Portal:Astronomy

Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, meteoroids, asteroids, and comets. Relevant phenomena include supernova explosions, gamma ray bursts, quasars, blazars, pulsars, and cosmic microwave background radiation. More generally, astronomy studies everything that originates beyond Earth's atmosphere. Cosmology is the branch of astronomy that studies the universe as a whole.

Astronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences. The early civilizations in recorded history made methodical observations of the night sky. These include the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Indians, Chinese, Maya, and many ancient indigenous peoples of the Americas. In the past, astronomy included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy, and the making of calendars.

Astronomy is one of the few sciences in which amateurs play an active role. This is especially true for the discovery and observation of transient events. Amateur astronomers have helped with many important discoveries, such as finding new comets. (Full article...)

Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. It has the Bayer designation α Lyrae, which is Latinised to Alpha Lyrae and abbreviated Alpha Lyr or α Lyr. This star is relatively close at only 25 light-years (7.7 parsecs) from the Sun, and one of the most luminous stars in the Sun's neighborhood, being intrinsically brighter than any star nearer to the sun. It is the fifth-brightest star in the night sky, and the second-brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus.

Vega has been extensively studied by astronomers, leading it to be termed "arguably the next most important star in the sky after the Sun". Vega was the northern pole star around 12000 BCE and will be so again around the year 13724, when its declination will be +84° 14′, less than six degrees from the Pole. Vega was the first star other than the Sun to have its image and spectrum photographed. It was one of the first stars whose distance was estimated through parallax measurements. Vega has functioned as the baseline for calibrating the photometric brightness scale and was one of the stars used to define the zero point for the UBV photometric system. (Full article...)

• ... that the new Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey lays out a roadmap for exploring extrasolar planetary systems and investigating the nature of dark energy?
• ... that the constellation of Microscopium can't be seen from locations affected by light pollution?
• ... that the atmosphere of Triton produces a surface pressure only 1/70,000th of that on Earth?
• ... that in May 2008, an amateur astronomer discovered an unusual supernova-like object in the galaxy NGC 300?
• ... that the "Beethoven Burst" was a powerful gamma-ray burst which occurred on the birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven?

• ... that Kim Ye-ji's performance in the 10 meter air pistol at the 2024 Summer Olympics led her to be dubbed the "coolest person on the planet"?
• ... that the Springfield Science Museum is home to the oldest operating projection planetarium in the United States?
• ... that the galaxy CDG-2 is over 99.9% dark matter, one of the highest proportions discovered?
• ... that a profile of artist Mark Hearld said his "wrens and squirrels, field mice and owls" help a child care about the planet better than telling them it is burning?
• ... that scientists have discovered a planetary system that can be described as "inside-out"?
• ... that a group of K-pop fans performed a dance with the goal of convincing a company to commit to 100% renewable energy?

The Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392), also known as the Clown-faced Nebula, Lion Nebula or Caldwell 39, is a bipolar planetary nebula (PN) discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1787. Image of NGC 2392, the Eskimo Nebula is by HST in 1999.

3 March 2026 –

Astronomers announce the discovery 1,900 light-years from Earth of TIC 120362137, the tightest known quadruple star system, using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. (Space.com)

10 December 2025 – Brazil–China relations

Brazil and China begin constructing a joint laboratory for radio astronomic technology with the Federal University of Campina Grande and the Federal University of Paraíba to support space research as both countries work on the BINGO radio telescope. (Reuters)

• 1 May 1959 – The former Beltsville Center is renamed to Goddard Space Flight Center in honor of Dr. Robert H. Goddard, rocket pioneer who achieved first launch of a liquid-fueled rocket
• 4 May 1967 – Lunar Orbiter 4 is launched to perform a photographic survey of lunar surface features
• 7 May 1975 – Explorer 53 (SAS-C), a NASA X-ray astronomy space telescope, is launched from the San Marco Range in Kenya, Africa
• 7 May 1997 – English-language French science fiction action film, The Fifth Element is released showing passenger inter-constellation vehicles, spacefighter craft, and various non-human creatures
• 14 May 1935 – The planetarium at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California opens
• 14 May 1973 – The first American space station, Skylab, is launched
• 18 May 1969 – The Apollo 10 human spaceflight is launched, testing all aspects of the lunar landing mission, except the actual lunar landing
• 20 May 1978 – Pioneer Venus is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida becoming the first spacecraft placed in orbit around Venus
• 30 May 1971 – Mariner 9 robotic space probe is launched becoming the first spacecraft to orbit Mars