Category Archives: Astronomy

All about astronomy: What it is, how the Solar System works, famous astronomers and more

Are we really headed for a collision with Andromeda?

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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 →

Will the Blood Moon harm my unborn baby?

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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 →

Do all planets spin in the same direction?

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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 →

What is a Blood Moon?

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A few days ago, I was asked on facebook to explain what a Blood Moon was.  I’d heard the term before, but never as an astronomical term so I went online and googled it.  It seems that they are supposed to be incredibly rare events, but that according to the “Blood Moon Prophecy”, there will be a tetrad of them of them in 2014.  This is considered to be a hugely significant thing, and is being used to sell a … Continue reading →

What is the temperature of Space?

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Dear Urban Astronomer So, my good friend and I were talking about the temperature in space. He thinks it must be hot in space, since there is no atmosphere to absorb sunlight. I disagreed. I think that the fact that there is no air in space, means there is nothing to heat up. That’s how temperature on earth works. So, surely it must be cold in space. Can you shed light (excuse the pun) on this debate? Can you answer … Continue reading →