Moons are referred to as natural satellites because they naturally orbit around their respective planets Hill sphere (counterclockwise) . Artificial satellites, on the other hand, are manually placed in specific regions of space to orbit Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, etc. to deliver services, whether images, telecommunication, or weather reports for scientific and recreational use. For a … Read more
Most satellites when acting on their own will travel around their respective planet in the same direction of the planet’s axial rotation, which will be from west to east (counterclockwise). This includes moons and artificial satellites orbiting any given planet however, the gas giants have multiple moons orbiting them in a retrograde motion, which would … Read more
Larger planets like Saturn or Jupiter have more moons than smaller planets due to 2 main reasons. This is because of the strength of their gravitational pull (Hill sphere) and the gravitational effects their parent star has over their domain. If these 2 are harmonious larger planets will almost always have more moons as the … Read more
Galaxies are flat because of their rotation. All of the stars, planets and other objects in a galaxy are rotating around the core of the said galaxy, and the conservation of angular momentum allows these objects to spread outward, but not any other direction, which is why they are flat. There are a lot of … Read more
Both the Kellner and Plossl eyepieces have their pros and cons, with the Plossl winning out in quality while the Kellner is less expensive Telescopes aren’t as simple as they seem and actually have so many parts and pieces that it can be overwhelming for new sky watchers. One of the most important pieces of … Read more
A reticle is a grid or pattern of fine lines built into the focal plane of an eyepiece lens for optical tools and instruments. The reticle eyepiece enables viewers to obtain measurement references or pinpoint objects observed through telescopic sights, optical microscopes, firearm sights etc… In modern devices, a digital image superimposed on a screen or eyepiece may … Read more
Jupiter cannot become a star independently because it currently lacks sufficient mass. However, if Jupiter were to accrue enough mass by means of other objects colliding with it, it has the potential to become one. How Would Jupiter Become A Star? A star is defined as something with enough mass that the gravitational pressure of … Read more
Saturn is the flattest planet in our solar system, with an equatorial diameter 10.7% thicker than its polar diameter. Outside our solar system, the dwarf planet Haumea is flatter still, with an equatorial diameter along its long axis double the size of its shortest axis. While all planets are roughly spherical by definition, relative flatness varies … Read more
Astronomers classify galaxies in three main categories – elliptical, spiral and irregular – with spiral and elliptical galaxies being those most observed to date. Both types of galaxy possess halos extending beyond their visible portions and both are thought to contain a supermassive black hole at their centre. Beyond shape, spiral and elliptical galaxies differ … Read more
Jovian planets are predominantly composed of hydrogen (80-90%) and helium (10-20%), with small, dense cores relative to massive layers of atmospheric gas. They contain small amounts of methane, ammonia and water vapor with varying traces of heavier elements such as carbon, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are our solar system’s jovian … Read more