Astronomy Articles

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae, star clusters and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth (such as cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe.

Tag Archive for: astronomy

white dwarfs

Why There Are Maximum Mass Limits for Compact Objects

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In this article, we will look at why there are maximum mass limits for objects that are supported against gravity by degeneracy pressure instead of kinetic…
dark energy supernova

Dark Energy Part 3: Fitting the SCP Union 2.1 Supernova Data

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In Part 1 of this 3-part series, I explained kinematics in Einstien-deSitter (EdS) cosmology and in Part 2, I explained kinematics in ##\Lambda##CDM cosmology…
supernova refsdal

Supernova Refsdal: Multiply-Imaged Supernova Guide

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Supernova (SN) Refsdal — Key PointsAstronomers have been trying to understand space for thousands of years. Supernova Refsdal was the first known…
Cosmic Web Connections

Cosmic Web Connectivity: How It Shapes Galaxy Evolution

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Introduction The universe was not perfectly uniform at the beginning; some regions had higher density than others. Over time these higher-density regions…
Gaia search for black holes

Gaia Astrometry: Detecting Gravitational Waves Guide

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Overview Gravitational waves (GWs) are disturbances in spacetime produced by massive objects moving asymmetrically. Only the most massive and most relativistic…
uranus spin

Why Uranus Spins on Its Side: Tilt, Theories, Models

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Uranus' Peculiar Tilt Uranus spins on its side. It has an obliquity (tilt) of 98° — its rotation axis lies closer to the ecliptic plane than any other…
mary Somerville

Mary Somerville & Caroline Herschel: The Google Doodle Story

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Mary Somerville and Caroline Herschel were jointly honored by Google's 2 February 2020 Doodle as the first two women elected honorary members of the Royal…
What is Mass Inflation

Mass Inflation in Black Holes: Poisson-Israel Theory Explained

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Mass inflation is the phenomenon in which the internal mass parameter of a rotating or charged black hole grows without bound near the Cauchy horizon,…
Sagittarius A

Calculate Sgr A* Spin from QPOs — Kerr Metric Derivation

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Introduction This Insight explains how it is possible to calculate the spin of Sagittarius A* — the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky…
pamelagay

Pamela Gay Interview — Astronomy, Citizen Science & Outreach

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Please give us a bit of background into your educational and professional life. I'm a public school kid through and through. After going to the local…
nightsky

Why Night-Sky Stars Often Appear Brighter Than the Sun

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Are most visible stars brighter than the Sun? A couple of weeks back, a thread was started about whether or not most of the stars we see at night are…
pluto

Pluto Quiz: Test Your New Horizons Mission Knowledge

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This quiz tests reader knowledge of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, covering key facts and discoveries reported during the mission's flyby coverage.…
man_on_moon

Apollo Moon Missions: Eugene Cernan and the Final Landing

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Eugene Cernan became the last person to walk on the moon on December 11, 1972, during NASA's Apollo 17 mission, closing out a nine-mission lunar exploration…
LCDM4

Approximate LCDM Expansion in Simplified Math (Part 4)

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  Part 4: Cosmic Recession Rates An astronomer, accompanied by his amateur relativist friend, aimed a telescope at a distant galaxy and measured…
solar_eclipse

Solar Eclipse Viewing & Safety Guide: What to Expect

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A solar eclipse is safe to view with the naked eye only during totality, the brief period when the Moon completely covers the Sun. At every other stage…
supernova

Star Death Explained: White Dwarfs to Black Holes

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Stellar death outcomes depend on the star's initial mass: stars below roughly 8 solar masses end as white dwarfs, while more massive stars undergo core…
DH - astrophysics

Interview with Astrophysicist D H

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Meet a Mentor is a series to help you get to know your wonderful Mentors better. Constructive questions and comments are welcome! Today we meet: D HGive…