Stars, planets, and moons are round because of the force of gravity acting on them. Gravitational forces cause matter to clump together, and the more mass an object has, the stronger its gravitational forces will be. When a large amount of mass is concentrated in a single object, such as a star or planet, the …
Category Archives: Astronomy
Will the Sun become a black hole?
No, the Sun will not become a black hole. Black holes are incredibly dense objects that are formed when very massive stars collapse in on themselves at the end of their lives. The Sun is not massive enough to become a black hole. Instead, it will eventually exhaust its supply of hydrogen fuel and expand …
Super blue blood moon explained [What is it and how Super blue blood moon occurs]
The Super blue blood moon is a rare celestial phenomenon. It is made up of three coinciding events. A supermoon is a full moon when our satellite is at its closest (hence it appears bigger in the sky). A blue moon refers to an “extra” full moon, whereas a year that usually has 12 full …
Continue reading “Super blue blood moon explained [What is it and how Super blue blood moon occurs]”
Why Pluto is not a planet anymore? [Explained]
Since 2006, Pluto, once the ninth planet in our Solar System is not classified as a planet. Here’s why.
‘Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object in our solar system was detected on October 19, 2017
‘Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system was first detected on October 19, 2017, by the University of Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope.
How fast do meteorites hit the ground?
When a meteoroid, a rocky or metallic body from outer space enters Earth’s atmosphere, it’s called a meteor. If it’s large enough, it can hit the Earth’s surface with enormous speed. It is then termed a meteorite. But, how fast do meteorites hit the ground?
James Webb Space Telescope captures amazing images of Neptune’s rings [and its moons!]
Using its near-infrared camera, the James Webb Space Telescope captured amazing images of Neptune and its rings. Thanks to the newly released images, we now see Neptune’s rings for the first time since 1989, when Voyager 2 performed the first flyby to the gas giant.
The origins of the elements are explained in this excellent infographic by NASA
NASA Exoplanets has published an amazing infographic showing the origins of the elements. From the calcium in our bones to the iron in our blood, we really are made from star stuff.
Voyager 1 launch [September 5, 1977]
Voyager 1 launch: On September 5, 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft was launched on top of a Titan IIIE/Centaur rocket from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida, 16 days after its twin, Voyager 2. The reversal of order was because the two spacecraft were sent on different trajectories, and Voyager 1 was put …
Frank Drake who formulated Drake Equation dies aged 92
On September 2, 2022, Frank Drake, the American astronomer, and astrophysicist (b. May 28, 1930) died at his home in Aptos, California, from natural causes at the age of 92.
