How Star Clusters Form

How Star Clusters Form

Star clusters are groups of stars bound together by gravity, often born from the same giant cloud of gas and dust. They provide astronomers with important insights into how stars…
What Is a Planetary Alignment?

What Is a Planetary Alignment?

A planetary alignment, often called a planetary parade, is an astronomical event when several planets appear lined up in the sky from Earth’s perspective. In reality, the planets do not…
Waves in Space

Waves in Space

When most people think of waves, they imagine ripples in water or vibrations in air. However, waves in space also exist, traveling through the vast emptiness between stars and galaxies.…
What Are Quasars?

What Are Quasars?

Quasars are among the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe. Their name comes from “quasi-stellar radio sources” because, when first discovered in the 1960s, they looked like faint…
How Meteor Showers Occur

How Meteor Showers Occur

Meteor showers are dazzling natural events where many meteors appear to streak across the night sky, often radiating from a single point. They happen when Earth passes through streams of…