Everyone knows about our solar system. Earth and its neighbors orbit the sun. Exoplanets exist outside of our solar system. They're hard to detect. It wasn't until the 1980s that exoplanets were scientifically confirmed to exist. Even today, it can be hard to see exoplanets. Recently, scientists developed a new way of viewing exoplanets directly. The [...]
Humans’ understanding of the cosmos is expanding exponentially, yet it’s a drop in the ocean of the wonders yet to be discovered. As the first-ever images of a black hole are released, other newly discovered phenomena are taking a back seat, but are no less thrilling to physicists and astronomers. These four are worth everyone’s [...]
With the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) focusing on two supermassive black holes, the Milky Way's own Sagittarius A*, and a larger one at the center of M87 53.5 million light-years away, the question arises as to what these objects can teach us. Researchers gathered in April 2017 and have come up with these observations and [...]
Just a few days ago scientists have begun using some heavy machinery in an attempt to detect ripples known as gravitational waves. On April 1st, three machines were turned on. These were the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatories in Louisiana and Washington, and the Virgo Interferometer in Italy. All of these facilities had recent upgrades that have [...]
It looks like space is indeed "the final frontier." Thanks to a special telescope from the Netherlands, the world appears to have suddenly gotten a lot larger and more cosmically complex. Scientists have recently discovered a new window on the universe, spotting 300,000 previously unknown galaxies. An international team of 200 scientists from 18 countries [...]
The debate over the possibility of an additional planet in our solar system has gone on for years. Most recently, Pluto was demoted from a planet to a dwarf planet. That means we're now looking for a Planet Nine, not an elusive Planet X. While controversial with the general public, Pluto's demotion was widely agreed upon by [...]
Space is such an enigma. There so many aspects of the universe that remain unexplored and offer unlimited potential. As such, it is a source of endless fascination for droves of spectators who are drawn to the complexities that are hidden within the cosmos and throughout its vastness. With that in mind, here are five [...]
Most people know that all stars eventually die. With that said, when will the sun die, and what will happen as it starts to die? Luckily, most experts believe humans won't be around to witness the death of the sun. In the past, astronomers believed that the sun would turn into a planetary nebula and [...]
Of course, when it comes to things like galaxies, the word “tiny” is relative. This heretofore unknown galaxy, christened Bedin I, is 3000 light years across. This means that it takes light 3000 years to cross from one end to the other. As for mileage, consider that one light year is 5.88 trillion miles. But the galaxy [...]
Thanks to technological improvements in digital photography, both professionals and amateurs are capable of shooting the stars without specialized equipment or software. Astroscapes, images with foreground landscape elements along with the night sky above, have surged in popularity. With the right equipment, one can capture stunning images of the night sky. CAMERA AND LENSES REQUIRED FOR [...]
