How Far Away Are the Stars Really
Starlight you see tonight may have left before you were born. Learn light-years, parallax, and how astronomers measure the staggering distances to the stars.
Priya Anand
Science & Deep-Sky Writer
Priya Anand
Priya is a science writer who makes the big ideas of astronomy feel close to home. She covers the planets, stars, and galaxies with accuracy and wonder in equal measure, and she always explains how you can see it for yourself.
Articles
8 articles by Priya
Priya Anand
How to See the Milky Way From Earth
Our galaxy arcs overhead as a river of light from dark sites. Learn when and where the Milky Way's core rises and how to take in its full sweep.
Priya Anand
Star Clusters: Open and Globular Explained
The Pleiades sparkle while globular clusters blaze with a million suns. Learn how the two cluster types differ and where to find the finest examples.
Priya Anand
Nebulae and the Clouds Where Stars Are Born
From the Orion Nebula to dying star shells, nebulae are the sky's most beautiful targets. Learn the types, what they are, and how to observe them.
Priya Anand
How to See Galaxies Beyond Our Own
Andromeda is 2.5 million light-years away and visible to the naked eye. Learn what galaxies are, which ones you can spot, and how to find them tonight.
Priya Anand
The Myths Behind the Constellations
Orion the hunter, Cassiopeia's vanity, Scorpius and its sting. The sky is a storybook. Discover the legends that named the patterns you trace each night.
Priya Anand
How to Spot Comets and the Space Station
Bright comets and the ISS are easy wins for naked-eye watchers. Learn how to predict passes, where to look, and what a comet's tail is really made of.
Priya Anand
How to Watch an Eclipse Safely
Solar eclipses demand certified filters; lunar eclipses need only your eyes. Learn the difference, the safety rules, and how to plan for the next one near you.
Priya Anand