Variable Stars
Not Just Stars. Gaia Mapped a Diverse and Shifting Universe of Variable Objects
We've reported on Gaia's incredible data-collection abilities in the past. Recently, it released DR3, its latest data set, with over…
Two Stars Orbiting Each Other Every 51 Minutes. This Can’t End Well
We don't have to worry too much about our Sun. It can burn our skin, and it can emit potent…
Astronomers See a Star Crash Through the Planetary Disk of Another Star
What causes an otherwise unremarkable star to become over 100 times brighter? That's a question astronomers have been pondering since…
Nancy Grace Roman Telescope is Getting an Upgraded new Infrared Filter
The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope just received a new infrared filter that will allow it to explore even more of…
TESS is Also Helping Astronomers Study Bizarre Pulsating Stars
NASA's TESS, or Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has one main job: finding exoplanets. But it's also helping astronomers study a…
What are Cepheid Variables?
Discovered in the late 18th century, Cepheid Variable stars have become an important tool for measuring the size of the…
Messier 5 (M5) – The NGC 5904 Globular Cluster
In the late 18th century, Charles Messier was busy hunting for comets in the night sky, and noticed several “nebulous”…
Challenge Yourself! See an Astronomical Event that Only Happens Once Every 26 Years
Update: It’s off. This past weekend, the AAVSO issued Special Notice #395 calling off the campaign to observe Alpha Comae…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 337: Photometry
There's a lot you can learn by just staring at an object, watching how it changes in brightness. This is…
Seeing Red: Hunting Herschel’s Garnet Star
Quick, what’s the reddest star visible to the naked eye? Depending on your sky conditions, your answer may well be…