Apr 3, 2025 | Focal Plane
In the 19th century, Alvan Graham Clark was one of the premier lens makers for telescopes. His craftsmanship was sought after and many observatories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were built to house his refractor telescopes. In fact, smaller Alvan Clark...
Apr 3, 2025 | Focal Plane
We are confused about how old the Universe is. Until recently, astronomers estimated that the Big Bang occurred between 12 and 14 billion years ago. Astronomers can place a lower limit to the age of the universe by studying globular clusters. Globular clusters are a...
Mar 1, 2025 | Focal Plane
Impact craters can be found throughout the solar system. NASA scientists use impact craters and volcanic activity to learn about the process throughout the solar system. By studying craters on Earth, scientists gain knowledge of volcanic landform formation and...
Mar 1, 2025 | Focal Plane
Exoplanets orbit distant stars many lightyears away. The name comes from extrasolarplanets, which are planets orbiting outside of oursolar system. To date, astronomers have found over5,600 exoplanets. The method resulting in the mostdiscoveries is the Transit Method....
Feb 13, 2025 | Focal Plane
Europa, one of Jupiter’s four biggest moons, appears to harbor a liquid ocean not far beneath its bright, icy surface. Is there life there? NASA plans to fly the Europa Clipper spacecraft to orbit Jupiter and, making frequent flybys of Europa, will study the...
Feb 13, 2025 | Focal Plane
As stargazers, we look out across space at objects floating in what is mostly vast emptiness. The light we see travels at its breathtaking speed through a vacuum, only now and then perhaps encountering some wisps of gases and dusts. To an observer on our Moon, or to...
