Richard Talcott

Waukesha

Senior Editor at Astronomy Magazine

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Articles

Live long and prosper: JWST images NGC 346

4 days ago | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

How did we get here?Few topics in astronomy intrigue us more than this simple five-word query. Yet the simplicity hides multiple layers of complexity. How did the universe come into existence? How did stars form out of an initial mix of mostly hydrogen and helium gas? How did planets grow in the dusty disks surrounding these stars? And even the answers to these questions can’t explain how life and intelligence appeared.
The Tarantula Nebula casts a wide web

2 weeks ago | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

The Orion Nebula (M42) and Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) may reign supreme among star-forming regions in the Milky Way, but they pale in comparison to the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070). The Tarantula resides in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to our own located 160,000 light-years away. This nebula spans roughly 1,000 light-years and contains nearly a million stars, dozens of which weigh more than 100 Suns. And the Tarantula holds enough gas to forge hundreds of thousands of future stars.
M83: Big, bright, and beautiful

1 month ago | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M83) in Hydra checks almost every box an amateur astronomer could desire. This stunning barred spiral spans a hefty 14′ and, at magnitude 7.5, ranks among the sky’s 10 brightest galaxies. Its only drawback is location — at a declination of –30°, it lies farther south than any other galaxy in Messier’s catalog.
M17 stars in a cosmic vista

2 months ago | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

You could forgive M17 for having an identity crisis. Observers refer to this emission region as the Omega, the Swan, and even the Checkmark Nebula. M17 doesn’t even know what constellation to call home — most of it lies in Sagittarius, but its northern edge crosses into Serpens. Yet no one can deny the stellar nursery’s good looks. This infrared view penetrates much of the dust that obscures the budding star cluster emerging within M17.
Why the winter solstice is the longest night, and when it happens in 2024

Dec 17, 2024 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

Winter does not officially arrive until the solstice. The 2024 winter solstice — the precise moment when the Sun appears farthest south in the sky — is at 4:21 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the solstice has the fewest hours of possible sunlight and the night has the most hours of darkness.
Early galaxies may be smaller than initially thought

Sep 26, 2024 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

The cosmos may not be broken after all. Soon after the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) started its science mission in 2022, astronomers discovered a half-dozen galaxies near the edge of the universe that appeared far more massive than anyone expected (see “Too big, too soon” in the September 2023 Astronomy).
A step-by-step planning guide

Feb 19, 2024 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

It’s been seven long years since the last total solar eclipse to grace the skies above North America occurred Aug. 21, 2017. Now, the Moon once again passes directly in front of the Sun from this continent. April 8 brings totality to viewers along a narrow path that begins on Mexico’s Pacific Coast and then heads north and east, cutting across the U.S. from Texas to the eastern Great Lakes and northern New England.
The 10 greatest JWST discoveries, so far

Dec 23, 2023 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

The ground in French Guiana literally shook as the rockets on the Ariane 5 launch vehicle ignited the morning of Dec. 25, 2021. The roar signaled the start of the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) month-long journey to its current home some 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth. Although it took scientists and engineers an additional five months to get the 6.5-meter telescope ready for action, the wait was worth it.
Why the winter solstice is the longest night, and when it happens in 2024

Dec 22, 2023 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

Winter does not officially arrive until the solstice. The 2024 winter solstice — the precise moment when the Sun appears farthest south in the sky — is at 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the solstice has the fewest hours of possible sunlight and the night has the most hours of darkness.
Why the winter solstice is the longest night every year, and when it happens in 2023

Dec 19, 2023 | astronomy.com | Richard Talcott

With snow already flying across some of the country, it may be hard to believe that winter does not officially arrive until the Dec. 21 solstice. The winter solstice — the precise moment when the Sun appears farthest south in the sky — happens at 10:21 p.m. EST in 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the day of the solstice has the fewest hours of possible sunlight and the night has the most hours of darkness.