Tag Archives: Astronomy

Venus’ Transits Through History

Posted on June 5, 2012 by asteitel

In a matter of hours, lucky observers with clear skies will be able to watch Venus pass in front of the Sun. Transits of Venus are rare – this is the last one until 2117 – but that’s not the … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Space Science, Planetary Science | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Upcoming Transit of Venus

Posted on May 9, 2012 by asteitel

This June, Venus is going to make a rare transit across the disk of the sun as observed from Earth. Transits of Venus are rare. They come in pairs eight years apart, but each pair is separated by 105.5 years … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Space Science, Planetary Science | Tagged , | 3 Comments

JWST: Cosmic TiVo

Posted on April 7, 2012 by asteitel

This week, the James Webb Space Telescope (JSWT) got its brain, or at least the bit responsible for its memory. The first solid-state electronics unit that will store the telescope’s data was delivered from SEAKR Engineer to the telescope’s builder, … Continue reading →

Posted in Unmanned Spaceflight | Tagged | 2 Comments

Mars, a Victorian Sensation

Posted on February 13, 2011 by asteitel

Like Venus, Mars has long been an object of fascination to men – the red wanderer among the heavens, historically associated with the God of war, whose retrograde motions baffled astronomers for centuries. More than any other planet, Mars has … Continue reading →

Posted in History of Space Science, Planetary Science | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments