23Jun2011

Massive Cosmic Collision Imaged By Telescopes

The galaxy cluster Abell 2744 (Pandora’s Cluster), was formed by a massive cosmic collision of at least four separate galaxy clusters. Images of the collision were captured and pieced together using the Hubble Space Telescope, the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, the Japanese Subaru telescope, and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Source: Massive Cosmic Collision …

22Jun2011

Spitzer Finds Clarity in the Inner Milky Way

800,000 frames from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope used to create an infrared portrait of the inner Milky Way: Source: Spitzer Finds Clarity in the Inner Milky Way – NASA Spitzer Space Telescope.

22Jun2011

Best science fiction/fantasy books?

NPR is looking for the best Science Fiction/Fantasy books. Post your faves in the comments or click through to find new books for the summer!

21Jun2011

20 Most Influential Scientists Alive Today

SuperScholar.org recently listed it’s 20 Most Influential Scientists Alive Today. Anyone missing? Tim Berners-Lee Noam Chomsky Richard Dawkins (pictured above) Persi Diaconis Jane Goodall Alan Guth Stephen Hawking Donald Knuth Lynn Margulis Gordon Moore Roger Penrose Allan Sandage Frederick Sanger Charles Townes Craig Venter James Watson Steven Weinberg Andrew Wiles Edward O. Wilson Edward Witten

20Jun2011

Plains Milky Way on Vimeo

Gorgeous Milky Way time lapse shot in South Dakota: Source: Plains Milky Way on Vimeo on Vimeo

01Jun2011

Sky Talk June 2011: Some Frequently-Asked Questions About the Moon

Although it’s the most readily visible (aside from the Sun itself) and nearest to us of all celestial bodies, the Moon poses puzzling questions to many people — especially those new to the hobby of skywatching. Here are some of the most often asked ones. Q: Why is the First Quarter Moon as shown on …

01May2011

Sky Talk May 2011: Predawn Planetary Conclave

Those of you who don’t mind rising early in the morning will have a special treat this month as you look toward the eastern sky before dawn. There you’ll find a grouping of four of the major planets — and a spectacular close approach of the two brightest ones! For a week or so around …

01Apr2011

Sky Talk April 2011: Binoculars for Stargazing

Many books and articles have been written over the years extolling the pleasures of stargazing using binoculars, all based on the premise that “two eyes are better than one.” And indeed they are! Every major class of celestial wonder from the Moon and planets to star clusters, nebulae and galaxies lie within reach of even …

01Mar2011

Sky Talk March 2011: Mercury’s Spring Apparition

Many skywatchers have never seen the elusive innermost planet Mercury due to its rapid orbital motion and the fact that it never strays far from the Sun. (This includes lots of professional astronomers as well!) March offers a great opportunity to spot it at one of its periodic elongations. During the second half of this …

01Feb2011

Sky Talk February 2011: Why Buy a Telescope?

The best thing that we’re put here for’s to see; The strongest thing that’s given us to see with’s A telescope. Someone in every town Seems to me owes it to the town to keep one. I would expand upon these wonderful words from Robert Frost’s famous poem The Star-Splitter to say that someone in …