Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [astronomy]

Science dealing with the study of space and celestial bodies. Can pertain to the composition, origin, motion, behavior or physical aspects of bodies in space as well as the practical applications of such information (ie: navigation).

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Does low solar activity cause cold weather?

I'm in Ireland where a few papers have recently parrotted an independent body's assertion that we're heading for low solar activity and, accordingly, a very cold winter. The statement has been presented without criticism. Given that one of the main…
puppybeard
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Do recent images from the JWST pose a major crisis for Big Bang cosmology?

In some recent publications, plasma physicist and alternative cosmology advocate Eric Lerner has made the claim that recent JWST images disprove the conventional ΛCDM model of cosmological inflation, and hence that "The Big Bang didn't happen". I…
MadScientist
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Is it possible to get to the power needed to thrust a rocket so that it can escape from earth?

Note: Any velocity mentioned in this question is the velocity relative to the earth. Warning: Base your answers on formal proof and facts, moon images aren't really science... According to this book page in Astronomy: A Physical Perspective By…
Tamara Wijsman
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Are there pine trees on Mars?

There's a UFO site which claims that the below image is captured by the Mars Global Surveyor and is of what looks like pine or other similar type of trees. I think this image is important because the trees seem to be on a hillside, and for the…
John Lyon
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Was Kepler's sci-fi book "Somnium" used as evidence in his mother's witchcraft trial?

Widely considered the first sci-fi book, Somnium was written by astronomer Johannes Kepler around 1608 and was only published in 1634, after his death. I first heard the claim that the book was used in his mother's witchcraft trial in Astronomy…
Laurel
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Could the moons of Jupiter support life?

I read a news article about a probe headed out to Jupiter. At the end of the article, it mentions a fear of "contaminating" the moons if it does not end it's life on Jupiter itself: Juno's electronic heart is protected in a vault of titanium, but…
Jeffrey
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Did the vedas accurately describe the planetary system like elliptical orbits and Sun being the centre?

There is a book called 108 eternal truths which claims many things which have been proved wrong on this site. It makes the following claims about vedas describing the planetary system. The Vedas are the most holy books for Hindus. All three are from…
hiasker
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Did the story of Columbus and the lunar eclipse take place?

In eclipse season, it’s bound to happen that someone will quote the story of Columbus fooling the settlers into believing that his god was upset with them and therefore eclipsed the moon. But as often as this story is quoted, someone else inevitably…
DonielF
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Is there any evidence of Planet X / Nibiru?

It's the first time I read an article on inquistr, so I'm not sure how reliable it is, but I just saw this article today titled: Has science just admitted Planet X / Nibiru exists? Astronomers may have inadvertently revived the Planet X/Nibiru…
Vlad
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Would the approach of destroying an asteroid in the film "Armageddon" prevent a global catastrophe?

In the 1998 film Armageddon a group of oil rig workers lead by Bruce Willis are tasked with preventing a large asteroid from colliding with the Earth and wiping out civilization. They succeed by drilling into the centre of the asteroid and…
Adamski
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Can the events of the Ramayana and Mahabharata be astronomically dated to around 7300 BCE and 5561 BCE respectively?

The Ramayana is one of Hinduism's greatest epics. Nobody appears to know with certainty when the poem was composed or when the events in it occurred. However, while some scholars claim that the events probably occurred at around the 8th century BCE…
serendip.in
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Will the Sun's magnetic activity disrupt electronics on Earth?

I recently came across a claim that the earth's geomagnetism will change and all the electronics devices will be disrupted due to the Sun's magnetic pole change, as described in this video. Additionally, the claim is that all electronics on earth…
Arun Chettoor
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If gas expands then how are stars formed from collapse of gas and dust?

I do have a good understanding of how stars form. Mass exerts gravity and gases will collapse together and when the density crosses a certain limit, the fusion starts in the core. I was reading the wikipedia page of Creationist cosmologies which has…
Manish Sinha
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Is comet ISON going to kill us?

I've just heard on the news that some comet named ISON is passing by the Sun. And they said that it will split and then it may hit us. They are citing Nostradamus prophecies and stuff. It appears that he predicted an event like this. Also they said…
Alex
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Does each doubling of CO2 cause a 2-4°C increase?

Professor Henrik Svensmark argues that cosmic rays have a strong influence on cloud formation and hence climate change. In 2016 he predicted global warming was over. He was recently the lead author of an article: Increased ionization supports growth…
capet
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