parallax
Astronomy Jargon 101: Parallax
In this series we are exploring the weird and wonderful world of astronomy jargon! You probably don't know how close…
Our Part of the Galaxy is Packed with Binary Stars
Binary star systems are everywhere. They make up a huge percentage of all known solar systems: from what we can…
Cygnus X-1 was the First Black Hole Ever Found. New Measurements Show it's Much More Massive Than Previously Believed
New parallax measurements of Cygnus X-1 by the VLBA find it is more distant than we thought, and therefore more…
Do Stars Move? Tracking Their Movements Across the Sky
The stars look static in the sky, but are they moving? How fast, and how do we know? What events…
How Do We Measure Distance in the Universe?
This star is X light-years away, that galaxy is X million light-years away. That beginning the Universe is X billion…
Radio Telescopes Resolve Pleiades Distance Debate
Fall will soon be at our doorstep. But before the leaves change colors and the smell of pumpkin fills our…
GAIA is “Go” for Science After a few Minor Hiccups
In astronomy we throw around the term "light-year" seemingly as fast as light itself travels. And yet actually measuring this…
What is a Parsec?
If you're into astronomy, or just a fan of any science fiction franchise worth its salt, then chances are you've…
Famed Pair of Stars Closer To Earth Than We Imagined
If you're a semi-serious amateur astronomer, chances are you've heard of a variable pair of stars called SS Cygni. When you…
How To Measure the Universe
Measuring distance doesn't sound like a very challenging thing to do -- just pick your standard unit of choice and…