Paul Roche
Astronomer
Professor Paul Roche is Chair of Astronomy Education at Cardiff University.
Recent articles by Paul Roche
How close would a supernova have to be to affect life on Earth? Should we be worried?
Could an exploding star have a devastating effect on planet Earth and its inhabitants?
This is how astronomers detect hidden binary stars, when two stars orbit one another
How different types of binary star systems are detected by astronomers.
Will black holes consume everything in the Universe?
Black holes have a reputation for being cosmic vacuum cleaners. Does that mean they'll eventually eat all matter?
How accretion disks form around stars
How does matter form an accretion disk around stars and black holes?
Do rogue stars roam in between galaxies?
Is there such thing as a wandering star? Could rogue stars be ejected from their galactic systems and roam freely throughout space?
How many stars are born each day?
What is the rate of star formation in the Universe, and are there more stars dying than being born, or vice-versa?
How close could a crewed spacecraft travel to our Sun?
Is there a safe point for human astronauts travelling close to the Sun?
How bright would the night sky be if we were closer to the centre of the Milky Way?
Would Earth being closer to the galactic core be a stargazer's dream, or nightmare?
A quick guide to main sequence stars
What is a main sequence star, and is our Sun one? Find out in our quick guide.
How do astronomers measure the size and mass of stars?
It's not like we can whip out a set of kitchen scales. So how do you measure something that's thousands of lightyears away?
11 questions about black holes - answered!
Answers to some of the most commonly-asked questions surrounding black holes.
10 big questions about the Sun - answered
Some of the biggest questions about the Sun and solar science, and answers to these solar mysteries.