39 FAQs about Odds and Ends (The Astronomy Cafe)

Astronomy Misconceptions: Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy

Stupid Egg Balancing Tricks :Vernal Equinox

Pictures from Space: Astronomy Picture of the Day

 Back to the Astronomy Cafe - 365 of the most popular questions since 1996. Over 1 million page requests!


Beginner:

  1. [Updated]When were 'nebulae' first discovered?
  2. [Updated]Are we alone in the universe?
  3. [Updated]Where can I find an historical timeline of astronomy?
  4. [Updated]What can you say about the Photon Belt and the Golden Nebula?
  5. [Updated]Are there any astronomical objects called 'Wormwood'?
  6. [Updated]Who invented the light year?
  7. [Updated]What is 'Occams Razor'?
  8. [Updated]Will creating artificial life help us to understand life in the universe?
  9. [Updated]During which year in the next 50 will there be an unusual number of astronomical phenomena?
  10. [Updated]What are the two most exciting frontiers in astronomical research today?
  11. [Updated]What might we discover in the next 5 years?
  12. [Updated]Are their sky events that should have been noticed but weren't?
  13. [Updated]Has SETI discovered any intelligent civilizations in space yet?
  14. [Updated]What are some astronomical events that have affected history?

  15. Can psychics really tell the future using the stars?
  16. Why are the names of the week ordered the way they are?
  17. When did living matter first become aware of itself?
  18. Where is the Point of No Return located?
  19. Could humans modify themselves to live on other planets?
  20. Do you believe in UFOs?
  21. Can you give examples of questions that sound plausible, but which have no physical answers?
  22. Has anyone had sex in space yet?
  23. How do stars and comets get named?
  24. Why is astronomy important in our lives?
  25. If astronomers feel that life can exist elsewhere in the universe, why don't they believe in the possibility that UFOs are from other worlds?
  26. What is the meaning of the phrase 'music of the spheres'?
  27. How did a 'Antikythera Machine' work?
  28. What literature do you know that refers to astronomy in poetry etc?
  29. Is it easier to balance an egg during the Equinoxes?
  30. Can you tell from space that earth is inhabited by intelligent beings?
  31. What is your opinion about how life started on the Earth?
  32. Did a NASA computer scientist discover a 'missing day' in a program used to calculate the positions of the planets, as forecast in the Bible?
  33. Do science fiction stories ever inspire new scientific theories?
  34. What was happening in the sky when the Titanic sunk on April 14, 1912?
  35. What is the hardest question about the universe that scientists could not answer?
  36. Why were the Dog Days of summer so named?
  37. Could aliens really see our TV programs?
  38. What distinguishes pseudo-science from real science?
  39. Why does air travel westward take less time than eastward?
  40. Can you make an ion-powered hovercraft?
  41. How useful is the Drake Equation in predicting how much life is 'out there'?
  42. Are the stars in the sky just there, or is there a purpose behind them?
  43. What are some of the most recent, significant advances in astronomy?
  44. Can a convincing argument be made that a transcendent God keeps the universe going?
  45. Is it true that consciousness has co-evolved with the universe?
  46. Are there any subjects in astronomy that are considered closed books?


Return to Ask the Astronomer