The Vernal Equinox. It’s not the longest day of the year. It’s not the shortest. It’s the…well…what is it? Check out this visual representation using satellite data: Then read a further explanation from NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day Blog: >> APOD:…
From the Google Chrome Experiments comes 100,000 Stars, a virtual tour of our Milky Way galaxy. This is one of the most awe-inspiring experiences I’ve ever had with a web browser. Go play and wonder. >> 100,000 Stars | Chrome Experiments
From the frontiers of astronomy, a galactic bird’s eye view of the universe: Made up of more than 2.7 million images taken at four infrared wavelengths of light, the new image captures everything from nearby asteroids to distant galaxies. I…
SolarSystemScope presents a very cool online interface for zooming around the solar system in a beautiful 3D model. The whole experience happens right in your web browser. Check it out! > Link: Solar System Scope | Interactive 3D model of Solar…
The University of Arizona presents a well-produced series of engaging lectures on popular cosmology: the origins of the universe, black holes, dark matter, the big bang, and the search for (and understanding of) life in the universe. It’s all free on…
If you’re wondering what this wide-angle view of the universe tells us… …read on: How did we get here? : Starts With A Bang
Astronomers report that they’ve found a rocky planet with an atmosphere that could support life — and it’s orbiting a star only 20 light years from our Sun. (Apologies to any extra-terrestrial readers for my heliocentric slant.) >> Link: Astronomers…
Type Ia Supernovae are a not just pretty in photographs. They play an important function in astronomy as a standard candle — a celestial object with known luminosity. By measuring visible brightness, astronomers can calculate a supernova’s distance. In the…
I was just watching a TV special on the Hubble Space Telescope, which has proved immensely useful to scientific research. Then started reading more about the next generation, the James Webb Space Telescope. Seems really cool. Fun if you’re into physics,…