Individually, the stars of Orion’s Belt aren’t that impressive. We pay attention to them mainly because they’re tightly grouped – a short line that’s easy to pick out. But their appearance is wildly deceiving. The stars are among the most impressive in the entire galaxy. They have to be […]

To the ancient Maya, the Orion Nebula was the fire of creation. The bright stars around it were the hearthstones that held the fire. And they were on the right track. The nebula is a giant stellar nursery. It’s given birth to thousands of stars, with more still taking shape. And the […]

The Sun is a middle-aged star. It’s been shining for about four and a half billion years, and it’s expected to keep on shining for billions of years more. But some stars that are only a fraction of the Sun’s age are well into the final stages of life. These stars are much more massive than […]

Venus and Saturn look a bit jaundiced. But they achieve their yellowish color in different ways. Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It’s about the same size as Earth. It’s topped by a perpetual blanket of clouds. The clouds are made of sulfuric acid, so they give the planet a bright […]

Astronomy is just like any other human endeavor. It can stir up controversy, hurt feelings – and feuds. One of its most famous feuds involved some of the giants of science – Isaac Newton, who formulated laws of gravity and motion, and Edmond Halley, the namesake of Comet Halley. Newton and […]