Ask Astro

Observing

Why do brighter astronomical objects have negative magnitudes?

Observing, Stars

Are any Wolf-Rayet stars observable with a small telescope?

Robotic Spaceflight, Solar System

Did Pluto’s gravity affect the trajectory of New Horizons when it flew past? 

The Moon

Is the New Moon ever visible?

Science

What would a bucket full of deep space contain?

The Moon

Is there ever a time that the Moon does not set or rise?

Cosmology

How is the total mass of the universe calculated?

Galaxies

Do dwarf galaxies have a large black hole in the center?

Science

As Earth’s axis precesses over 26,000 years, what bright stars become the North Star?

Solar System

Before spacecraft, how did astronomers determine the mass, size, and composition of the giant planets?

Robotic Spaceflight, Solar System

Will Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 be damaged when they pass through the Oort Cloud?

Stars

Why are there so many different types of stars?