What Happens When Supermassive Black Holes Merge?
Frame from a simulation of the merger of two black holes and the resulting emission of gravitational radiation (NASA/C. Henze)…
Antares Commercial Rocket Reaches New Atlantic Coast Launch Pad
Image Caption: Antares Rocket At Wallops Flight Facility Launch Pad. Orbital Sciences Corporation's Antares rocket at the launch pad at…
Year-Long Missions Could Be Added to Space Station Manifest
UPDATE (10/5/12): It's now official. NASA announced today that the international partners have announced an agreement to send two crew…
Why is the Sky Dark at Night?
The Minute Physics folks have created another great video, this time explaining why the sky is dark at night. Although…
Astrophoto: Spectacular 22-Degree Sun Halo Over Kuala Lumpur
A 22 degree Sun halo was seen in Kuala Lumpur on October 2, 2012. Credit: Shahrin Ahmad Denizens of Kuala…
Virtual Star Party – Sep. 30, 2012: Breaking the Rules Edition
We had another fantastic Virtual Star Party Sunday night, with a packed crew of astronomers, including a new face: Bill…
Mercury’s Surface is Full of Sulfur
The southern portion of Mercury's Vivaldi basin and outlying rugged terrain Named for the 17th-century Venetian composer, the southern half…
Watch Live: A Day in the Life of the Very Large Telescope
Ever wonder what takes place on a daily basis at one of the premier ground-based observatories? The European Southern Observatory…
Surprise! Hot Venus has a Cold Upper Atmosphere
Venus' terminator – the transitional region between day and night -- may fuel an unusually cold region in the atmosphere.…
Weekly SkyWatcher’s Forecast: October 1-7, 2012
Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Normally we don't pay much attention to the waning Moon, but this week will be a bit…