Stargazing Calendar for October 2023

Andromeda Galaxy. Credit: Torben Hansen. License: CC BY 2.0. October brings forth a celestial extravaganza, showcasing…

What Practical Value Did Astronomy Offer to Ancient Civilizations?

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how ancient civilizations interpreted the…

Why Does Titan Have a Dense Atmosphere

True-color image of layers of haze in Titan’s atmosphere. Photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Credit:…

How Astronomers Explore the Sun’s Layers Below the Photosphere

The layers of the Sun. Image by Kelvin Song. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. The Sun, our…

Why Are Star Clusters Ideal Laboratories for Stellar Evolution

Globular cluster M2. Located 37,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Aquarius. Credits: NASA, ESA,…

What Heats the Chromosphere and Corona to High Temperatures?

Chromosphere and corona during the 1999 total solar eclipse in France. Photo by Luc Viatour. License:…

What Separates the Inner and Outer Solar System?

Solar system in true color and size. Distances not to scale. Credits: NASA, Kevin M. Gill,…

Why Do We Think Triton Is a Captured Moon?

Montage of Neptune and its moon Triton. Credit: NASA/JPL. Have you ever wondered why scientists believe…

The Fascinating World of Asteroid Davida

3D model of asteroid 511 Davida based on lightcurve modeling. Credit: Marchis et al. (2006). License:…

Why Is Venus the Hottest Planet?

Why is Venus the hottest planet? Hint: the atmosphere. Here’s a photo of the cloud structure…