Category Archives: Questions and Answers

Most people have many questions about astronomy, and aren’t happy with the standard answers. Here are some articles trying to change this. If you have any questions you would like to see answered, ask me in an email to the address below, and I will answer your question in an article on this list

What’s the deal with Leap Years?

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on by

Today’s episode is the first Science Explainy Bit of the season, and it’s another basic, classic topic: Leap Years. As a reminder, I love looking at the questions that seem simple because we think of them as the sorts of things that children ask their parents, but the thing about these questions is that they never are simple. These are things that took humanity centuries or longer to figure out, and that most of us still don’t really understand because … Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:57 — 16.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More

Star colours and what space is like

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on by

The Urban Astronomer Podcast’s season 2 finale examines the colours of stars, and ponders what it’s actually like out in space

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:42 — 29.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More

Continue reading →

Why do planets orbit in the same plane?

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on by

In episode 48 of the Urban Astronomer Podcast, we’re doing another Science Explainy bit! These segments are where you get to hear my droning voice explain some fundamentals and answer listener questions. Today we get asked why it always is that planets orbit in the same plane, and why the Moon can be seen during daylight. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to tell a friend about the show, and make a small donation on our Patreon account. … Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:22 — 20.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More

Will Mars look as big as the Moon in August?

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on by

Dear Urban Astronomer   I recently received this presentation in an email.  Apparently, Mars will look as big as the Moon on 27 August, because it will be closer to us than ever before in recorded history and will look as big as the Moon in the sky.  Is this true? I was tempted to simply dismiss this as a joke.  After all, it’s not like anybody still falls for this, right?  Surely people remember seeing the same hoax this time … Continue reading →

Where is the centre of the Universe?

Urban Astronomer avatarPosted on by

Would finding the centre of the Universe help us understand our place in the Cosmos?  In a previous article, I talked about the problem of trying to measure speeds in space.  Because there are no fixed positions in the universe, there can be no such thing as an absolute, “real” speed.  Even the ground beneath your feet is attached to a planet hurtling through space!.  The very idea of speed simply means “The distance traveled, divided by the time it took … Continue reading →