Supermassive Black Holes and Active Galactic Nuclei
This post explores supermassive black holes (SMBHs). It will discuss the tools that astronomers use to find these objects before exploring their link with active galactic nuclei (AGN). It will be discovered that SMBHs provide the energy source that produces AGN. The phenomena we observe from these objects are described by a unified model based […]
What are Binary Stars?: A Complete Guide for Amateur Astronomers
Look up at the night sky, and you might think each twinkling point of light is a single star, much like our Sun. Interestingly, this is not true. We find that the vast majority of stars are part of binary or multiple-star systems. To put a number on it, 85% of stars are in binary […]
Formation of the Moon
This article about the formation of the Moon is quite in-depth. If you would like less technical information on the Moon you may like Why Do We Always See the Same Face of the Moon or Why Does The Moon Shine. The question of the Moon’s formation has been pondered since prehistoric times. Early explanations […]
Lunar Rilles: What are They?
If you study a photograph of the Moon closely, you may notice what appear to be channels running across the lunar surface. These features are known as lunar rilles. This comprehensive guide will explore their formation, characteristics, and significance in our understanding of lunar geology. What Are Lunar Rilles? Lunar rilles are long, narrow depressions […]
Why Is Astronomy Important?
Looking up at the sky, it’s easy to feel a sense of wonder. That feeling is the essence of astronomy. But astronomy is more than just stargazing. It’s a field that has shaped our understanding of the universe and our place within it. This comprehensive guide explores why astronomy is important and essential to our […]
Space Weather
There is a clear link between solar activity and effects observed in space directly around the Earth. This space weather results from dynamic events within the Sun’s atmosphere. This article first explores the mechanisms that cause dynamic events in the Sun’s atmosphere before exploring how they affect space around Earth. Finally, it explores the effects […]
Solving the Solar Neutrino Problem
Our understanding of stellar processes is based on our understanding of the Sun. We have studied the processes in the Sun and, with astronomical observations, developed models of how stars are born, live, and eventually die. If our understanding of the Sun is incorrect, then so too would our models of how stars develop. In […]
What are Stellar-Mass Black Holes?
This article explores what we know about stellar-mass black holes and how we find them. To do this, we need to look at what a stellar-mass black hole is and how we can detect its presence. Due to their nature, we can not view them directly. Just a warning. This is a more technical article […]
How do Scientists Classify Stars?
With a casual glance at the night sky, all stars may be similar. They all appear to be a similar color but with varying brightness. However, scientists have developed a complex and intricate classification system to classify stars. In this article, we will explore how do scientists classify stars. The only information we receive directly […]
How Far Away Is Venus From The Sun?
Venus is a world shrouded in a thick layer of clouds. As such, its surface is a mysterious place that we can’t directly observe. It is the second planet out from the Sun. You may be wondering how far away is Venus from the Sun. Even though the planet’s surface is not visible, we still […]