On Monday 11th November, something exciting will happen: Mercury will pass between Earth and the Sun. This is known as 'transit' and it is exciting for two reasons. First, the planet will be visible for about 5 ½ hours against the backdrop of the Sun. Second, this sort of event is rare: the last time… Continue reading How to view the transit of Mercury
Category: Space
The science of Ad Astra
It'll come as no surprise that I love sci-fi movies, especially if they're set in a near future where humanity has managed to colonise the rest of our solar system. Ad Astra, released in the UK just last month, fits the bill perfectly. Brad Pitt stars as astronaut Roy McBride, who is brought in by US… Continue reading The science of Ad Astra
Interview with science writer Nicky Jenner
A few months ago I read Nicky Jenner's excellent book 4th Rock from the Sun: The Story of Mars. It's a detailed look at all aspects of the red planet, including the science and history of the place, the missions we have sent to visit and stay, the planet's influence on pop culture and our future… Continue reading Interview with science writer Nicky Jenner
The strange nostalgia of Pluto
Something strange happens when people talk about Pluto. This small, distant object probably inspires more widespread debate, and emotion, than anything else in our solar system - and all because it was reclassified from a planet to a dwarf planet. People were outraged when Pluto was 'downgraded', and this feeling has lingered. Even now, when… Continue reading The strange nostalgia of Pluto
4 cool space facts!
In light of the first ever picture of a black hole being released, it seems that space is is a bit of a hot topic at the moment - and that suits me! So I thought I'd jump on this bandwagon and share with you four of my favourite space facts 🙂 1. There is a library… Continue reading 4 cool space facts!
To green or not to green? Terraforming in ‘Red Mars’
The first book I read this year was Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars. It's the first in a trilogy about human colonisers on Mars, and it's an absolute beast at more than 650 pages. It took me most of January to read, and I loved it. Probably the most impressive thing about Red Mars is that very rarely during… Continue reading To green or not to green? Terraforming in ‘Red Mars’
What are the stars in the NASA logo?
I have a T-shirt with the NASA logo on it (standard get-up for a space lover), and every time I wear it and catch myself in the mirror, I wonder whether the stars in the background are meant to represent particular constellations. Maybe they're just a random scattering of stars, but the people at NASA… Continue reading What are the stars in the NASA logo?
Clare Diston 