Back about a decade ago, I happened to be watching in early evening as the moon went from thin sliver to complete disappearance. It was one of those unexpected and somewhat wondrous moments of my life (due to many circumstances of the time, and the unplanned coolness of it). I'd like to see it again. Is there some schedule for me to tell when this is going to happen again visible from my area? [more inside]
posted by Kickstart70 on Oct 23, 2009 - 8 answers

Is there a distance at which a satellite will orbit a body indefinitely? Is this distance a universal constant? [more inside]
posted by doublehappy on Oct 16, 2009 - 28 answers

Was the entire universe created by the Big Bang, or is the space/time generated by the Big Bang part of a larger universe? [more inside]
posted by Lownotes on Jun 23, 2009 - 23 answers

Help me find a cool screen saver that won't infect my computer. [more inside]
posted by Flying Saucer on May 15, 2008 - 11 answers

What's it like working for NASA these days? What will it be like in 5-10 years? [more inside]
posted by phrontist on Nov 9, 2007 - 21 answers

Would we get enough warning to get out of the way if a big asteroid is bound to hit Earth? How big does an asteroid have to be to be visible for an extended period before it enters atmosphere?
posted by spacefire on Aug 31, 2007 - 26 answers

What is the best reason to fund expensive astronomy / space exploration projects? Many projects cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Couldn't this money be better spent elsewhere? [more inside]
posted by chrisalbon on Aug 10, 2007 - 55 answers

I've recently become more and more interested in Astronomy, and I'm hoping someone can point me in the direction of a solid university-level Astronomy textbook, something an undergraduate student studying Astronomy would be expected to read. [more inside]
posted by smitt on Aug 9, 2007 - 15 answers

AskMeFi Physics folk: How do astronomers account for the temporal distinctiveness of their galactic subjects in their calculations? I understand that observations of the red shift of quasars delinates a speed increase in the expansion of the universe - yet my brain explodes when I try to understand how the enormous expanse of time is factored into these models. [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Apr 9, 2006 - 12 answers

Please help me find the name of a weird educational science film I watched in high school. It was about the Big Bang and astrophysics. The action took place aboard a set that was supposed to be some kind of space station, where about three people discussed these issues. At the end, everyone got sucked into a black hole and the film ended abruptly.
posted by johngoren on Feb 10, 2006 - 5 answers

I want to buy my son, who is turning six, a telescope for his birthday. I don't want to spend a fortune, but one site I looked at for advice said anything less than $300 is a piece of junk. Anyone have any advice (including specific models) on one I can by this budding astronomer for $100 or less?
posted by alexg23 on Jul 25, 2005 - 22 answers

I'm looking for really any information on Mars and Mars colonization, but in particular two questions: Would the sun rise in the east and set in the west? and What would the night sky look like? What would the prominant objects be?
posted by dagnyscott on Feb 17, 2005 - 14 answers