The vast expanses of interstellar space make the notion of contact with intelligent life seem rather bleak. Attempts to detect extraterrestrial civilizations have so far been in vain. The awe that such a possibility might engender and the concerns and fears that it might equally evince have fueled much of traditional thinking about the universe. But, in all […]
Read more "The Prospect of Alien Life"Recently, a mysterious planet Nine was hypothesized to linger about in the outskirts of our solar system. Even with our most sophisticated equipment, we had largely been oblivious to its presence. But, deep theoretical evidence based upon the gravitational perturbations caused in the outer regions of the solar system that confirm predictions and account for […]
Read more "Planet Nine and the Obliquity of the Solar System"As transient lifeforms, we are normally not fully equipped to apprehend the unimaginable stretches of space around us. This is largely due to the limits of perception imposed by our own brains. What our senses define and register is nothing but a mere figment of the entire vastness of the universe around us. As time went on […]
Read more "How Big Is the Universe?"Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction masterpiece Rendezvous with Rama opens up with the words: “Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. …In those days, there was nothing that men could do to protect themselves against the last random shots in the cosmic bombardment that had once scarred the face of the Moon. The meteorites […]
Read more "The Threat of Asteroids"Last Sunday on May 22nd, Mars reached its opposition, an astronomical phenomenon which happens every 2 years. Since the orbit of Mars is located outside the orbit of Earth, the Earth, Mars, and the Sun periodically occur in a straight line leading to opposition of Mars, wherewith it lies on the opposite side of the […]
Read more "Mars Closest to Earth in a Decade"It is that time of year again where those “once in a lifetime” kind of astronomy hoaxes begin circulating on social media and wow an uninformed crowd. Here’s a hoax which I came across today purporting that Saturn will appear closer to Earth than the moon to offer an spectacular sight. Anyone with a basic understanding […]
Read more "Yet Another Facebook Hoax"“What a delightful irony it will be if the real age of sail has yet to dawn – not only on the oceans of Earth, but also in the far wider seas of space” This is how Arthur C. Clarke envisioned the future of interstellar exploration in the great anthology of essays, poems, and essays […]
Read more "A Sail Through the Cosmos"