History of the Space Launch System

SaraRayne Oct 21, 2019

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The plain fact is that if we want to explore further into the solar system and even send humans out, we need better rockets. We need more capabilities. We need the Space Launch System. But what exactly is the...

Top Five Best Astronomy Textbooks

SaraRayne Oct 21, 2019

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Reading opens you up to a whole new world. It expands your mind, introduces you to complex ideas, and allows you to see life in a different way. While nothing beats hands-on experience, one of the best ways...

How to Easily Draw the Moon

SaraRayne Oct 20, 2019

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Our ever-present companion is quite the sight. Everyone loves looking at the moon. There’s something enthralling about it. But if you don’t have the right equipment, it can be a challenge to photograph well...

How to Make an Astronomical Drawing

SaraRayne Oct 20, 2019

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Before we could take incredible photographs of objects out in space, we drew pictures. Thanks to telescopes, features became clearer, but how were astronomers supposed to show each other what they were seeing...

How To Find Uranus Tonight

SaraRayne Oct 19, 2019

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Uranus isn’t the farthest planet from Earth, but it does stretch a considerable distance. Because of this, Uranus can be a tricky planet to spot. If you’re looking for the ice giant in tonight’s sky, here’s...

How to Find Jupiter Tonight

SaraRayne Oct 19, 2019

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Jupiter, the faraway gas giant, fascinates us. It may be millions of miles away from us, but we can still see it in the night sky. How incredible is that? Here’s what you need to do to observe Jupiter from...

How To Find Venus Tonight

SaraRayne Oct 19, 2019

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Venus is Earth’s twin. At least, it would be if it weren’t the planetary equivalent of hell. Venus is also notably the easiest planet to spot in the night sky. It’s brilliant, bright, and fairly close to us...

How to Find Mars in the Sky

SaraRayne Oct 19, 2019

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The Red Planet. Fourth planet from the Sun. Also named after Ares, the Greek god of war.

Mars.

It’s everyone’s favorite planet (after Earth of course) thanks to the years of exploration, stunning...

How to Stargaze for Beginners

SaraRayne Oct 19, 2019

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The night sky is a whirlwind of activity, though you might not know it. Galaxies are zooming away, planets are gracefully falling around the sun, and stars twinkle brilliantly with the undulations of the...

How to Teach the Solar System to Your Kids

SaraRayne Oct 18, 2019

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There’s nothing better than passing on a love of science to your kids. You might have to tackle some complex topics and not know the best way to help your children understand. Start with the Solar System, for...

How to Get Started With Astronomy

SaraRayne Oct 18, 2019

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Astronomy is a vast discipline—as vast as the universe it aims to understand. There’s a lot to learn, so how do you know where to begin? You could read dozens of articles and watch a few documentaries...or...

How to Use Astronomy in Your Daily Life

SaraRayne Oct 18, 2019

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We live under a blanket of stars that seemingly have nothing to do with our everyday lives. Although we don’t rely on the heavens as much as our ancestors did, there’s no denying the power of astronomy in our...

Astronomers and their Contributions

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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A little disclaimer before we begin: There have been thousands of astronomers since the field originate, and every one of them deserves credit and recognition. Unfortunately, only the ones who contribute significantly to our understanding of science...

How To Set Up the Celestron NexStar Computerized Telescope

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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Telescopes have seen some incredible improvements. Not only can you have a mini observatory in your backyard, you can now find celestial objects that may have eluded you in the past thanks to computerized technology. But before you can start observing...

How To Install Kerbal Space Program Mods

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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Kerbal Space Program is an extremely popular and entertaining game that allows you to manage your own space program and fly ships, all from your computer. The base game is excellent on its own, but you can always customize it to your liking with mods...

Mathematics and Measurements in Astronomy

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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Mathematics and astronomy go hand in hand. You really can’t have one without the other if you want to get a clearer picture of the universe. Great minds of the past have developed some extremely useful equations and laws that help us measure distances...

How To Determine a Planet's Radius

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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Our search for life out in the universe has led to the development of a few different methods for detecting exoplanets. One method, the transit method, allows us to not only spot planets orbiting around their suns, but also determine the size of these...

How to Determine a Star's Radius

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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How do you measure something that’s light-years away? How can we comprehend the enormous size scales that dominate our universe when we’re nothing but little grains of sand on a floating rock? Amazingly, mathematics combined with observation has given...

Most Interesting Astronomical Problems

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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Science attempts to explain the universe using logical and tested hypotheses. But even though we’ve been studying the universe and everything in it for centuries, we still don’t know everything. We probably never will! Some of the strangest and most...

How to Learn Astrophysics at Home

jsimenhoff Oct 4, 2019

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The term “astrophysics” makes some people shudder with apprehension. “Astrophysics?” they ask, “Doesn’t that mean a lot of math?” While fancy equations with little to no discernible meaning to an outsider do characterize many branches of science...