How I Use Technology to Stay Connected, Productive

In today’s society technology is a big part of my life, whether it’s scrolling through TikTok, catching up with friends on Snapchat, or listening to music on Spotify. Most of my apps are for my leisure and interacting with family and friends after a long day of work and school. It’s so easy to get lost for hours in these types of apps, they do help me unwind and always keep me in the loop of what’s going on in the world.

On the other hand, though, for school, I rely on Google Docs, URCourses, and E-mail are my academic saving grace. I use Google Docs for everything, such as writing papers, teaming up on group projects, and keeping my notes super organized. URCourses are important for tracking assignments, deadlines, and grades. 

One problem. Trying to stay focused. TikTok and Snapchat can really distract my productivity (my baTo stay away from burning out, I’ve started to set “screen time limits” and scheduling “check in” time for social media. Even being aware of how often I grab for my phone has helped me set healthier habits.

This week, I officially started my astronomy learning journey by looking at the basics, and holy moly, space is already mind-boggling. 

I focused my attention on getting to know the solar system, learning the differences between stars and planets, and grasping how constellations are ordered in the night sky. To help me with that, I downloaded the app called “Stellarium Web” and it has been a game-changer. Using this app, I was able to spot Orion and the Big Dipper from my own balcony. It was unreal seeing how this app covers constellations and planets onto the night sky live. It made stargazing feel like I knew what I was doing, but really I had no idea what I was doing! 

Have you ever used a stargazing app? If not, maybe this is your time to try one now! You might be shocked to see how easy it is to find a constellation!

To get a better understanding, I watched a few videos that really open up my eyes: 

1. CrashCourse Astronomy:  The Solar System: This video shows how the solar system is put together, with the Sun at the core, surrounded by the rocky planets like Earth and Gas Giants like Jupiter. I found out about the asteriod belt and how dwaf planets like Pluto fit in.
2. The Life Cycle of Stars: While watching this video, I learned about hwo the stars are born in stellar nuersises from clouds of gas and dust. I was amazard about the smaller stars, like the Sun, can live longer and burn fuel more slowly, while the larger stars burn out quickly and then end in dramatic supernova explosions.

Here’s a screenshot that I took while using Stellarium showing Orion, one of the constellations that I was able to find this week:

Researching about the solar system and the lives of stars has given me a new outlook for the universe! I’m loving every single moment of this journey and I can’t wait to look deeper into more constellations, planets and celestial events!

I want to know what space related topic you’re super curious about?

I’m eager to dive into something I’ve always been interested in, which is astronomy! To tell you the truth, my grasp about astronomy right now is basic. I can only find the Bigger Dipper at night, when it is being shown, and I know the basic of the solar system, such as the planets, Sun and Earth. But, when it comes to galaxies, black holes, or the breathtaking pysics of the universe, I’m a beginner!

What I’m Learning 🔭

This week, I started the basics of stargazing, I downloaded the app called “Night Sky,” which has helped me spit the Orion and Bigger Dupper. It’s much easier when you have something to guide you! I have watched some videos as well to help understand how stars are born and how they die. One of the things I learned is that a star’s life cycle really depends on the size (who knew!?)massive stars blow up as supernovae, while smaller stars like the Sun will become white dwarfs.

Resources that I used for this week 📚:

App: Night Sky

Video: Life Cycle of Stars