How do planets get tidally locked? What are these systems typically like? Can life find a home in such a challenging environment?
May 21st: Can Life Survive on Locked Planets?
Tag: planet
May 2nd: The Observer’s Calendar for May 2024
Today Observer’s Calendar for May with Actual Astronomy talk about meteor shower, Mercury in the morning sky lines up with other planets and Pallas at opposition.
Apr 12th: Planet Formation is (Still) Not Well Understood
One of our recurring topics is “Planet formation is not well understood,” and a trio of new papers is making it clear why planet formation continues to… not be well understood. Put simply: the Universe likes to create more diverse solar systems than an entire planet’s worth of sci-fi writers can imagine.
Apr 1st: Orbital Resonances
Several of the planets and moons in the Solar System are in orbital resonance, orbiting in a geometric lockstep. And not just the Solar System, astronomers have found the same resonances in other star systems.
Mar 5th: What’s the Best Way to Defend Our Planet?
How do we track dangerous asteroids? What can impacts do to us? What do we plan to do if The Big One is headed for us? Is Armageddon a documentary?
Feb 12th: What Goes Into A Sample Return Mission? Moon & Mars
We’ve sent robots to other worlds but the amount of science we can deploy can’t compare with the vast science labs we have on Earth. That’s why more and more missions are for a sample return.
Jan 5th: It’s Not Aliens (We Also Want Aliens)
JWST observed methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet. And we want to know that life is common. But we have not evidence yet. More at #365DaysOfAstro
Jan 4th: The Observer’s Calendar for January 2024
The Actual Astronomy Podcast presents The Observer’s Calendar for January 2024.
Dec 12th: How Many Exoplanets Are There?
Astronomers estimate there are more planets in our galaxy than there are stars. Just how many is that?
Dec 2nd: Last Minute Astronomer December 2023
December is here & the Last Minute Astronomer bring astronomy to normies and nerds, with little time to spare. We have the naked eye planets visible this month, the lunar phases, and then the meteor shower and other events, so you can plan ahead better than me.