Antares – the Heart of the Scorpion
What makes the constellations special is not just the images they inspire, but the body of stars that makes them up. It’s a very special thing to own a star, and for the constellation of Scorpius,…
The legend of Scorpius and Orion
This week it’s Scorpio week on the Star Blog, we’ll do a post on the constellation of Scorpius each day from the 23rd to the 28th of October. Tomorrow, the 24th is when the first day in the month o…
Ursa Major: the legend of the Great Bear
A little bit of constellation knowledge can go a long way, if you’re looking to buy a star for someone. You might already be familiar with the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper as it’s mo…
The Layers of a Star
When you’re looking to get a star named after you, or name a star after someone you know, it’s easy to forget the sheer wonder that allows these flaming balls of gas to exist in the first place. Th…
Star Lyrics – Sky Full of Stars (Coldplay)
Coldplay’s reputation is, suffice to say, a mixed one at best. Their fans see them as catchy and sincere, while their detractors might view them as sickly sweet and lazy. Nevertheless, they have do…
Fomalhaut; the loneliest star?
For the stargazing among us Autumn can be a particularly grim time of year. That chill of the night only gets worse the closer we edge toward Christmas and the casual stargazer could be forgiven fo…
Starry Superstitions
Throughout history and in cultures all over the world, the stars have held the answers to questions for philosophers, farmers and dreamers alike, but do you know the history of these superstitions?
Space Inspired Fashion
There is no denying that the fascination with space extends far beyond the realms of science and has inspired designers for decades. In both interior design, for example, the Sputnik chandelier and…
Facts about the Hubble Space Telescope.
- The Idea for a Space Telescope is much older than you wold think. Dating all the way back to just after World War Two in fact, when astronomer Lyman Spitzer (1914-97) suggested the advantages tha…
7 of Astronomy’s Greatest Mysteries.
Space is full of weird things, however, most of them can be explained by science. Yet there are some that stump even the most accomplished astronomers.
The History of Halley’s Comet.
Halley’s comet must be one of the most famous ever. Its periodic appearances, about every 75 years or so has added to its celebrity. It last appeared in our skies in 1986, and it set to return in 2…
The Most Famous Astronomers of All Time.
Claudius Ptolemy was an Egyptian astronomer, mathematician and geographer, with Greek ancestry. Some of his texts were so important that they changed west scientific thinking forever.