Paul Roche

Astronomer

Professor Paul Roche is Chair of Astronomy Education at Cardiff University.

Recent articles by Paul Roche

Milky Way over Namthing Pokhri Lake Basudeb Chakrabarti, West Bengal, India, 13 March 2022 Equipment: Nikon D5200 DSLR, Tokina 11–16mm lens, tripod

How bright would the night sky be if we were closer to the centre of the Milky Way?

The Sun is a main sequence star. But what does that mean? Credit: NASA/SDO

A quick guide to main sequence stars

Binary proto-star ALMA, 4 October 2019 Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), Alves et al.

How do astronomers measure the size and mass of stars?

Artist's impression of a Sun-like star near a supermassive black hole. Credit: ESO, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Will black holes eventually consume everything in the Universe?

Supernova destroying planet, illustration. A rocky planet lies in the wake of its star, which has just gone supernova. The explosion shatters the planet. Credit: Mark Garlick / Science Photo Library.

How close would a supernova have to be to affect life on Earth?

This artist's concept shows a black hole with an accretion disc expelling a jet of hot gas, called plasma. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

What is an accretion disk and how does one form?

light ring orbit black hole

11 questions about black holes – answered!

Illustration showing a star being ejected from the centre of a galaxy. Credit: NASA/ESA/G. Bacon (STScI)

Do rogue stars roam in between galaxies?

A view of the Sun captured by ESA's Solar Orbiter, 30 May 2020. Credit: Solar Orbiter/EUI Team (ESA & NASA); CSL, IAS, MPS, PMOD/WRC, ROB, UCL/MSSL

10 big questions about the Sun – answered

Field of stars in the constellation of Crux. Credit: ESO

How many stars are born each day?