Astronomy Stack Exchange
Astronomy Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
11
votes
1 answer

In what timeframe is W26 expected to go supernova?

All the news-articles say that it is expected to "eventually" explode. Which doesn't really tell me much. When is "eventually"? Also, considering this is the largest star in the known universe and 16k light-years away, will this be visible? Will it…
yippy_yay
  • 275
  • 1
  • 6
11
votes
1 answer

Does the Reflection Method for Looking at the Sun Work For Refractors?

I own a newtonian reflector and occasionally use it (using the reflection method with paper) for looking at the sun. I happen to also own a refractor, but I'm not exactly sure if the reflection method will damage the equipment (notably the lens on…
Sarah Szabo
  • 2,043
  • 16
  • 25
11
votes
2 answers

Are we moving ever closer to the center of our Galaxy due to a super massive black hole?

I've seen in documentaries that at the center of each galaxy is a super massive black hole which holds the galaxy together. Since black holes have such a strong pull, are we slowly being pulled in closer and closer to this black hole?
Rich
  • 609
  • 4
  • 14
11
votes
1 answer

Inflation cosmology: slow-roll inflation versus tunneling between two vacua

In slow-roll inflation models, the early inflation of the universe is driven by the flat non-zero part of the inflaton potential, and it ends as the ball rolls down the cliff and the potential energy released leads then to the formation of…
Dilaton
  • 809
  • 6
  • 16
11
votes
1 answer

During an eclipse, does the size of the moon and sun match perfectly?

During a lunar or solar eclipse, from our perspective when we look towards the moon and the sun is behind the moon, does it fit exactly? Has anyone calculated the sizes of each in a relative context? Obviously the sun is thousands of times…
public static
11
votes
2 answers

Sky Glow calculations

I am leading a project for my High School NASA Club, and am looking for some advice. The goal of our project is to use a Raspberry Pi to control a camera that takes photos of the sky, and uses the photo to calculate sky glow, and create a map of…
rp.beltran
  • 213
  • 1
  • 5
11
votes
2 answers

Time after sunset until star can be seen

Given a star's apparent location and apparent magnitude, how how many degrees below the horizon must the sun be for the star to be visible to the naked eye for an observer on Earth at a specified location and elevation? You can ignore all light…
Double AA
  • 211
  • 2
  • 7
11
votes
1 answer

Does the Moon's magnetic field affect Earth's magnetic field?

I wanted to ask a question; it's simple but I cannot find any possible and perfect solution. Earth has poles, North and South. By which we can get directions using a compass or a needle compass, but that's not the concern. My Question: Would the…
Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan
  • 345
  • 3
  • 14
11
votes
3 answers

Compute Planet's Apparent Visual Magnitude

In a hypothetical solar system there exist: a sun of radius $r_s$ and absolute visual magnitude $V$ the Earth, with radius $r_e$ and distance from the sun of $1\,AU$ another planet, wit radius $r_p$, albedo $a$, distance from Earth $d_e$ (in units…
feralin
  • 211
  • 2
  • 6
11
votes
2 answers

Where does the radiation in space come from and can we observe it?

I have recently been reading that space travel is strongly influenced by "space radiation" and how it poses a threat to human space exploration. Does this radiation originate from stars like our Sun, or is it an omnipresent — let's just call it —…
e-sushi
  • 1,700
  • 2
  • 16
  • 31
11
votes
3 answers

Are Barlow Lenses Good For Deep Sky Observing?

I'm using a 750mm (focal length) by 150mm (aperture) newtonian reflector and I've been curious about using Barlow lenses on deep sky objects. Some of the astronomers at my local observatory say that if you get the lens selection correct so you…
Sarah Szabo
  • 2,043
  • 16
  • 25
11
votes
3 answers

Do Pulsar stars make actual sounds?

From my understanding of pulsars, pulsars do not produce sound, but radio telescopes can record the radio waves they emit, which can be interpreted as sound. The radio waves are electromagnetic waves, similar to light, not sound. The waves are…
Ganit
  • 221
  • 1
  • 6
11
votes
1 answer

Why was the standard distance set to 10 parsec and not simply to 1 parsec?

On closer inspection of the absolute visual magnitude and the apparent visual magnitude of the sun, I noticed that their magnitude range (4.83 + 26.74 = 31.57) exactly matches the human eye. The already no longer healthy brightness (-26.74) in 1 AU…
SmilySunMike
  • 111
  • 5
11
votes
3 answers

Is Venus' north towards Earth's south

Is Venus upside down? Does its north point in the same direction as Earth's south? (roughly) Or does it just spin clockwise and its north points towards Earth's north? (also roughly) It seems that the right-hand rule would point Venus north in the…
Stephen
  • 383
  • 1
  • 5
11
votes
1 answer

Why did Theia create only one moon if it struck Earth?

If I dropped a heavy ball into some magma it would splash all over the place. So why would Theia create only one large drop of liquid (the moon) and if it impacted the Earths mantle (Bits of Theia might be in Earth's Mantle)? What did it do to the…
DaveTheWave
  • 211
  • 1
  • 3
1 2 3
…
99 100