Skies in the Northern Hemisphere have been graced by a rare, green comet. Now, it’s our turn to look for it in Australia – but the view will be dimming rapidly.
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Articles on Night sky
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The stars, planets and Milky Way we see at night are part of a wilderness shared across the globe and across centuries. But does BlueWalker 3 herald a night sky polluted with bright satellites?
Megaconstellations of satellites will visually clutter the night sky, disrupting astronomical research. And the environmental damage caused by these satellites is still unknown.
As thousands of new satellites enter Low Earth Orbit, it’s important to consider their potential impact, including possible environmental damage in addition to hindering the work of astronomers.
Fireflies’ summer evening light shows are a delight for humans, but for the insects they are a crucial mating ritual – and human-caused light pollution is a buzz kill.
Cape astronomers were responsible for, among other things, the first measurement of the distance to a star; the first photographic sky survey and the accurate measurement of the distance to the sun.
Dark skies have value. They are a profoundly wonderful yet highly threatened natural asset.
Towns and cities create an orange glow on the horizon at night. It’s so widespread that it even disturbs sea creatures.
Dark sky sites can inspire new generations of stargazers, but a better long-term solution would be connecting people with the night sky where they live.
A bright comet visible in December provides an excellent viewing opportunity for night sky lovers – even potentially with the naked eye.
A bunch of uncommon things all happening at the same time mean this full moon will have some special attributes.
A guide to meteor showers – what to look out for and when.
Top contributors
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Director, Abrams Planetarium, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University
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Assistant professor, Astronomy, University of Regina
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Associate Professor in Astronomy, Monash University
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Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland
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Professor of Urban Design, Lancaster University
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Lecturer in Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University
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Ogden Fellow, Bayfordbury Observatory, University of Hertfordshire
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Professor of Marine Ecology, Bangor University
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Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Biology, University of Plymouth
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PhD Candidate in Biology, Aberystwyth University
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Associate Research Astronomer, South African Astronomical Observatory
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Professor of Biology, Tufts University
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PhD Candidate in Biology, Tufts University
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Associate professor, University of British Columbia
