Astronomy History
All contributors in Astronomy History
40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing
Forty years have passed since the first moon landing and man has seemed to retreat from the solar system. more...
Comet Blamed for Tunguska Explosion
Scientists have pinpointed the cause behind the 1908 explosion of a space object over Siberia. more...
What does Polaris mean? Find translations of the names of many of the major stars. more...
Where do the names of stars come from and can people purchase the naming rights to a star? more...
The "Dog Days of Summer" is a term used to refer to the central, torrid part of the hot season and it originally comes from the star Sirius. more...
All feature articles in Astronomy History
By: Carolyn M Cash
Siding Spring Observatory, near Coonabarabran, is Australia's largest astronomy research facility. A visitors' gallery and exhibition area is open to the public. more...
The Invention of the Telescope
By: Linda N. Riggins
Hans Lipperhey is most often credited with inventing the telescope. However, Pierre Borel in his 1655 book said that Zacharias Janssen was its creator. more...
History of Mount Wilson Observatory
By:
Paul A. Heckert
Until the Mt Palomar 200" telescope, Mt Wilson's Hooker 100" and the 60" were the world's largest telescopes, allowing Edwin Hubble to discover the expanding universe. more...
By: George Garza
Astronomy was considered an arcane hobby. But after Hubble returned some images that looked like Art, that perception was changed to awe. more...
By: Linda N. Riggins
By 1609 Galileo had learned of the invention of the spyglass, soon to be called the telescope. As a skilled maker of scientific instruments, he decided to construct one. more...
Galileo's Discoveries Using Telescopes, 1609-10
By: Linda N. Riggins
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) made telescopes to study the skies. What this Italian scientist discovered using them undermined fundamental beliefs about the universe. more...
Astronomy in Locksley Hall Sixty Years After
By:
Paul A. Heckert
Following the original Locksley Hall, Tennyson's Poem: Locksley Hall Sixty Years After contains many astronomical references. more...
All contributing articles in Astronomy History