Focal Plane
- Focal Plane (26)
- One Good Target (31)
- Rick's Picks (32)
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Neutrino Astronomy In Greenland and Antartica
Not all telescopes use light to observe the universe. Some, like ice cubes, the RadioNeutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G) and the Payload for Ultrahigh…
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Astronomy Fundamentals: What Possessed You to Build Your Own Telescope
Amateur astronomy used to be associated with making your own telescope. Stellafane in Vermont still pays homage to the art of telescope making and…
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Focal Plane June 2025 Astronomy Fundamentals: NAA Welcomes You to Family Fun Night
Our June Fundamentals continues our annual tradition of providing a family night of science. Just because school is out for the summer (not forever),…
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Focal Plane June 2025 Wonders of Webb: Exploring the Universe with JWST
Following the successful launch and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have explored new vistas and aspects of the Universe made possible…
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Astronomy Fundamentals: A Look at the History of Alvan Clark Telescopes
In the 19th century, Alvan Graham Clark was one of the premier lens makers for telescopes. His craftsmanship was sought after and many observatories…
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The Cosmologist’s Puzzle: The Age and Expansion Rate of the Universe.
We are confused about how old the Universe is. Until recently, astronomers estimated that the Big Bang occurred between 12 and 14 billion years…
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Astronomy Fundamentals: What We Can Learn from Impact Craters
Impact craters can be found throughout the solar system. NASA scientists use impact craters and volcanic activity to learn about the process throughout the…
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Exoplanet Atmospheres and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Exoplanets orbit distant stars many lightyears away. The name comes from extrasolarplanets, which are planets orbiting outside of oursolar system. To date, astronomers have…
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Europa Clipper: NASA Investigates an Icy Ocean
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?…
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Astronomy Fundamentals: The Last Trillionth of the Journey
As stargazers, we look out across space at objects floating in what is mostly vast emptiness. The light we see travels at its breathtaking…
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Artemis Program: Returning to the Moon After More Than 50 Years
The Artemis project is our follow-up to the Apollo missions. In Greek mythology Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo. The goal is to…
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Astronomy Fundamentals: Exploring the Winter Sky – Going Beyond the Usual Suspects
The Winter season brings some of the brightest stars in view. And with those stars, some bright deep sky objects. The season brings a…