Imagine a planet that seems enchanting at first glance, with a beautiful blue glow, almost as if you were looking at a second Earth. But this blue-colored exoplanet, HD 189733 b, is anything but a peaceful, oceanic world. In fact, it is a planet that defies everything we know about weather systems. Welcome to [...]
We have another star guide for readers. The universe is a fascinating dance of stars, planets and galaxies, constantly moving and always surprising. Each season offers unique opportunities for observing the night sky. Whether you are a novice stargazer or a seasoned astronomer, this guide gives you practical tips to [...]
Stargazing is not necessarily a hobby you see passed by very often. This is largely because people think it is a complicated hobby. Although your complexity is still there, it is becoming more accessible for beginners to get an ‘easy’ start. Telescopes have evolved tremendously over the past few centuries, [...]
This year's Leonid meteor shower will be active from Nov. 3, 2024 through Dec. 2, 2024, peaking on the night of Nov. 16-17. This spectacular swarm occurs when Earth moves through the dust and debris trail of comet 55P/Temple-Tuttle. Every 33 years, this comet reaches the solar system and leaves a [...]
What is a supernova? A supernova is one of the most powerful and fascinating events in the universe. It is the violent death of a star, releasing in a fraction of a second more energy than our sun produces in its entire lifetime. During this cosmic explosion, the star becomes so bright that it [...]
After the recent appearance of the rare comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas and a show of the northern lights, the end of the month offers another chance to admire an impressive comet in the Netherlands and Belgium. A new spectacle: C/2024 S1 (Atlas) In mid-October, the extraordinary comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas shot past our planet, an event that only one [...]
Scientists think meltwater under Mars ice could possibly support microbial life. Although no evidence has ever been found for life on Mars, a new NASA study suggests that microbes could possibly survive under frozen water on the planet's surface. Through computer modeling, the study's authors showed that [...]
The alternation of day and night is one of the most fascinating and fundamental phenomena we experience daily. This cycle plays a crucial role in nature and affects our rhythms of life. But what exactly causes it and how can you better understand it, perhaps even observe it with a telescope? In this blog post [...]
What makes Earth unique in the solar system is life. Thanks to the presence of water, the right temperature, and a suitable atmosphere full of oxygen, Earth is the only known celestial body to harbor life. From microbes to humans, Earth's biosphere is vibrant and diverse. Water: the source of life Water plays [...]
(Main image: Robert Lea (created with Canva)) This year, Earth will temporarily have a second “moon,” when a small asteroid will orbit our planet. This mini-moon will be visible from late September for about two months, until late November. It is a special phenomenon that occurs only occasionally, where an asteroid [...]
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