Why aren’t stars visible in the daytime?
Stars aren’t visible during the sunlit hours of daytime because the light-scattering properties of our atmosphere spread sunlight across the […]
Why are many observatories located on mountaintops?
Almost all of the world’s finest ground-based observatories are located on mountains, for a variety of reasons. First and foremost,
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How do astronomers measure distances to stars and galaxies?
Astronomers have developed several techniques to indirectly measure the vast distances between Earth and the stars and galaxies. In many
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Are there shortcuts through space?
According to Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, it is feasible in areas of intensely strong gravity to create “wormholes”
What do scientists mean when they say space is curved?
Space is indeed curved — in four dimensions. Many people think the fourth dimension is simply time, and for some
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How do I report seeing unusual objects in the sky?
It depends on what exactly you think you see. If you believe you have discovered a new member of a
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Who built the first observatory?
Observatories, like so much of astronomy, are truly ancient features of human culture; retracing the steps of the first person
Who made the first map of the universe?
Maps of the stars are nearly as ancient as human culture itself; inscriptions describing the positions of stars and constellations
What do astronomers do at an observatory?
Before using a research telescope, an astronomer submits a proposal detailing project goals and equipment needs for approval by a
How do modern telescopes work?
Telescopes gather light in one of two ways. Reflecting telescopes focus light with a series of mirrors, while refracting telescopes