Caroline Herschel Claims Her Comet
Couching her petition in a mix of modesty and expertise, Herschel became the first woman to have a scientific paper read to the Royal Society of London.
Trouvelot’s Total Lunar Eclipse
Immigrant artist Étienne Léopold Trouvelot used his skills to accurately represent the details—and the sublimity—of our solar system.
Black Holes R Us
The universe is full of black holes. Even the Milky Way has one, and we now have a picture of it. Don't panic, but it looks like a blurry glazed donut.
Eight Women Astronomers You Should Know
A guided tour of selected luminaries of astronomy, from Ancient Greece to today.
The Long History of Comet Phobia
Even the invention of the telescope couldn't convince all people to put aside superstitions about comets.
The Protestant Astrology of Early American Almanacs
The wildly popular books helped people understand farming and health through the movement of the planets, in a way compatible with Protestantism.
Why Your Zodiac Sign Is Probably Wrong
The science of astronomy is at odds with the basic organizing principle in astrology: the dates of the zodiac.
Seeing Black Holes
Two of the scientists on the huge team that eventually captured the world's first image of a black hole discuss the particular challenges of the task.
Rotating Black Holes May Serve as Gentle Portals for Hyperspace Travel
Feel like visiting another star system or dimension? You can do this by traveling through a black hole.
The Women Who Made Male Astronomers’ Ambitions Possible
In the late 19th century, Elizabeth Campbell helped her astronomer husband run the Lick Observatory and lead scientific eclipse-viewing expeditions.