A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars (like our Sun) that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers. Here is one of those globular clusters: Messier 9, seen here in a …
Continue reading “The possible Galactic Core of our Universe (photo)”
The year was 1998 and two highly competitive groups of astronomers were each rushing toward the same goal: they hoped to hunt down the effects of gravitational braking in the universe. Ever since astronomers had accepted the idea of the Big Bang, they had been out hunting for its subsequent cosmic deceleration. While the Big Bang …
Continue reading “A new energy form unknown to science, Dark Energy, is expanding the Universe”
Does the Moon rotate? And if the Moon rotates, why do we alway see the same side – it never seems to change. Well, the Moon does rotate. In fact, the Moon takes 27.3 days to turn once on its axis. But the Moon also takes 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth. …
You probably know that 2012 is a leap year. And that means that this year we get an extra day on February 29th. Well, leaplings (people born on Leap Year Day of a previous year) finally get to celebrate their actual birthday. Epipheo shows you how, based on astronomy, the Gregorian Calendar uses leap year …
Continue reading “Happy Leap Day! – Here’s some little-known facts about leap years”