Stars twinkle because Earth’s atmosphere bends their light. Planets do not twinkle because they are closer and appear larger. Here is why, and how to tell them apart without a telescope.
What are constellations, really? Here is the thing that reframes them completely: the stars in a constellation are almost never actually near each other. They just happen to sit along the same line of sight from Earth. Connect the dots and you get a pattern that exists only from our vantage point — move a … Read more
What is a supernova? It is what happens when a star runs out of options. In the space of a few seconds, a single star releases more energy than our Sun will emit over its entire 10-billion-year life. For a few weeks, one dying star can outshine an entire galaxy of a hundred billion stars. … Read more