SUNSET: 
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Technological Civilizations: Few and Very Far Between
The best evidence we have right now suggests that intelligent life is very rare in our galaxy.
Astronomy's "Impossible" Supernova?
For decades, one of the canonical doctrines in astronomy is that a white dwarf cannot exceed 1.44 solar masses. But now astronomers have found a Type Ia supernova that seems to break the rules.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Sticking Out My Neck
S&T's senior editor comes up with his own definition of "planet," which avoids some of the pitfalls plaguing the IAU's.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Am I a Trekkie?
A lot of Star Trek episodes are really dumb, but I watch them anyway.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Pluto: The Way Forward
In the great Pluto controversy, it's time to put the rancor behind us and move on to a broader definition of "planet."
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
The Case for Pluto
If all other types of astronomical objects are classified by their physical properties, the same should hold true for planets.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Was the Pluto Vote Anti-American?
Some American astronomers think the IAU's vote to reclassify Pluto was partially based on anti-American sentiment.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Join the Search For Extrasolar Planets!
S&T senior editor Robert Naeye writes about how thanks to an innovative Web site, you can find an extrasolar planet using your own computer.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
A New Type of Cosmic Explosion
A cool, nearby gamma-ray burst.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
The Great Planet Controversy
More comments on the IAU's planet proposal.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Time to Make a Decision
The debate about planets continues . . .
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Greetings Astronomy Aficionados!
Senior editor Robert Naeye separates astronomical fact from fiction.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
The "Missing" Young Astronomers
Young amateur astronomers might drift away for awhile, but we can get a lot of them back.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Bob's World of Astronomy
S&T senior editor Bob Naeye explains why we have not heard the end of the Pluto/planet controversy.
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Pluto: 9 + 1 = 10, not 8
Do we need to learn New Math when counting planets?
Bob's World of Astronomy with Robert Naeye
Copernicus Would Not Be Proud
Why we haven't yet heard the end of the Pluto/planet controversy.
Famous Star Hosts Distant World
Astronomers have found an extrasolar planet orbiting Pollux, the 16th brightest star in the night sky. It's the brightest star in the sky known to host a world outside of our solar system.
Why are there two peaks in the light curve on page 97 of the October 2005 issue?
Why are there two peaks in the light curve on page 97 of the October 2005 issue? One might imagine that a planet of the star would produce only one sharp peak on the rounded dashed line. But why two? This is an insightful question, because astronomers who use the…
Gamma-Ray-Burst Simulations
In the reigning collapsar model for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), jets containing small amounts of matter and huge amounts of electromagnetic energy are created when the core of a massive star collapses and produces a black hole. In this computer simulation frame, we see a jet punching through the "surface" of…
Agreement Reached on Yerkes Sale
The Yerkes Observatory has been sold, but the venerable institution will continue operations as a scientific and educational facility. The University of Chicago has reached an $8 million sale agreement with a private developer to preserve the venerable Yerkes Observatory, one of the world's great astronomical landmarks. Under the terms…
