Space and astronomy news
We’ve all been there. You’ve met someone nice – but for some inexplicable reason, they don’t get astronomy. So how do you start gently introducing them to your life’s passion (about astronomy that is) without scaring them away? First it’s important to recognize that not everyone will be instantly in awe to learn you own …
Continue reading “Astronomy Without A Telescope – Getting Orientated”
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) are the power plants of the interplanetary spacecraft. Or at least they have been for going on 50 years now. But they have significant drawbacks, the primary one being that they’re heavy. Even modern-day RTG designs run into the hundreds of kilograms, making them useful for large-scale missions like Perseverance but …
Our sky is missing supernovas. Stars live for millions or billions of years. But given the sheer number of stars in the Milky Way, we should still expect these cataclysmic stellar deaths every 30-50 years. Few of those explosions will be within naked-eye-range of Earth. Nova is from the Latin meaning “new”. Over the last …
Continue reading “An All-Sky X-Ray Survey Finds the Biggest Supernova Remnant Ever Seen”
In 1994, Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre proposed a way to travel faster than light without violating the laws of relativity, and attempts to make it work are ongoing.
Magnetic fields are fascinating things. They are intrinsic to Iron magnets, but can also be generated by electrical circuits and even planets!
Two white dwarfs similar to those in the system SDSS J065133.338+284423.37 spiral together in this illustration from NASA. Credit: D. Berry/NASA GSFC Locked in a spiraling orbital embrace, the super-dense remains of two dead stars are giving astronomers the evidence needed to confirm one of Einstein’s predictions about the Universe. A binary system located about …
Continue reading “Effects of Einstein’s Elusive Gravitational Waves Observed”
Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Even if you missed the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, there will still be plenty of “strays” to sparkle this week’s dark nights. For astronomy without a telescope, be sure to check out all the planetary alignments – and tell your friends! When you’re ready to learn more about what to …
Continue reading “Weekly SkyWatcher’s Forecast: August 13-19, 2012”
Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! The week begins with the Moon and ends up going globular as we have a look at some of the finest the Summer has to offer. Although skies will be bright, don’t forget the most reliable meteor shower of all – the Perseids! Hang around to explore multiple star systems because… Here’s …
Continue reading “What’s Up this Week: August 7 – August 13, 2006”
Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! The week might begin with a full Moon, but we’ll have plenty to explore as we learn about the anti-twilight arch and the “Belt of Venus”. We’ll watch as the Moon occults Antares, locate globular clusters, visit the planets and pinpoint asteroids. The weekend brings early dark skies along with challenges for all observers, so get ready to grab a comet by the tail, because…
Here’s what’s up!