Budding astronomers often hear new terms and are confused about what each one means. One term you might hear as a newcomer to this field is nova. A nova is a certain type of star that you can see in the sky. It appears much brighter than the surrounding stars do. In this article, we'll look at what a nova is and how it relates to a supernova. You can use this information to … [Read more...]

“The Big Bang Theory” refers to more than just a popular television series that aired on CBS. It also refers to a scientific theory that explains how the system began. Part of that system includes something called cosmic microwave background radiation. Cosmic microwave background radiation or CMBR is a term that scientists use to describe the microwave radiation found in the … [Read more...]

Have you ever found yourself looking at the sky and marveling at the size of the stars that you can see? Those stars are only a fraction of the size of most planets, especially Jupiter. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest planet. In terms of size alone, you could take all other planets in our solar system, place them inside Jupiter and still have some room … [Read more...]

Another thing that sets circumpolar stars apart is that they do not rise into the sky or set. They always appear directly above the horizon, which is a line that you can see in the distance. Now is a good time to learn more about circumpolar stars and what they are.   Latitude and Altitude The main thing that will determine what circumpolar stars you can see is your … [Read more...]

When you look at your science textbook at images of the Earth and other planets, you'll notice that they look round. Planets aren't entirely round but do have a round shape. This is due to the gravity of the planet. Gravity both pushes up and down on the planet and pulls it out from the sides, which makes it look round. It's often better to think of planets in terms of spheres. … [Read more...]