Five Popular Science Books by Real Scientists

The author shares a curated list of five recommended science books, emphasizing that they are well-reviewed and written by experts in their fields. The selection includes titles from prominent scientists including Neil Degrasse Tyson and David Deutsch, targeting a general audience interested in science.

The Mystery of the Ashen Light of Venus

The ashen light of Venus Captured by Patrick Moore

Updated March 2026 The ashen light is a faint glow, which many people claim to have seen on the night side of Venus.  The Italian astronomer Giovanni Riccioli (1598 -1671) first reported it back in 1643, 33 years after Galileo had made the first observations of Venus with a telescope and discovered the planet had… Continue reading The Mystery of the Ashen Light of Venus

Latitude and Longitude on the Moon and the Planets

Latitude and longitude on the Moon

This post discusses the use of latitude and longitude for mapping locations on the Moon and other celestial bodies in the Solar System. It explains how these coordinates are defined, the arbitrary selection of prime meridians, and variations across different planets, emphasizing the importance of consistent astronomical conventions for navigation and mapping.

The June Solstice at Ness Point

I saw this article on the BBC News website. about ย people watching the Sun rise on the June solstice at Ness Point ย (lat 52.481 oN, long 1.763 oE), which is the UKโ€™s ย most easterly location. Source Dozens watch sunrise at UK's most easterly point - BBC News It is impressive that 200 people got up… Continue reading The June Solstice at Ness Point

The Oort Cloud

The Oort Cloud, theorized by Jan Oort in 1950, is a vast, icy structure beyond the Solar System, containing trillions of objects. It is divided into the sparse outer cloud and the denser, doughnut-shaped inner cloud. Evidence for its existence includes the orbits of long-period comets. Galactic tides and interactions with giant planets likely contributed to its formation and distribution of icy bodies.