galaxy Phones, Subaru Cars, plus films like Beetlejuice or TV shows like The Big Bang Theory — plus many more! 

    Take a look next time you’re out shopping or browsing online and notice how many household brands use the language of astronomy to promote their products. 

     

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE ALL AROUND US.

     

    Tag #PopAstronomyMIT on social media to share your explorations with us!

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  • POP! ASTRONOMY VIDEO GALLERY

    Learn about the science behind these astronomy terms found in popular consumer brands!

    THE BIG BANG THEORY (TV SHOW)  | THE BIG BANG 

    The Big Bang is how astronomers believe the universe began.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF THE BIG BANG THEORY

    BLACK HOLE (FILM) & THE DORMS  |  BLACK HOLES

    A black hole marks the point at which not even light can escape.
    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF BLACK HOLES

     ECLIPSE (GUM) | ECLIPSES

    A "diamond ring" when the Moon moves in between the Earth and Sun.
    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF ECLIPSES

    SAMSUNG GALAXY PHONE | GALAXIES

    Stars forming in small groups within dense and dusty stellar nurseries.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF GALAXIES

    MILKY WAY (CANDY BAR) | THE MILKY WAY

    The billions of stars that make up our own Milky Way galaxy.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF THE MILKY WAY

    SAMSUNG GALAXY PHONE | THE MILKY WAY

    The billions of stars that make up our own Milky Way galaxy.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF THE MILKY WAY

    MOON PIE | THE MOON

    Explore different phases of the Moon over the course of a month.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF THE MOON

    ORBIT GUM | ORBITS

    An orbit is the curved trajectory of one object around another.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF ORBITS

    FORD TRANSIT (CAR) | PLANETARY TRANSITS

    A transit occurs when a planet on its orbit moves in front of its star.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF ASTRONOMICAL TRANSITS

    POLARIS SNOWMOBILES | POLARIS ( NORTH STAR)

    Polaris is the name for the North star that can be seen on clear winter nights

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF POLARIS

    PULSAR WATCHES | PULSARS

    A cosmic beacon whose radiation cone rotates with precision.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF PULSARS

    QUASAR ELECTRONICS & QUASAR CANDY | QUASARS

    Supermassive black holes in the centers of the most distant galaxies.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF QUASARS

    NERD RAINBOW CANDY  |  RAINBOWS

    Rainbows are nature’s most beautiful optical illusions.
    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF RAINBOWS

    THE HOUSTON ROCKETS | ROCKETS

    Rockets enable space travel and the exploration of cosmic distances.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF ROCKETS

    SATELLITES (CANDY) | SATELLITES

    The Milky Way is surrounded by many tiny dwarf satellite galaxies.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF SATELLITES

    SATURN (CAR COMPANY) | SATURN

    Saturn is the 6th planet in our solar system known for its beautiful ring.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF SATURN

    SIRIUS (SATELLITE RADIO) | SIRIUS (STAR)

    The brightest star in the night sky that shimmers blue-white.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF SIRIUS

    STARBURST (CANDY) | STARBURST

    Galaxies vigorously produce stars during starburst episodes.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF THE STARBURST

    SUBARU CARS | SUBARU STAR CLUSTER

    Subaru is the Pleiades star cluster visible in the Taurus constellation.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF SUBARU

    BEETLEJUICE (FILM) | BETELGEUSE STAR

    Betelgeuse is a massive red supergiant located in the constellation Orion.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF BETELGEUSE

    TIDE LAUNDRY DETERGENT  |  TIDES

    Tides are a gravitational pull exerted by the Moon & Sun on Earth.
    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF TIDES

    FORD TRANSIT (CAR) | TRANSITS

    Exoplanets can be discovered from transit observations.

    EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF PLANETARY TRANSITS
  • Have you seen other astronomy terms used somewhere? Want to make your own video? Send us your video explanations on astronomy terms you’ve spotted!

    Use #PopAstronomyMIT on social media and share your explorations with us!

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    ABOUT POP! ASTRONOMY VIDEO SERIES

    Produced By Dr. Anna Frebel, Professor of Physics

    MIT Department of Physics | physics.mit.edu 

     

    MIT students from the 8.282 class "Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics" chose their favorite astronomy term and learned how to make light board videos about it. By developing their own videos, they gained experience in condensing science concepts into accessible and engaging stories, and to tell them in front of the camera. Such science communication skills are essential for emerging scientists. Thank you to all of the students for participating!

     

    This videos series was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant AST-1716251 (PI Anna Frebel). www.nsf.gov

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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