10 Hygiea — Large C‑type asteroid in the outer main belt 10 Hygiea 10 Hygiea is the fourth largest asteroid, a dark carbonaceous body in the outer main belt. It is large but faint, with an irregular to near‑spherical shape and a mass of roughly a…
119 Tauri (CE Tauri) — a red supergiant in Taurus 119 Tauri 119 Tauri, also designated CE Tauri, is a red supergiant star in Taurus. It is hundreds of times wider than the Sun, variable in brightness, and studied as an example of late-stage…
121 Hermione 121 Hermione is a large, dark main-belt asteroid named after a figure from Greek mythology and notable for its irregular shape, carbon-rich surface, and small natural satellite.
15 Eunomia — large stony asteroid and parent of the Eunomia family 15 Eunomia Major S-type asteroid in the inner main belt, the largest stony body and parent of the Eunomia collisional family. Discovered in 1851 and named for the Greek Horae Eunomia.
15 Orionis — an F-type subgiant in Orion 15 Orionis 15 Orionis is an F2IV subgiant star in Orion, visible at magnitude 4.82 about 540 light years away. It is noted as the current southern pole star of Uranus and has a suspected clos…
16 Psyche: a metal-rich main-belt asteroid and mission target 16 Psyche 16 Psyche is a large M-type asteroid in the main asteroid belt, notable for its metal-rich composition, discovery in 1852, and selection as the target of NASA's Psyche mission.
2 Pallas 2 Pallas is a large, primitive asteroid in the main belt, discovered in 1802. It is one of the most massive belt bodies and notable for its high orbital inclination and primitive c…
20000 Varuna: a large Kuiper belt object and dwarf-planet candidate 20000 Varuna Overview of 20000 Varuna, a large Kuiper belt object discovered in 2000, covering its physical traits, discovery and name, classification issues, and why it matters for understandi…
2005 TN53 — a possible Neptune Trojan 2005 TN53 2005 TN53 is a candidate Neptune Trojan discovered in 2005 by Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo. It shares Neptune's orbital period and is located near the L4 Lagrangian p…
2006 RJ103: a Neptune Trojan minor planet 2006 RJ103 2006 RJ103 is a minor planet classified as a Neptune Trojan, discovered by the SDSS in 2006. It shares Neptune's orbit at the L4 Lagrangian point and belongs to a small group of si…
2007 RW10 — a Neptune Trojan asteroid 2007 RW10 2007 RW10 is a small body locked in a stable 1:1 orbital resonance with Neptune, residing near the L4 Lagrangian point. It is one of a small group of known Neptune Trojans discover…
2101 Adonis: early-discovered Apollo near-Earth asteroid 2101 Adonis 2101 Adonis is an Apollo-group near-Earth asteroid discovered in 1936, lost and rediscovered in 1977. Roughly 1 km across, it has been proposed as an extinct comet and approaches E…
216 Kleopatra: the dog-bone shaped main-belt asteroid 216 Kleopatra 216 Kleopatra is a large, unusually shaped main-belt asteroid discovered in 1880, notable for its dog-bone profile, likely metallic composition, radar reflectivity, and two small s…
243 Ida — Koronis-family main-belt asteroid with a small moon 243 Ida 243 Ida is a Koronis-family main-belt asteroid visited by the Galileo spacecraft in 1993. Imaging revealed an irregular, heavily cratered body and the first confirmed asteroid moon…
253 Mathilde — Carbonaceous main-belt asteroid 253 Mathilde 253 Mathilde is a carbon-rich main-belt asteroid discovered in 1885, notable for its very slow 17.4-day rotation, extremely dark surface, high porosity, and a 1997 NEAR Shoemaker f…
26858 Misterrogers 26858 Misterrogers (1993 FR) is a Mars-crossing minor planet named for children's television host Fred Rogers, recognizing his interest in the sky and his planetarium outreach work…
274301 Wikipedia — a main-belt asteroid 274301 Wikipedia 274301 Wikipedia is a numbered main-belt asteroid discovered in 2008 and officially named for the online encyclopedia in 2013; it orbits between Mars and Jupiter and was found at A…
28978 Ixion 28978 Ixion is a Kuiper belt object and plutino discovered in 2001. It is a large trans-Neptunian body (possible dwarf planet) in 2:3 resonance with Neptune and is named after the…
298 Baptistina: a Main‑belt Asteroid and the Baptistina Family 298 Baptistina 298 Baptistina is a main‑belt asteroid discovered in 1890. It is the namesake of the Baptistina family and was once proposed as linked to the K–Pg impactor; later studies revised t…
3 Juno (asteroid) 3 Juno 3 Juno is a large S-type main-belt asteroid discovered in 1804 by Karl Ludwig Harding. The third asteroid found, named for the Roman goddess Juno, it contains roughly 1% of the ast…
3200 Phaethon: an asteroid-like body and parent of the Geminid meteors 3200 Phaethon 3200 Phaethon is an Apollo-class near‑Earth object with asteroid appearance and comet-like behavior; it is the source of the Geminid meteor stream and one of the Sun‑approaching 'r…
324 Bamberga — large, high‑eccentricity main‑belt asteroid 324 Bamberga 324 Bamberga is a large, high-eccentricity asteroid of the main belt. Discovered in 1892, it is notable for rare bright oppositions, an estimated diameter near 228 km, and an inter…
385571 Otrera — a Neptune Trojan asteroid at Neptune's L4 point 385571 Otrera 385571 Otrera (2004 UP10) is a minor planet classified as a Neptune Trojan. Discovered in 2004, it shares Neptune's orbit at the L4 Lagrange point and is one of a small known group…
4 Vesta — a large, bright protoplanet of the main asteroid belt 4 Vesta 4 Vesta is the second most massive object in the asteroid belt, a differentiated, basaltic body visible at times to the naked eye. It was studied up close by NASA's Dawn mission an…
43 Ariadne 43 Ariadne is a bright, sizable main-belt asteroid and a prominent member of the Flora family, discovered in 1857 and named for the Greek mythological figure Ariadne.
433 Eros: A large Near‑Earth asteroid and NEAR Shoemaker target 433 Eros 433 Eros is a large, elongated Near‑Earth asteroid of S spectral type. It was the first recognized NEA and was extensively studied by the NEAR Shoemaker mission, which orbited and…
50000 Quaoar — trans-Neptunian object and dwarf‑planet candidate 50000 Quaoar 50000 Quaoar is a large Kuiper belt object discovered in 2002. Located beyond Neptune, it has a small moon, a mixed rock–ice composition and is considered a likely dwarf‑planet can…
51 Pegasi — Sun-like star and host of the first hot Jupiter around a solar-type star 51 Pegasi 51 Pegasi is a nearby G-type (yellow dwarf) star in Pegasus, notable for hosting 51 Pegasi b, the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star; its 1995 detection transforme…
51 Pegasi b (Dimidium) — the first hot Jupiter found around a Sun-like star 51 Pegasi b 51 Pegasi b, discovered in 1995 by Mayor and Queloz, was the first exoplanet found orbiting a main-sequence star. Its detection defined the hot Jupiter class and reshaped theories…
5145 Pholus — a very red Centaur of the outer Solar System 5145 Pholus Overview of 5145 Pholus, a Centaur object with an elongated planet‑crossing orbit, very red surface, discovery, likely Kuiper‑belt origin, size estimates, and how it differs from C…
52 Europa — large main-belt asteroid 52 Europa 52 Europa is a large, dark main-belt asteroid discovered in 1858. Roughly 289 km across, it is a carbonaceous C-type body with complex rotation, silicate signatures, and a notable…
588 Achilles — First-discovered Jupiter Trojan asteroid 588 Achilles 588 Achilles, discovered in 1906 by Max Wolf, was the first recognized Jupiter Trojan. It occupies the Sun–Jupiter L4 Lagrangian point (the 'Greek camp') and lent its name to the T…
617 Patroclus — a binary Jupiter Trojan 617 Patroclus A binary minor planet in Jupiter's Trojan population, discovered by August Kopff in 1907. Two similar-sized objects with low density suggesting icy composition; notable as a rare c…
624 Hektor — largest Jupiter Trojan and elongated contact‑binary candidate 624 Hektor 624 Hektor is the largest known Jovian Trojan asteroid, an elongated D‑type object in Jupiter’s leading L4 swarm, notable for its stretched shape and a small satellite discovered b…
70 Virginis b – an early massive exoplanet in Virgo 70 Virginis b 70 Virginis b is a massive extrasolar planet roughly 60 light-years away in Virgo. Discovered in 1996 by Marcy and Butler using radial-velocity, it is eccentric, relatively close t…
704 Interamnia — large main-belt asteroid 704 Interamnia 704 Interamnia is one of the largest main-belt asteroids, discovered in 1910. Roughly 350 km across, it is among the most massive belt objects and a subject for studies of primitiv…
87 Sylvia — a large Cybele-group asteroid with two moons 87 Sylvia 87 Sylvia is a large, dark asteroid in the outer main belt (Cybele group). It was the first asteroid found to have more than one moon, enabling direct measurements of mass and dens…
9 Metis — a large main-belt asteroid 9 Metis 9 Metis is a sizable main-belt asteroid composed of silicate rocks and metallic nickel–iron. It may be a surviving core from a disrupted parent body and is studied by spectroscopy…
90 Antiope 90 Antiope is a large binary asteroid in the outer main belt made of two similar dark bodies. Its equal-mass configuration and low bulk density provide important clues to asteroid…
90377 Sedna — distant trans-Neptunian object and dwarf planet candidate 90377 Sedna 90377 Sedna is an extreme trans-Neptunian object discovered in 2003. It follows a highly elongated, multi‑millennial orbit and is considered a likely dwarf planet and member of the…
90482 Orcus — a large Kuiper belt object and dwarf-planet candidate 90482 Orcus 90482 Orcus is a large trans-Neptunian object in 2:3 resonance with Neptune, known for its anti-aligned orbit relative to Pluto and for its companion Vanth. It is considered a like…
99942 Apophis — near‑Earth asteroid and notable 2029 flyby 99942 Apophis Overview of asteroid 99942 Apophis: discovery, orbit and physical traits, history of impact concerns, the 2029 close approach, ongoing observations and scientific importance.
A Brief History of Time — book overview and significance A Brief History of Time A Brief History of Time (1988) by Stephen Hawking popularized cosmology for general readers, explaining the big bang, black holes, time's arrow and efforts to find a unified theory…
A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery — Joseph Wright of Derby (18th century) A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery An 18th-century painting by Joseph Wright of Derby depicting a lecturer demonstrating an orrery with dramatic lamp-lighting; a landmark work linking scientific spectacle and Enligh…
A-type asteroid A-type asteroids are rare, olivine-rich asteroids with a strong 1 µm spectral band. They are interpreted as fragments of differentiated asteroid mantles and are scientifically valu…
A∴A∴ (Argenteum Astrum) — Thelemic Magical Order A∴A∴ A∴A∴ (Argenteum Astrum) is a Thelemic initiatory order founded by Aleister Crowley in 1907. It emphasizes graded spiritual training, attainment of the True Will, ceremonial practic…
Abd al‑Rahman al‑Sufi (Azophi) — Persian Astronomer and Author of the Book of Fixed Stars Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi 10th‑century Persian astronomer Abd al‑Rahman al‑Sufi (903–986), known as al‑Sufi or Azophi, wrote the Book of Fixed Stars and recorded early observations such as the Andromeda 'cl…
Abell 2029: A Massive Galaxy Cluster in Virgo Abell 2029 Abell 2029 is a nearby, rich galaxy cluster centered on the giant elliptical IC 1101; important for studies of intracluster gas, galaxy evolution, and gravitational dynamics about…
