Dwarf Planets - a TourJoin the dwarf planet tour. It will take you so far away that the Sun seems to be no more than another bright star. You'll see a dwarf planet the shape of an American football, one whose a month is the same length as its day, and the one that upset the fans of Pluto. Naming AsteroidsHow do asteroids get their names? You have to discover an asteroid to name it, but you still can't name it after yourself or your cat. You also can't buy the naming right, though someone might give theirs to you. Constellation or Asterism & Other PosersConstellations, asterisms, galaxies and star clusters are all groups of stars. So how are they different? Why isn’t the Big Dipper a constellation? Where are the globular clusters? And if Saturn is in Virgo, has it left the Solar System? Palomar ObservatoryA mile above the California desert stands Palomar Observatory. Its 200-inch mirror was officially impossible to make, but George Ellery Hale's vision inspired a nation in the grip of the Great Depression and became the jewel in the crown of astronomy for the second half of the twentieth century. How to Tell a Planet from a UFOTwo English policemen chased a UFO through the Devon countryside. It was the planet Venus. A news reporter had quite a scoop when she found a UFO hovering over New York City. It was the planet Jupiter. Why are planets and stars often mistaken for spacecraft or aircraft? Solar EclipsesIs it an ill omen, an amazing or terrifying experience, or a great opportunity for scientists? Solar eclipses have been all of these things and more. Read on to find out what it's all about.
| Editor's Picks Articles | Top Ten Articles | Previous Features | Site Map
|
Forum Discussions
Like astronomy? Join us at the Astronomy Forum to discuss it with like-minded people. All welcome.
|
|