Let’s try a demonstration that we all enjoyed in elementary school. Close one eye, hold out your thumb at arm’s length, and align it with an object on the other side of the room. Without moving your ...

Measuring distances to stars and planets by parallax observation—that is, by noting "the apparent shift in an object's position when the object is viewed from different vantage points"—was based on a ...

Simultaneous observations from two spatially well-separated telescopes can lead to the measurements of the microlensing parallax parameter, an important quantity toward the determinations of the lens ...

Astronomers quickly become used to dealing with huge numbers. For example, in any one lecture, I might declare that the sun emits some 400 billion trillion watts of power each second, that our Milky ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Hurtling through interstellar space 4.3 billion miles from home ...

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Astronomers quickly become used to dealing with huge numbers. For example, in any one lecture, I might declare that the sun emits some 400 billion ...