Science

The picture shows Abell 2218, a rich galaxy cluster composed of thousands of individual galaxies. It sits about 2.1 billion light-years from the Earth (redshift 0.17) in the northern constellation of Draco. When used by astronomers as a powerful gravitational lens to magnify distant galaxies, the cluster allows them to peer far into the Universe. However, it not only magnifies the images of hidden galaxies, but also distorts them into long, thin arcs. Several arcs in the image can be studied in detail thanks to Hubble's sharp vision. Multiple distorted images of the same galaxies can be identified by comparing the shape of the galaxies and their colour. In addition to the giant arcs, many smaller arclets have been identified.

A guide to gravitational lensing

The lights from towns and cities can blot out views of the night sky. Credit: iStock

A guide to dark sky classifications

The Orion constellation: differences in colour give a very subtle hint as to how stars can be vastly different. Credit: Zdeněk Bardon/ESO

A guide to stellar spectral classifications

© Jamie Carter

Griffith Observatory: the world’s most popular telescope

An artist’s impression of the SKA-mid dishes in Africa, as they may look when completed. Image Credit: SKA Organisation

The science of the Square Kilometre Array

Maggie Aderin-Pocock

The UK’s ‘Hidden Figures’?

Parker-Solar-Probe

Parker Solar Probe’s journey to the Sun

An eye-shaped nebula, the remains of a star forming molecular cloud that is being torn apart by the supergiant at it's center. The glowing parts of the planet's atmosphere in the lower left are portions of atmosphere that were ionized either because of meteorite impacts or massive volcanic eruptions. This is a young planetary system, still in the heavy bombardment stage of its formation, so impacts are still very common. The ring of glowing debris around the planet are the remains of it's other moons, which were obliterated in a series of collisions.

How did the Solar System form?

Sunrise at stonehenge during summer solstice

Solstice sunrise at Stonehenge

Astronomer James Christy pictured with the photographic plate on which he and Robert Harrington discovered Pluto’s largest moon Charon, in 1978. Credit: U.S. Naval Observatory

How Pluto’s moon Charon was discovered

4_Mildly_optimistic_CNewsome

The transit of Venus from Selsey

The Edinburgh International Science Festival returned for another two weeks, asking probing questions and bringing science to the public, young and old. Credit: Edinburgh International Science Festival

Edinburgh Science Festival 2018: Question Time for space

Dave and Stewart

Back from the brink: refurbishing the Perseus telescope

There are hundreds of events for both children and adults over the fortnight, covering every area of science. Image Credit: Edinburgh International Science Festival

Edinburgh International Science Festival 2018

An artist’s impression of ‘Oumuamua.Credit: ESO / M. Kornmesser

‘Oumuamua likely came from binary system