NASA’s done a good job getting us into space, but should it work harder on convincing people why that’s a good idea? NASA photo Chances are you’ll recognize the phrase, “To boldly go,” as part of the monologue introducing each episode of Star Trek . I’ve heard it called the most famous split infinitive in the English language, and whatever a person’s science knowledge or familiarity with Star Trek , they’ll usually recognize “To boldly go — where...

Like Frank Sinatra (1915–1998), renowned Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) had blue eyes, according to genetic tests that identified his remains. This paints a much different picture than the ones I grew up with. Researchers announced the findings last November and published them in July. They suggest that Copernicus most likely had blue eyes, fair skin, and light hair color. In 2005, a team led by Polish archaeologist Jerzy Gassowski...

I just got word that Washburn Observatory, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will soon reopen after 2 years of renovations. Finally! Not that 2 years is a long time, but it is the entirety of my time in Madison. Now that my alma mater has reopened the observatory, originally opened in 1881, it’ll be available to the general public twice a month once again, so I finally get to check it out. That openness has been a tradition since the observatory...

An interesting story on Slate.com takes this, the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei ’s first telescope, to wonder why we call him by his first name . After all, its subhead points out, “We don’t go around saying ‘Albert’ discovered relativity.” (Briefly, it’s “because that's how he referred to himself.”) But reading it, I wondered if we’d ever have another Galileo. Or, for that matter, if we’d ever see another Albert (Einstein) or even another...

One of the greatest historical sites in the world lies tucked outside the huge city of Xian, near an obscure “mountain.” The mountain is actually a vast burial mound where Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, is entombed. But no one knew this until the accidental discovery of a vast chamber of terra cotta figures in 1974, which only happened because a local farmer was sinking a deep well. See all the images from Dave's tour in our solar eclipse...

About a month ago, I wrote a blog about WeChooseTheMoon.org , a site by AOL, NASA, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation that invites users to experience a real-time visual and audio re-creation of the Apollo 11 mission. Well, the event starts in less than 24 hours, but there’s still time to sign up to get e-mail updates as the mission proceeds. AOL offered Astronomy a chance to preview the...

As some of you may have noticed based on a few of my recent blogs, I’m very excited about the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the lunar surface. A large part of my enthusiasm is because, for me, all the events associated with the anniversary are like being part of the original historical event (I was –17 years old July 20, 1969). So, I thoroughly enjoyed spending a recent afternoon watching Moonwalk One — The Director’s Cut with some of my...

As we get closer and closer to July 20, the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 and celebrating man’s first steps on the Moon, more cool ways to commemorate the Apollo program are popping up. NASA has a bunch of events planned already, and I’m sure they’ll announce more in the weeks ahead. Here are a few highlights: July 2: Take a virtual tour of the Apollo Lunar Sample Processing Lab and Storage Vaults at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. You can...

Special contribution from Astronomy magazine illustrator, Roen Kelly Very seldom do I get a request to write for the magazine. Smart move on management’s part. However, it just so happened a book of paintings arrived at the Astronomy offices. The book, Painting Apollo: First Artist on Another World , showcases the paintings of Alan Bean. Who better to review the book but one of the staff artists? The book is unique in that, as many of you know, Alan...

On July 16, 2009, the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 launching from the Kennedy Space Center and heading to the Moon for the first lunar landing. To commemorate this historical event, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, NASA, and AOL have collaborated to create www.WeChooseTheMoon.org . The site invites users to “climb aboard” Apollo 11 on July 16 and experience a real...