Astronomy
Close Encounters at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
It seems the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory has been experiencing close encounters of the furred kind. Beginning in 2008, scientists noticed that a strange being—or beings—began paying repeat visits to the building that houses the MEarth project—a collective of eight robotic telescopes desig...
September 15, 2009 |
By Jesse Rhodes
The Mount Whitney Hut Turns 100
A convergence of rather significant, albeit obscure, anniversaries are at hand. One being the 400th anniversary of Galileo's demonstration of the telescope, which took place on Tuesday of this week and the other is today's 100th anniversary of the completion a stone hut that Smithsonian astronomers...
August 27, 2009 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
Galileo's Vision
Four hundred years ago, the Italian scientist looked into space and changed our view of the universe
August 2009 |
By David Zax
Apollo 11's Giant Leap for Mankind
40 years ago, the lunar module landed on the moon, providing an unforgettable moment for the millions watching back on Earth
August 2009 |
By Owen Edwards
Galileo's Instruments of Discovery
With these various instruments, Galileo Galilei was able to look into space and change our view of the universe.
July 20, 2009 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Day 4: Peak Conditions for a New Telescope
Secretary Clough scopes out the site for the Giant Magellan Telescope and bids goodbye to Las Campanas
May 27, 2009 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 3: The Excitement of Astronomy
A daytime tour of the Magellan facility and its surrounding hillside is topped off by a perfect evening of stargazing
May 26, 2009 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 2: Stargazing in the Andes Mountains
Up high among wild burros and llamas, a Smithsonian astronomer observes and studies the millions of stars in the sky
May 25, 2009 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 1: A Stop in Santiago
Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough explores Santiago before heading to the Las Campanas Observatory in the Chilean Andes
May 24, 2009 |
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
The Hubble Space Telescope’s Finest Photos
Now that the telescope has received its final upgrades, we look back on Hubble's most memorable images from space
May 06, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
100 Hours of Astronomy Webcast
Happy International Year of Astronomy! And how's this for a celebration: A live 24-hour video Webcast called "Around the World in 80 Telescopes," a digital travel around (and off) the globe to find out what's happening at research observatories. The Webcast began last night and will continue throug...
April 03, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
Forensic Astronomer Solves Fine Arts Puzzles
Astrophysicist Don Olson breaks down the barriers between science and art by analyzing literature and paintings from the past
April 2009 |
By Jennifer Drapkin and Sarah Zielinski
Astronomer Explains Consequences of a More Massive Milky Way
The Milky Way galaxy, Earth's ride through space, is more mini-van than mini-Cooper, report scientists at the American Astronomical Society meeting this week. New technology allowing them to make high-precision measurements showed that not only is the Milky Way moving 100,000 miles per hour faster ...
January 07, 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
Stardust Memories
Cosmic dust may reveal some of the uncovered secrets of our universe
December 2008 |
By Anika Gupta
Galileo, Reconsidered
The first biography of Galileo Galilei resurfaces and offers a new theory as to why the astronomer was put on trial
August 12, 2008 |
By Mike Price
Homing In On Black Holes
To gain insight into the most mysterious objects in the universe, astronomers shine a light at the chaotic core of our Milky Way
April 2008 |
By Robert Irion
Behold, the Geminids
One of the year's best meteor showers comes in December. Here's how to view the action
December 01, 2007 |
By Marian Holmes
Record-breaking Black Hole
A black hole that trumps all others in size was detected by two NASA satellites and announced by researchers, led by Andrea Prestwich at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The black hole is a hefty 24 to 33 times larger than the Sun (the previous best was 16 times larger).Sitting 1....
November 09, 2007 |
By Megan Gambino
Sputnik Spawned a Moonwatch Madness
J. Allen Hynek got the call at 6:30 p.m., October 4, 1957.The associate director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, near Boston, hung up and told a colleague: "There's a Russian satellite up."Sputnik's launch shocked the public: scientists were surprised only that the Russians did it fi...
October 02, 2007 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
Life Beyond Earth
An ocean on Mars. An Earth-like planet light years away. The evidence is mounting, but are astronomers ready to say we're not alone?
July 01, 2007 |
By Eric Jaffe
