Tag: space

Astrophysicists have long known that the universe is full of surprises, but even our own Solar System can make our head spin. It turns out that the center of the Solar System is not the Sun and so Jupiter doesn't orbit the Sun. In fact, none of the planets revolve around the Sun.

We've all basked in the gentle warmth of sunlight, without giving much thought to the fact that this light left the Sun over eight minutes ago, traversing a whopping 93 million miles to reach us.

Looming ruddy amid churning ammonia clouds lies one of our solar system’s greatest enduring mysteries - Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot. At 10,000 miles wide, this Jovian hurricane swirls massive enough to engulf Earth whole. Its crimson chaotic eye glares from over 300 years vigil ruling the gaseous giant’s cloud tops, outlasting human epochs.

Gazing up at the night sky, stargazers recognize Venus as Earth's dazzling twin. It beams brighter than any star, earning nicknames like the Morning or Evening Star. Yet behind celestial similarities hide profound mysteries about our nearest neighbor's topsy-turvy spin.

When we peer up at the Milky Way's misty band of light, we’re viewing it as it appeared in the Stone Age due to the vast distance involved. That's because light from the galaxy's center takes an estimated 25,000 years to reach our planet.

At $410 million, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides holds the record for the most expensive movie ever made. But that lofty price tag is pocket change compared to the over $100 billion spent on constructing the International Space Station (ISS)—the most expensive object ever built by humans.