Universe - Book Review - Astronomy
I own several excellent astronomy textbooks, and this is undoubtedly my favourite. It is a mandatory text for several college-level astronomy courses, though it may also benefit high school students. While I'm sure it is useful supplement to ... [... more]
Bella Online |
All About the Sun - Astronomy
Measuring over 330,000 times the size of Earth, the Sun is the largest object in the solar system. And though it constitutes over 99 percent of the solar system's mass, when compared to the other 100 billion stars in the galaxy, it is actually of ... [... more]
Bella Online |
The Brilliant Comet McNaught - Astronomy
Comets are some of the most elusive, but also eagerly anticipated, astronomical events. And Comet McNaught, making an appearance this week, is the brightest comet to visible from Earth in 40 years, according to the International Comet Quarterly ... [... more]
Bella Online |
Can Sound Travel in Space? - Astronomy
Sound travels in pressure waves through a medium of matter such as air or water. When a sound is made, the surrounding molecules vibrate. The eardrum then vibrates in sympathy, which the brain interprets as sound. Sound travels faster if the ... [... more]
Bella Online |
What are Comets? - Astronomy
Comets are essentially leftovers from the solar system's formation, originating from the Oort Cloud and Kuiper Belt. Despite such a benign-sounding description, comets make for interesting study and viewing, with a fascination leading back to ... [... more]
Bella Online |
About Saturn -- Kids' Version - Astronomy
We've known about Saturn since ancient times, but even today, we are still unraveling the planet's many mysteries. You probably know about Saturn's magnificent ring system, but did you also know the planet has 46 natural satellites, or moons? ... [... more]
Bella Online |
The Unknown Planet - All About Neptune - Astronomy
At first mistaken for a star, the planet Neptune had to wait over 200 years before its true identity was revealed. Italian scientist and scholar Galileo Galilei was the first to spot Neptune, in 1613. He saw the planet for only two nights, ... [... more]
Bella Online |
Light-Years - an Introduction - Astronomy
The light-year (ly) is a unit of distance used by astronomers in measuring the space between stars. Specifically, it refers to the distance travelled by light through a vacuum in one Julian year (365.25 days). Light travels at approximately 300 ... [... more]
Bella Online |
Happy Birthday, Percy Lowell - Astronomy
Astronomer Percival Lowell is probably best known for his prediction of the existence of the planet Pluto. And though Pluto recently lost its planet status, this does not diminish Lowell's contributions to astronomy. Lowell was born March 13, ... [... more]
Bella Online |
Oort Cloud -- Birthplace of Comets - Astronomy
Nearly 30 trillion kilometers from the Sun, at the outer edges of the Solar System, lies a spherical region called the Oort Cloud. This cloud, which surrounds our planetary system, is home to an estimated six trillion icy bodies, or long-period ... [... more]
Bella Online |
Space Elevators - An Introduction - Astronomy
Imagine a cable extending from Earth's surface right into space - an "elevator" for transporting cargo, supporting manned missions and even space tourism. This is the basic idea that is the space elevator, also called orbital tethers, space [... more]
Bella Online |
Astronomy Careers Without Math - Astronomy
Astronomy and a love of math don't always go hand in hand. Professional astronomers need a strong background in math and physics (particularly calculus and algebra). In addition, there are very few jobs available, and competition is strong. If ... [... more]
Bella Online |
