Welcome to Astronotes
Hello, IтАЩm Colin, welcoming you to Astronotes, the PlanetariumтАЩs 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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![The Zodiacal light is a rarely seen yet intriguing spectacle in a dark sky. Sinead McNicholl reveals the connection between the zodial light and a famous rockstar! Have you ever […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Image-of-Zodiacal_Light-115x115.jpg "Have you seen the Zodiacal Light?")
Have you seen the Zodiacal Light?
Posted on February 18, 2011 | 2 CommentsThe Zodiacal light is a rarely seen yet intriguing spectacle in a dark sky. Sinead McNicholl reveals the connection between the zodial light and a famous rockstar! Have you ever […] -
![In 2003 astronomers discovered Eris, an object seemingly bigger than Pluto, in the frigid Trans-Neptunian wastes of the Solar System. Rather than becoming the Tenth Planet, Eris led directly to […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Image-of-Eris-115x115.jpg "Pluto and Eris: when is a planet not a planet?")
Pluto and Eris: when is a planet not a planet?
Posted on February 15, 2011 | 12 CommentsIn 2003 astronomers discovered Eris, an object seemingly bigger than Pluto, in the frigid Trans-Neptunian wastes of the Solar System. Rather than becoming the Tenth Planet, Eris led directly to […] -
![NASA’s Deep Impact probe flew past comet Hartley 2 and revealed a odd-looking peanut-shaped nucleus. What are the first impressions from these exciting images? Only about a mile (1.6 km) […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/image-of-Hartley2-comet-nucleus-115x115.jpg "Hartley 2: What has the Deep Impact flyby shown us?")
Hartley 2: What has the Deep Impact flyby shown us?
Posted on November 5, 2010 | No CommentsNASA’s Deep Impact probe flew past comet Hartley 2 and revealed a odd-looking peanut-shaped nucleus. What are the first impressions from these exciting images? Only about a mile (1.6 km) […] -
![Between Mars and Jupiter lies the Asteroid Belt, a swarm€а of millions of shards of rock, metal and ice.€а Somewhere out here, between 5-10 February 2009, a small asteroid, perhaps […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/image-of-asteroid-with-tail-115x115.jpg "Asteroids collide: nobody notices until a year later!")
Asteroids collide: nobody notices until a year later!
Posted on October 14, 2010 | No CommentsBetween Mars and Jupiter lies the Asteroid Belt, a swarm€а of millions of shards of rock, metal and ice.€а Somewhere out here, between 5-10 February 2009, a small asteroid, perhaps […] -
![Ask anyone to draw a picture of a planet and IтАЩll bet they draw a ringed planet like Saturn. This giant world has always stood out from the other […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Image-of-Saturn-115x115.jpg "The bluffer’s guide to Saturn")
The bluffer’s guide to Saturn
Posted on October 1, 2010 | 1 CommentAsk anyone to draw a picture of a planet and IтАЩll bet they draw a ringed planet like Saturn. This giant world has always stood out from the other […] -
![The team at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency deserve congratulations for the amazing (and hopefully record-breaking) Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. Launched in 2003 (the spacecraft was called MUSES-C […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Image-of-Hayabusa-reentry-115x115.jpg "Hooray for Hayabusa: Japan’s asteroid pioneer")
Hooray for Hayabusa: Japan’s asteroid pioneer
Posted on October 1, 2010 | No CommentsThe team at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency deserve congratulations for the amazing (and hopefully record-breaking) Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. Launched in 2003 (the spacecraft was called MUSES-C […] -
![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 […] -
![In March 2010 that superb but underappreciated probe Mars Express made a series of very close passes by the Martian moon Phobos. On one occasion it came as close […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Image-of-Phobos-from-Mars-Express-115x115.jpg "Phobos: ESA’s daring encounters")
Phobos: ESA’s daring encounters
Posted on September 24, 2010 | No CommentsIn March 2010 that superb but underappreciated probe Mars Express made a series of very close passes by the Martian moon Phobos. On one occasion it came as close […] -
![Venus was once thought to be a lush, life-bearing planet, but modern research has revealed an utterly lethal world. What perils await explorers of “Earth’s evil twin”? Is there […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/esa-venus-115x115.jpg "How Venus will kill you in less than 10 seconds")
How Venus will kill you in less than 10 seconds
Posted on September 24, 2010 | 8 CommentsVenus was once thought to be a lush, life-bearing planet, but modern research has revealed an utterly lethal world. What perils await explorers of “Earth’s evil twin”? Is there […] -
![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 […]