Lunar Standstill: Prehistoric Stonehenge May Have Aligned with Both the Moon and the SunThe monument’s ancient connection to the skies may run even deeper than we realized. Introduction When it...
Astronomy
Stars in Their Eyes: Art and Astronomy in the Medieval WorldA small sample of the ways the planets and stars were portrayed in medieval manuscripts. After coming...
The ‘System of the World’: Astronomy and Cosmology in Early Modern EuropeFor decades, historians have grappled with the origins of modern science in early modern Europe. Abstract Historians...
Heavenly Clashes: Ancient Mayan Beliefs and Astronomical Scientific SophisticationThe skies and the gods were inseparable in Maya culture. Astronomers kept careful track of events. By...
Astrology in the Ancient Hellenistic WorldGreco-Roman accounts of the Persian Wars mention astrologers among high-ranking Persian dignitaries. Introduction Hellenistic astrology encompassed various forms...
`Night Skies Getting 9.6% Brighter Yearly as Light Pollution Erases Stars for EveryoneA new study measured exactly how much brighter night skies are getting every year. Introduction For most...
Copernicus to Newton: Astronomy in the Scientific RevolutionAstronomy had interested many ancient thinkers, but two views of the universe dominated and endured. Introduction The...
Caroline Herschel: First Female Astronomer in the Eighteenth CenturyAstronomer Caroline Herschel’s work discovering and cataloging astronomical objects is still used in the field today. Introduction...
A History of Western Astrology before the Scientific Revolution and EnlightenmentBy inspiring astronomical inquiry, astrology ultimately helped birth scientific innovations. Introduction Western astrology refers to a form...
Shoot for the Moon: How 19th-Century Astronomers Photographed the Night SkyEarly scientists were eager to use photographic technologies to learn more about the moon. You’ve probably seen...
A Closer Look: The Telescope and the Scientific Revolution in the 17th CenturyThe telescope quickly opened up a whole new area of scientific inquiry. Introduction The invention of the...
Historical Account of How the Incas Used AstronomyIn the annals of history, one civilization stands out for its remarkable understanding of the cosmos—the mighty...
Beginnings: A History of Humanity’s Effort to Order the CosmosAstronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity and the beliefs and practices...
Can Cosmology Untangle the Universe’s Most Elusive Mysteries?From the Big Bang to dark energy, knowledge of the cosmos has sped up in the past...
The Drake Equation: Frank Drake and the Probability of Alien IntelligenceResearch on exoplanets could help us estimate how many intelligent alien civilizations may be in our galaxy....
Billions of Super-Earths, More Common and More Habitable, Being DiscoveredNewly discovered super-Earths add to the list of planets around other stars that offer the best chance...
The Importance of the Moon in the Medieval WorldMany believed that celestial bodies exert a strong influence on elements and bodies in the sub-lunar world....
Margaret Hamilton: The Woman behind the Software for the Apollo 11 Moon MissionIt was thanks to her engineering and programming expertise that Apollo 11 was able to land on...
HaLuah HaIvri: The Oldest Hebrew Lunisolar Calendar Still in UseThe era used for the calendar since the Middle Ages is Anno Mundi (from the creation of...
The Wealthy Are Carving Up Space and Its RichesPowerful nations are defining the rules of resource use in space in ways that make it hard...
Calends: The Adoption and Use of the Julian Solar Calendar in Ancient RomeJulius Caesar sought to create a calendar that remained aligned to the sun without any human intervention....
Corporations Are Looking to Begin Mining in SpaceThere’s a lot of technological progress required before off-Earth mining operations can be considered feasible. Introduction Like...
Tzolk’in: Itzamna’s Gift of the Calendar to the Ancient MayaThe deity Itzamna was frequently credited with bringing the knowledge of the calendrical system to the ancestral...
Modeling the Cosmos: Ancient Greece to Carl SaganIn the 5th century B.C., Empedocles and Anaxagoras offered arguments for the spherical nature of the Earth....
Space Missions to Watch in 2022: Most Powerful Rocket, Lunar Return, Jupiter Moon, James WebbThere’s a lot to look forward to in 2022. Introduction Space travel is all about momentum. Rockets turn...
Astronomy’s 10-Year Wish List: Money, Telescopes, and the Biggest Questions in ScienceSearching for life on distant planets, understanding the formation of galaxies, and solving deep mysteries of physics....
Hubble Focus: Galaxies through Space and TimeHubble’s findings are helping us understand how our universe has come to be the way it is...
Space Blocs: The Future of International Cooperation in Space is SplittingNations with similar interests collaborate with one another while competing with other space blocs. Introduction Even during times...
Philosophy, Science, and Astronomy in Ancient Mesopotamia and GreeceBy the 8th century BCE, Homer and Hesiod were writing about planetary influences. Introduction Ancient Greek astronomy was the...
Aristarchus of Samos and Ancient Greek AstronomyPre-Socratic Philosophers in ancient Greece advanced a non-theistic view of the universe. Introduction Aristarchus of Samos (l. c....