Uranus is a unique planet in our solar system for a number of reasons. It takes 84 Earth years to complete a single orbit; it smells like rotten eggs; and it rotates on its side. Why is Uranus so different from other planets? […]
Radio astronomy was discovered much later than optical astronomy. Karl Jansky was the first person to discover radio statics. With its longer wavelengths, radio astronomy makes it easier to build telescopes. […]
Radio and optical telescopes use glass mirrors with aluminum or silver coating. While the radio telescopes have mirrors with a parabolic surface, the optical telescopes refrain from using parabola. Instead, they use multiple mirrors to eliminate aberrations. […]
Pinhole cameras map images the way telescopes do. The technique works for some telescopes whereas others use a variation in the mechanism. Astronomers have been adapting the pinhole technique in their individual ways to build up telescopes. […]
Meteorites of all shapes and sizes have struck Earth and the Moon. The most obvious examples of this are visible on the Moon’s surface, as evidenced by the myriad craters dotting the Moon. How many have hit Earth? […]
The spectral resolution of a telescope makes possible for astronomers to not only distinguish colors but also to sort the photons by wavelength. This enables them to study the nature of a light source. […]
The asteroid belt isn’t the only ring of celestial bodies orbiting our solar system. A much wider ring starting near Neptune contains countless icy formations. Discover the Kuiper Belt for yourself today. […]
In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. All seven crew members aboard the space shuttle were killed. What caused the Challenger disaster and what did we learn from it? […]
Jupiter is orbited by nearly 80 moons, including four discovered by Galileo. The third largest moon, Io, regularly bursts with explosive volcanic activity. Why does Io have so much volcanic activity? […]
From Cosmos to his award-winning books, Carl Sagan is often seen as a leading science communicator. Test your knowledge in our fun quiz. […]
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