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Category: Astronomy 101

Illustration of two black holes surrounded by disks of gas and dust, spiraling toward each other as they merge. Image Credit: Carl Knox / OzGrav / Swinburne University of Technology

Gravitational Waves And The Search For Hierarchical Black Hole Mergers

Friday January 9th
Adler Planetarium Staff

Dr. Shanika Galaudage explains the past, present, and future of gravitational waves and how recent findings have suggested that black holes can merge multiple times through hierarchical formations.

Illustration of gravitational waves after a merger of two black holes. Gravitational waves ripple outward as the black holes spiral toward each other. Image credit: LIGO/T. Pyle

What Are Gravitational Waves: A New Window Into The Universe

Tuesday January 6th
Adler Planetarium Staff

What exactly are gravitational waves and how have they changed the field of astronomy? Adler Astronomer, Dr. Michael Zevin, explains how gravitational waves allow us to hear the sounds of spacetime and how they will lead to new discoveries.

This is the central region of the Bullet Cluster, which is made of two massive clusters of galaxies. X-rays captured by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory are colored pink. The blue represents dark matter precisely mapped by researchers using JWST.

Universe-Sized Questions: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Big Bang

Friday October 17th
Michelle Nichols and Geza Gyuk

Answering universe-sized questions, including what we know (and don’t know) about dark matter and dark energy, and how it involves the Big Bang.

This image depicts a cluster of distorted galaxies. The distorted shapes in the cluster shown here are distant galaxies, from which the light is bent by the gravitational pull of dark matter within the cluster of galaxies.

What Is Dark Matter? The Spooky Case Of Dark Matter

Wednesday October 15th
Adler Planetarium Staff

What is dark matter? Has dark matter been discovered? Get an inside look at the history and continued discoveries within the field.

Pedestrians walking (during Chicagohenge) across a crosswalk while the Sun sets in the distance with the Willis Tower in view.

Understanding Chicagohenge

Wednesday September 3rd
Adler Planetarium Staff

The Chicagohenge is a bi-annual event where the cosmos and architecture harmoniously align. Learn about the science behind it all!

Reading List: The Best Space Science And Astronomy Books

Monday August 4th
Rachel Van Clepper

Our staff has assigned you summer reading, including a list of the best space science and astronomy books.

Camera attached to telescope shooting a comet in the night sky.

Astrophotography 101

Wednesday July 2nd
Adler Planetarium Staff

The astrophotography guide for beginners, including tips on how to choose the right astrophotography equipment.

Child using phone in Mission Moon exhibit.

Can You Hear Sound In Space?

Friday June 6th
Rachel Van Clepper

How does sound work in space? Explore the science of sound and what that means for sounds in space.

A green tent on sand with silhouetted trees and a blue night sky with stars

Sky Observing 101: Where To Go Stargazing In Chicago

Wednesday June 4th
Michelle Nichols

Your guide to the best stargazing spots in Chicago and across the midwest.

Computer visualization of the western hemisphere of Earth that shows the average air temperature. Most of the globe is colored red or orange, showing a warmer temperature. The far northern edge of the globe, near the Arctic, is colored blue and purple, showing cooler temperatures.

How Astronomy Helps Us Understand Climate Change

Wednesday April 9th
Bella Mutert

As Earth faces a global climate crisis, how can we use and learn from astronomy to help us understand what a changing climate means?

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