Deep Sky

How did the universe begin? When did it start? Or who started it? These are some of the most hotly contested questions in the history of mankind. The answers still remain mostly unknown, except through faith and scientific theories. It is one of the great remaining mysteries.

The Universe Some people find differences among a solar system, a galaxy and the universe confusing. Therefore, a brief description of each may help clear up any confusion. The universe is the expanding space that contains everything, galaxies, solar systems and whatever else exists.

Many people ask what is the Big Bang Theory? There are a lot of similar but slightly different explanations out there, but the one we refer people to the most is the one straight from the NASA website, where Jonathan Keohane gives us his answer to what the Big Bang Theory is and What he Believes:

The big bang theory is the theory that the universe started from a single point, and has been expanding ever since.

This has been well-established by observations, such as the apparent movement of galaxies away from us, and the cosmic microwave background radiation believed to be the leftover light from the big bang.

Anyone who has ever gazed up at the night sky has, in a way, been a student of Astronomy. In a curriculum for elementary-age students, NASA defines Astronomy as "the study of stars, planets and space." A more complex definition of this branch of science is the study of the physics, chemistry, and mathematics of celestial objects and phenomena that exist outside of Earth's atmosphere.

Sometimes, on a very clear night in an area with little or no artificial lighting, it's possible to see the thick band of stars that make up the Milky Way with the naked eye. But why is it called "the Milky Way," and what is it?