The ‘guest star’ of 185 AD has been one of astronomy’s most unresolved cases for over 1800 years. Ancient Chinese chroniclers recorded a mysterious light that lasted eight months, but an examination of the debris field created (RCW 86) has shown that the debris remains too substantial in size compared to the time elapsed. However,…

An AI-generated image shows four Artemis II astronauts in front of a green screen Astronauts from Artemis II may have safely returned after completing their lunar mission, but that hasn’t stopped conspiracy theorists from spinning fresh claims. Hashtags such as “fake space” and “fake NASA” have gained traction online since the lunar fly-by sent the…

Image: Princetoniana Museum Two people can read the same explanation of something and walk away with completely different levels of confidence in what they actually know. One nods along, follows the logic, and quietly assumes that following along counts as understanding. The other insists on rebuilding the idea from scratch, alone, without notes or references,…

This year’s Eta Aquarid meteor shower is reaching its maximum activity, and the skies at night are about to put on an interesting show for observers. For many, the notion of witnessing shooting stars seems rather straightforward; however, it all boils down to the timing of observation. The margin between seeing no meteors and seeing…