If you’ve ever heard of the Kepler Telescope, it should come as no surprise to learn that it’s named after an astronomer. The Kepler Telescope is involved in the search for habitable planets beyond our solar system — but why would it be named after an astronomer who was born in 1571? Johannes Kepler was lucky enough to be taught by some of the greatest astronomers of his time. In return, he discovered three major laws regarding how planets move. … Continue reading →
Tycho Brahe: The Wildest Astronomer Strange men are common, but strangely awesome men are not! Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe, led a most unusual life. Even from his earliest years, Brahe was simply not made to fit the mold. If Brahe had the misfortune of being born into poverty, we might have had nothing in the history books about him. Weirdly, it doesn’t actually matter what Brahe was born into, since he was stolen from his parents at … Continue reading →
Dear Urban Astronomer I recently read that the andromeda system is our closest neighbour. Apparently, our galaxy is on a crash course with the andromeda system. They make it sound like its going to happen in the next few decades. I was just curious how much bigger is andromeda? How close is it to us? And how close are we to impact. Thanks in advance, Drew Dear Drew First thing first, we are indeed on a collision course with the Andromeda … Continue reading →
Dear Urban Astronomer I am pregnant, and am worried that all these Blood Moons could harm my baby. I have asked around in my community, but everybody has their own scary story about what will happen to my baby if I go outdoors during the blood moon. Please let me know what precautions I must take. Yours, Hypothetical Reader The blood moon will not hurt your baby Okay so nobody actually mailed this question to me. But at the … Continue reading →
Dear Urban Astronomer Do all planets spin the same way, or are there some planets where the sun rises in their equivalent of West? Does it depend on the particular solar system? What about the stars in a galaxy — do they all spin in the same direction? Do all galaxies spin the same way, or do they even spin at all? Regards Amanda Dominy (extracted from Facebook conversation) Dear Amanda First, the short answer: All rotations and revolutions in … Continue reading →
