Header Image: Photo taken of Venus by NASA’s Mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Have you heard the news? On September 14, 2020, a scientific team through the Royal Astronomical Society announced the detection of phosphine molecules in clouds on Venus! This means Venus—the hottest, terrestrial planet in our solar system—is making headlines […]

Header Image: Looking through a telescope at the Adler Planetarium. Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in August 2020 and was updated in August 2024 with more current information. One question we often get at the Adler is: “I’m a beginner. What’s the best telescope for me?”  The really short answer is, “The best […]

Header Image: The original image of galaxies NGC 6285 (left) and NGC 6286 (right) was taken by NASA Hubble. Image Edit: Adler Planetarium We all know that social distancing is a good way to avoid catching (or spreading) a virus, but what if the stakes were even higher? What if standing too close to someone […]

Header Image: The Adler Planetarium with a Full Moon in the background taken by Adler Planetarium Telescope Volunteer in July 2020. Image Credit: Bill Chiu You have space questions, we have answers! Astronomers are constantly discovering and uncovering new secrets about space, which we know can lead to lots of questions. Will a black hole […]

Header Image: A beautiful image of The Whirlpool Galaxy taken by an Adler Planetarium Telescope Volunteer. Image Credit: Bill Chiu Our universe is vast, mysterious, and ever expanding! Astronomers are constantly discovering and uncovering new secrets about space, which we know can lead to lots of questions. What is a black hole? When can you […]

Header Image: Pocket globe by Thomas Lane (London, c. 1830), Adler Planetarium collections. This globe was symbolically taken aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1999 during the mission STS-103.  The conception of Earth has changed dramatically over time. It was only four centuries ago that Earth started to be widely regarded as a planet, and it […]

Header Image: The spotty surface of Betelgeuse shown with two, large, bright, star spots. The spots potentially represent enormous convective cells rising from below the supergiant’s surface. They are bright because they’re hotter than the rest of the surface, but both spots and surface are cooler than the Sun. Image Credit: Xavier Haubois (Observatoire de […]

Header Image: Chicagohenge as seen from West Adams Street. Image Credit: Tim Hara Update: This blog is revised each year with updated dates of Chicagohenge and the equinoxes. Greetings fellow Chicagoans! It is almost that time of year when nature and architecture harmoniously come together to create the phenomenon known as Chicagohenge. For those who […]

Arguably, one of the most well-known fixtures of our night sky is the Big Dipper. But did you know that this night-sky staple once served as a beacon to freedom here in America during the time of the Underground Railroad? In the early-to-mid 19th century, countless American slaves used the Big Dipper⁠—aka the Drinking Gourd⁠—as […]

Header Caption: This Hubble Deep Field image shows a snapshot of the diverse types of galaxies in our universe. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/STScI Hubble Deep Field Team Did you know that up until the last century, humans believed that our Milky Way was the only galaxy in the known universe? Today, we now know that this […]