Pythagorean Astronomy: Staring at the dawn of time

Posted on 16 February 2023 by Chris North

Chris North and Edward Gomez discuss the first attempt to launch a rocket from UK soil, albeit via a piggyback on (or under) a plane. There’s also an interesting supernova, the first exoplanet confirmation from JWST. Meanwhile, on Mars, does no news mean bad news for China’s Zhurong rover? We also speak to Dr Ian
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Pythagorean Astronomy: Supernova Detective Story

Posted on 3 October 2021 by Chris North

Way back in 1181 AD, astronomers in China and Japan recorded a “guest star” – something that we’d now call a supernova. Over 800 years later, astronomers made a connection between this ancient observation and more recent studies of a very unusual object that goes by the name of “Parker’s Star”. Prof Quentin Parker, from
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Pythagorean Astronomy: Dimming stars, Galactic waves and misbehaving gas clouds

Posted on 31 January 2020 by Chris North

The astronomy world has been a-buzz with news of Betelgeuse, the bright red star in Orion, which appears to be dimming. Chris North, Edward Gomez and Claudia Antolini discuss how unusual this is, and what it means for the star’s future. Further afield, there’s a newly identified wave in our Galactic neighbourhood, changing our understanding
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Pythagorean Astronomy: Stellar Explosions and Interstellar Visitors

Posted on 28 November 2019 by Chris North

This month saw the announcement of two follow-up discoveries of two explosive events. Firstly observations of one of the highest energy gamma ray burst ever seen, detected back in January, have identified where it originated. Meanwhile, colleagues in Cardiff University have been searching for signs of a remnant neutron star at the heart of Supernova
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Pythagorean Astronomy: Kepler’s Legacy

Posted on 29 November 2018 by Chris North

Chris North, Sarah Roberts and Matt Smitth discuss the landing of NASA’s Insight probe, which is set to investigate the interior of Mars and search for Mars-quakes. Closer to home, we’re celebrating 20 years of the International Space Station this month. In astrophysics research, Cardiff researchers, including Matt, were involved in a study of exploding
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Pythagorean Astronomy: Changing with the times

Posted on 1 November 2018 by Chris North

Chris North, Sarah Roberts and Mat Allen discuss the launch of Bepi Colombo, which is on its way to study the planet Mercury. Meanwhile, the Hayabusa 2 mission continues its exploration of the asteroid Ryugu, while the Hubble Space Telescope has experienced a problem with its gyros – we discuss what that means for the
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Astronomy Data in Maths & Physics

Posted on 27 March 2018 by Victoria Ayley

Overview Three lesson plans at three different levels designed to help students develop their maths and physics skills via application, as well as hoping to inspire an interest in astronomy in the process. During the lessons students will learn how to classify galaxies, determine the age of galaxies, and calculate the age of the Universe
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