How do gravitational lenses work? Where would a spacecraft need to be to use the Sun’s gravity as a telescope? What could we learn about exoplanets with this on weird trick?
Oct 15th: How Could We Turn the Sun into a Telescope?
Paul M. Sutter Archive
Oct 1st: Why Do We Care About Methane on Mars?
Sep 17th: Is Space Tourism a Good Idea?
Why are private space companies pushing tourism? Is there a future for tourism in space? Is this an overall good thing for space exploration, or just a distraction?
Sep 3rd: What Made the Local Bubble?
Where do we live within the galaxy? What shapes the local bubble? How long will we be inside it?
Aug 20th: Is the Universe Making Any New Galaxies?
Aug 6th: Is the James Webb Breaking Cosmology?
Jul 16th: Can a Galaxy Be Destroyed?
Can galaxies ever get destroyed? What happens to their stars? Do galaxies ever die? More on today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Jul 2nd: Where is the Center of the Universe?
What does it mean for the Universe to have a center? Could we ever travel to ours? What is a singularity?
Jun 18th: Does the Universe Get Shorter When You Go Faster?
How does length contraction work in relativity? Do moving objects really get shorter? What about from their perspective? How are we supposed to make sense of any measurement?]
Jun 4th: What is the Cosmic Flaw That Shouldn’t Exist?
What is the “cold spot” on the cosmic microwave background? Why shouldn’t it exist? What are some possible explanations for it, and why are they unsatisfying? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!