Does Tidal Evolution Cause Stars to Eat Planets?
[/caption] With the success of the Kepler mission, the viability of looking for planets via transits has reached maturity. However,…
What are Electrons
[/caption] If you have heard of electrons you know that they have something to do with electricity and atoms. If…
The Other End of the Planetary Scale
[/caption] The definition of a "planet" is one that has seen a great deal of contention. The ad-hoc redefinition has…
Extrasolar Volcanoes May Soon be Detectable
[/caption] We’ve all seen pictures of erupting terrestrial volcanoes from space, and even eruptions on Jupiter’s moon Io in the…
Aesthetics of Astronomy
[/caption] When I tell people I majored in astronomy, the general reaction is one of shock and awe. Although people…
Win ‘Star Walk’ and ‘Solar Walk’ Astronomy Apps
I've had a couple of people excitedly show me the Star Walk astronomy app on their iPhones and ipads, and…
Two New Asteroids to Pass Earth This Week
[/caption] Two newly discovered asteroids will pass the Earth this week. The asteroids were discovered on September 5th of this…
Spiral Galaxies Could Eat Dwarfs All Across the Universe
[/caption] For years, astronomers have seen evidence that – at least in our own local neighborhood -- spiral galaxies are…
Hubble Spies an Amazing Cosmic Spiral
[/caption] The Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys has captured a remarkable image of a spiral in space. No,…
Herschel Finds Water Around a Carbon Star
[/caption] There’s something strange going on around the red giant star CW Leonis (a.k.a. IRC+10216). Deep within the star’s carbon-rich…