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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Solar System Archive
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A Rolling Stone on the Moon: Image of the Month
Posted on February 16, 2012 | 2 CommentsOnce, in complete silence, a large boulder rolled down a slope on the central peak of the MoonòÀÙs Schiller crater. This rock is about 9m (30ft) across, meaning that it […] -
To the Edge of Space
Posted on February 2, 2012 | 10 CommentsWhere does space begin? LetòÀÙs look up into our planetòÀÙs atmosphere, that shell of nitrogen (about 78%), oxygen (about 20%), various other gases (2%) that makes life on Earth possible, […] -
Venus: Earth’s Sister Planet
Posted on January 17, 2012 | 4 CommentsVenus has always been regarded as Earth’s Sister Planet. After all, it can be the closest planet to us and it is nearly the same size as Earth. But how […] -
Northern Lights: Coming to a Sky Near You?
Posted on January 13, 2012 | No CommentsThe aurora is a stunning celestial event associated with EarthòÀÙs polar regions. Recently Ireland has been witness to this beautiful phenomenon. If you are standing looking up at the […] -
Professor Moriarty: a Great but Forgotten Astronomer
Posted on December 15, 2011 | 4 CommentsJames Moriarty (?-1891) was one of the greatest of the many astronomer-mathematicians who flourished in the nineteenth century, however among the general public his scientific accomplishments are forgotten. Mention his […] -
Image of the Month: Helene
Posted on November 18, 2011 | No CommentsHelene is a tiny moon of Saturn that shares an orbit with the much larger moon Dione. Helene reposes at a gravitationally stable position called a Lagrange point. Helene orbits […] -
Haumea: Rugby Ball Planet
Posted on September 30, 2011 | 2 CommentsDwarf planet Haumea is one of the most bizarre small bodies of the outer Solar System. It has an oddly recent surface. Even just who discovered it is controversial. It […] -
Dawn over Vesta
Posted on September 19, 2011 | 1 Comment202 million km (1.35 AU or 125 million miles) from Earth an explorer from Earth is investigating the giant asteroid Vesta. This intrepid pioneer is the Dawn space probe. […] -
Postcards from Mars
Posted on September 9, 2011 | 3 CommentsNASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has returned thousands of fascinating images of our neighbouring world, here is a selection some of the most striking and thought-provoking (false colour) images. Part of […] -
Image of the Month: You are here!
Posted on August 31, 2011 | No CommentsThis portrait of the Earth and Moon together in space was taken on 26 August by NASAòÀÙs Juno spacecraft which is currently en route for Jupiter. The image was made […]