Frequently Asked Questions about Astronomy and Space

The Christmas Star - Is There an Astronomical Explanation?

For decades man has wondered if beings have another world have walked among us. Is it possible? Or is it simply science fiction? What about the evidence out there, is any of it credible. These are questions that we will explore.

Man has always been fascinated by the heavens. Even before man knew what was out there he has thought about walking among the stars. Science fiction has revolutionized the way that we think about space exploration. And now that science is beginning to make giant leaps forward, it may not be long before science fiction becomes a reality.

The threat of a large asteroid or comet colliding with Earth is very real. How will we stop the destruction of Earth? Is there a plan to combat the, potentially, greatest threat to life on Earth?

Over the last several decades the Moon landings of the late 60s and early 70s have garnered much scrutiny. Some have argued that it would have been physically and technologically impossible to land men on the Moon and return them home. Was it all a hoax? Did NASA fake the Moon missions on a sound stage? I'll discuss the claims of the conspiracy theorists and let you determine for your self if man…

There has been a lot of interest lately in the theory that the world is going to end in the year 2012. So, is this something that we need to be taking seriously? Is Earth in danger of being annihilated? Is the government hiding the facts from us?

It has been over 37 years since man has set foot on the Moon. Recently NASA began making preparations for our return. But is this a good idea? Is it worth risking human life for such a dangerous undertaking?

How many time have you used that phrase, dark side of the moon? At times, some people have been of the belief that one side of the moon was always dark, hence the phrase dark side of the moon. Is ther really a dark side of the moon? Read this article to learn the truth about the dark side of the moon.

A star's lifespan is measured in millions or billions of years. However, just as a caterpillar becomes a moth, stars metamorphose into other objects as they age. It may explode, it may die quietly; smaller red giants become white dwarfs or it may become a neutron star or black hole.

The question of How Did the Universe Begin is probably nearly as old as mankind. Answers to the question How Did the Universe Begin have ranged from the mystical to the religious to various scientific theories. Here we tackle the question How Did the Universe Begin by looking at the most widely accepted theory, the Big Bang Theory. You decide what you believe the answer is to How Did the Universe Begin.

What Is Astronomy? - Basics Series; What You Need To Know About Astronomy and Astronomers. Discover what the science of astronomy covers, how long astronomers have been studying it, and who the astronomers are who have been studying it. Learn the basics of the science of astronomy.

Solar means dealing with the sun, Sol. Our sun is just a star, the closest one to Planet Earth. The Solar System is everything that centers around the sun. That includes 8 planets as well as some smaller objects such as asteroids, comets and meteoroids.

Here are some frequently asked space and astronomy questions. If there is something which has always troubled you, look here for the question. Discover answers to all the frequently asked astronomyand space questions dealing with the universe, stars, space exploration, and more.

Countless science fiction novels contain the plot of mankind escaping to other worlds to avoid extinction. But could this soon become our reality? At least one renowned astrophysicist thinks so, and it could be sooner than you think. Stephen Hawking argues that mankind will continue to stand on the brink of annihilation, and the only way to avoid extinction is to spread out into outer space.

For decades science has claimed to be able to explain the origin of the Universe without the need for God. The debate has raged on both sides. But can emerging new science bring an end to the controversy once and for all?

We've all received emails that make fantastic claims. Most of the time they are fantasy, or full of half-truths. One such email that has made the...

In 2006 the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of its planet-hood, demoting it to dwarf planet status. But the debate has raged on ever since. So should Pluto be a planet, and in the end does it even matter?

What is a planet? It is one of the questions that I get most often in my astronomy class, and its a question that is at the source of great controversy. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union decided to answer that question and in doing so stripped Pluto of its planet-hood. The resulting fallout has caused rifts within the scientific...

There has been a considerable crescendo in the debate over whether a tiny orb in the outer reaches of the solar system should or should not be considered a planet. Both sides make valid arguments, while others argue that it doesn't even really matter. So where do we go from here?

Astronomy Tycho Brahe is noted as one of the most important astronomers of the late 16th century. Among other things he observed that the heavens were not constant, but instead consisted of complex systems not bound to celestial spheres has had been asserted by Ptolemy and others. Upon his death in 1601 his work passed on to his pupil Johannes...

How many alien civilizations exist in the Milky Way Galaxy? The fact is that we don't know. But that doesn't stop us from trying to reason it out. The Drake Equation is an attempt to estimate how many alien worlds may exist out there. While it is far from perfect, it may be able to shed some light on one of the greatest mysteries of the cosmos.

The search for life outside our tiny blue rock has consumed the imagination of man for decades. But now, with increasingly advanced technology we may finally be on the verge of discovering where else life may exist in our galaxy. The more we search, however, the more we realize that life may be rather precious after all.

There are a vast number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy, and recent data suggests that many of them have planets orbiting around them. But how many of these would we expect to be fit for life, and how many of these will actually contain life? The answers are not so simple.

In the late 1960's the United States proved to the world that it was possible to land humans on the Moon. Now, more than forty years later, the technology that took us to our nearest neighbor is quite antiquated. So with all our new advanced technology and innovation, why have we not ventured out beyond our Moon? How difficult is it really to...

One of the theoretical consequences of general relativity is the existence of regions of space known as wormholes. While it is not completely understood how such places are created, there is currently no observational evidence to prove that they do, they could provide a means of traveling across the Universe nearly instantaneously. So what is...

There have been times when I wish that I could revisit the past. Perhaps to undo a mistake, or to visit a hero of history. Time travel is an often used plot device in many science fiction works, but is there any science behind it? Is it possible to time travel into the past?

Nearly all of us have wished, at one time or another, that we could travel through time. Whether it is to correct a mistake in the past, or to fast-forward to a much anticipated future event, the lure of time travel is unmistakable. But what does science say about time travel? Come along as we see whether it is possible to travel into the future.

One of the most popular science fiction series of all time is Star Trek. In it, future inhabitants of Earth take off on quests to the far reaches of the galaxy. Using advanced technologies like warp drive and artificial gravity, the occupants of the starship Enterprise explore strange new worlds. But is it all just science fiction, or is there...

In 2006 there was quite a controversy when the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto, long held as the ninth planet of the solar system, was to be demoted. Its new title would be "drawf planet". What is such an object? What makes it different from the regular planets that we are all familiar with? Are there others like it out in...

When you gaze out into the darkness of space you will undoubtedly notice tiny balls of light shimmering in the night. What are these beautiful objects? Well, most of them are stars and there are billions upon billions of them out there waiting to be discovered.

If mankind is ever to conquer the cosmos it will be necessary for humans to procreate in outer space. But it turns out that this is currently easier said than done. There are significant barriers that stand in the way of women getting pregnant in space. The most immediate impact will be on any future plans to send astronauts to Mars for an...

It may sound taboo, but one of the most popular questions fielded by astronauts posits the idea of sex in space. Many wonder if it is even possible. Some argue that it must have happened by now, what with all the coed crews journeying to the International Space Station. So is sex in space possible? And, more interestingly, has sex in space ever...

Star names can sometimes sound cryptic, or at the very least - unusual. While other times star names can sound familiar. Stars get their names through several different means, but often names arise out of traditional conventions from ancient cultures. Called proper names (sometimes also known as traditional, popular or common names), this is how...

The planet Uranus is one of the most beautiful objects in the night sky, especially as viewed through a telescope. Discussion of this object is often met with snickers and laughter because of how it is pronounced. But do people pronounce it correctly, or should it be said a different way?

Is it possible to balance an egg on its end during the vernal equinox (or the autumnal equinox for that matter)? This egg balancing myth holds that during the spring equinox special gravitational properties allow for an egg to balance perfectly on its end. Is there any truth to this urban legend?

Is there sound in space? It's a common question, and the answer is often misrepresented in film and television (though producers are getting better at dealing with this issue). Recently, the question has become even more cloudy with the release of CDs from NASA that contain tracks of the different sounds in space. How can this be?

Is there such a thing as a Planet Sound? In the early 90s NASA produced music tracks that depicted the "sounds of the planets". This music is a collection or eerie, spooky sounds that are, actually, quite calming. But since sound can't travel through empty space, how could a planet produce a sound?

We are all familiar with the Moon, the billiant object that lights up the night sky on most nights. However, there are some properties of the Moon that have baffled scientists for decades. Now, some suggest that the oddities are because our Moon is actually the result of a merger between the two Moons that used to orbit our tiny world.

Even the earliest humans were aware of the Moon. Besides the Sun it is the most dominant object in the sky. But how was it made? Where did it come from? These questions puzzled people for millennia. And while not an absolute, we now believe that we know how the Moon was made.

One of the questions that is often wrongly answered about astronomy pertains to the rotation of the Moon. Specifically, does the moon rotate? The answer is yes, but very slowly. And not only that, but it rotates in a very precise manor as the Earth and Moon interact and cause our natural nightlight to always show us the same face.

There is much that we do not know about the Universe, but one of the greatest mysteries surrounds a substance known as dark matter. By its very nature it is invisible to the naked eye, but is apparently all around us; everywhere we look in the night sky. But without it physicists would have a difficult time explaining the composition, motion and...

This is one of the most misunderstood concepts. Perhaps the confusion arises out of our everyday experiences with heat and temperature, perhaps it is just a lack of education on the matter. But ultimately, it seems most people don't have a clear understanding of Earth's seasons. So what are the reasons for the seasons?

In the aftermath of the housing crisis in 2008, with the economy of the United States in dire straits, legislators began looking for ways to cut spending. A prime target was the way-behind-schedule and way-over-budget James Webb Space Telescope. This Hubble replacement has been promoted in scientific circles as the next great evolution of...

This is hardly a new question, but rather has been debated throughout the ages. But is that really necessary? Or, more pertinently, has the question already been answered; has science proven that God does not and can not exist?