by Dr. Jason Lisle | Jun 12, 2020 | Astronomy
When Pluto was discovered in 1930, it was immediately accepted as the ninth planet. Seventy-six years later, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto should no longer be considered a planet, and reclassified it as a “dwarf planet.” What motivated this reclassification? And how exactly is a planet defined? Regardless of how we choose to classify it, Pluto is a wonderful creation and one that does not fit the secular narrative. The discovery and early investigation of this dwarf planet is a fascinating part of history.
by Dr. Jason Lisle | Jun 5, 2020 | Astronomy
The outermost planet of our solar system is a world of wonder and mystery. Neptune is a virtual twin to Uranus, similar in size and color. But its differences are fascinating and challenge secular thinking.
by Dr. Jason Lisle | May 29, 2020 | Astronomy
The ancient world knew of planets – the five wandering stars that moved with respect to the background stars. The invention of the telescope allowed Galileo to discover that Jupiter had moons – proving that not everything orbits Earth. This led to the realization...
by Dr. Jason Lisle | May 22, 2020 | Astronomy
Saturn has 82 known moons – more than any other planet at the publication time of this article. Of these, twenty were discovered in the last year. Most are just a few miles across. But the larger ones are some of the most fascinating moons of the solar system.
by Dr. Jason Lisle | May 15, 2020 | Astronomy
Known for its stunning system of rings, Saturn is truly a gem of the solar system. Although Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune also have rings, only Saturn’s are easily visible from Earth and are an icon of astronomy. Yet these rings were unknown until the 1600s. For the first five and a half millennia, Saturn was simply the slowest of the five “wandering stars.” The invention of the telescope in 1608 paved the way for more advanced telescopes, eventually allowing astronomers to see Saturn in all its splendor.
