Welcome to Astronotes
Hello, IòÀÙm Colin, welcoming you to Astronotes, the PlanetariumòÀÙs official blog. Here you will find the latest news and views from the fascinating worlds of astronomy and space exploration. We hope you will come here to learn what is hot and exciting, profound or even weird from worlds beyond ours . So that's the introduction out of the way, now on with the Universe!
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Stars Archive
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![To observers on Earth, the great bull of Taurus has a fiery red eye. This is Aldebaran, an old red giant star which dwarfs our Sun. Let’s have a closer […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Image-of-Orion-and-Taurus-with-Aldebaran-115x115.jpg "Aldebaran: Red Giant at the Eye of the Bull")
Aldebaran: Red Giant at the Eye of the Bull
Posted on March 3, 2011 | 9 CommentsTo observers on Earth, the great bull of Taurus has a fiery red eye. This is Aldebaran, an old red giant star which dwarfs our Sun. Let’s have a closer […] -
![The giant star Betelgeuse will soon perish in a titanic explosion. Could this happen in the mythical “doomsday” year of 2012? Could dying Betelgeuse take us with it? òÀÜBeetlejuice! Beetlejuice! […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Image-of-Betelgeuse1-115x115.jpg "Will Betelgeuse bring doom in 2012?")
Will Betelgeuse bring doom in 2012?
Posted on January 27, 2011 | 3 CommentsThe giant star Betelgeuse will soon perish in a titanic explosion. Could this happen in the mythical “doomsday” year of 2012? Could dying Betelgeuse take us with it? òÀÜBeetlejuice! Beetlejuice! […] -
![The smallest stars in the galaxy are the red dwarfs. ˆàRecent research suggests they are more common than previously suspected. Tiny, cool and dim compared to the Sun, they may […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Image-of-Red-Dwarf-companion-115x115.jpg "Red dwarfs: The most important stars in the Universe")
Red dwarfs: The most important stars in the Universe
Posted on December 3, 2010 | 7 CommentsThe smallest stars in the galaxy are the red dwarfs. ˆàRecent research suggests they are more common than previously suspected. Tiny, cool and dim compared to the Sun, they may […] -
![Cepheid variables are massive, pulsating stars, valued by astronomers for the precise link between their brightness and steady pulsation. Let’s look at the history of Cepheid variables and how recent […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Image-of-eclipsing-binary-115x115.jpg "Cepheids: Inconstant Stars which break the rules")
Cepheids: Inconstant Stars which break the rules
Posted on November 26, 2010 | 6 CommentsCepheid variables are massive, pulsating stars, valued by astronomers for the precise link between their brightness and steady pulsation. Let’s look at the history of Cepheid variables and how recent […] -
![What is light? Here’s an easy introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum all the way from radio waves to gamma rays. Before the modern era of technological astronomy, to know anything […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/diagram-of-electromagnetic-spectrum-115x115.jpg "What is light?")
What is light?
Posted on October 1, 2010 | 4 CommentsWhat is light? Here’s an easy introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum all the way from radio waves to gamma rays. Before the modern era of technological astronomy, to know anything […] -
![Imagine that once the Sun sets, rather than a dark sky sprinkled with a few thousand dim stars, we had a sky blazing with ten thousand or so stars blazing […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Image-of-the-NGC-3603-Young-Cluster-115x115.jpg "Hubble shows us a spectacular star cluster")
Hubble shows us a spectacular star cluster
Posted on October 1, 2010 | No CommentsImagine that once the Sun sets, rather than a dark sky sprinkled with a few thousand dim stars, we had a sky blazing with ten thousand or so stars blazing […] -
![Here’s how rainbows are made. Some 13.7 billion years ago, a mere millionth of a second after the Big Bang, the first hydrogen and helium nuclei condensed out of a […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image-of-a-rainbow-115x115.jpg "Following a rainbow back to the Big Bang")
Following a rainbow back to the Big Bang
Posted on September 27, 2010 | No CommentsHere’s how rainbows are made. Some 13.7 billion years ago, a mere millionth of a second after the Big Bang, the first hydrogen and helium nuclei condensed out of a […] -
![At first glance Gliese 710 is not a very distinguished star. A K7 class orange dwarf a bit more than half as massive as the Sun, it currently lies about […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/When_Worlds_Collide_Book_Cover-115x115.jpg "Will a rogue star cause chaos in the Solar System?")
Will a rogue star cause chaos in the Solar System?
Posted on September 22, 2010 | No CommentsAt first glance Gliese 710 is not a very distinguished star. A K7 class orange dwarf a bit more than half as massive as the Sun, it currently lies about […] -
![Around this time of year, go outside after 9pm on a clear night and look at the sky. Even if it is not quite dark a bright star will be […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Summer_Triangle-115x115.jpg "Altair, Deneb and Vega: three easy to spot stars")
Altair, Deneb and Vega: three easy to spot stars
Posted on September 22, 2010 | 2 CommentsAround this time of year, go outside after 9pm on a clear night and look at the sky. Even if it is not quite dark a bright star will be […]