Most exoplanets (planets that are outside the Solar System) are detected indirectly. Either a temporary and regular dimming is measured as they pass in front of the host star or their orbit causes a wobble that produces a periodic red-shift in the star's spectrum. Only a small number of planets have then gone on to … Continue reading The coldest exoplanet ever seen
Chandra: the Universe as seen in X-rays
Chandra is the unsung hero of space telescopes. Far better known is the Hubble Space Telescope, which is rightly famous for the spectacular images it has produced. But Hubble was only ever intended to be one arm of a four-pronged approach to astronomical observations, another of which is provided by Chandra. Whereas Hubble produces images … Continue reading Chandra: the Universe as seen in X-rays
More than meets the eye
Optical illusions aren't part of the school science curriculum - but they should be. We tend to believe what we see, and a lot of what we know about science is based on visual observations, but we aren't normally taught to question the evidence of our own eyes. One of the classic puzzles of astronomy, … Continue reading More than meets the eye
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 