Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.
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Exploring the Universe
with Andrew Fraknoi
I am tickled to report that The Worlds Within magazine has just published my science-fiction story “Who Speaks for Earth.” It concerns a Congressional hearing about a future President, who had to bomb a radio telescope owned by a religious group that insisted on answering an alien message Earth received without consulting anyone else. You can see it at: https://theworldswithin.net/who-speaks-for-earth/ Scroll down from the cover image to …
March 21, 2026
Information on the total eclipse of the Moon coming the morning of March 3
February 24, 2026
A delightful new James Webb Space Telescope image of a massive galaxy cluster
January 23, 2026
We review what's coming in the sky and in space exploration for 2026
January 10, 2026
Dec. 21 is the winter solstice. We explain what this means and how the seasons come about.
December 18, 2025
I am teaching a new Zoom course on the mysterious world of the atom, with lots of visuals and no math. It’s a six-week class for retired people: Join me for a richly illustrated tour of the atomic world that lies beneath our everyday conception of reality. Using historical anecdotes, analogies from everyday life, thought experiments, and touches of humor, we’ll explore atomic theory from the Greeks to today, and …
September 20, 2025
For those of you with a deeper interest in astronomy and how we learn about the universe, this may be of interest. There is a good discount if you register before Aug. 10. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific Presents: Eyes on the Cosmos: Cutting Edge Instruments and Ideas in Astronomy On Zoom, August 21, 2025 A non-technical symposium for astronomy educators, astronomy enthusiasts, and students at all levels. We …
August 7, 2025
Astronomers unveiled first pictures from the amazing Rubin Observatory, which is getting ready to take the deepest, widest movie of the entire sky.
June 24, 2025
Friday is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. We explain why.
June 16, 2025
View this email in your browser A Change of Pace from Astronomy News As you may know, I have been writing science-fiction stories based on good astronomy as my retirement project. After a good number of rejections from the finest sci-fi magazines the world over, I am now finding some success. My ninth and tenth stories were published, by coincidence, in the same month, and I wanted to give you …
June 1, 2025
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