The Luhman 16 twins: Why brown dwarfs are cool

Dan Wild

If you’ve heard of Luhman 16AB then I salute you. And if you haven’t, then I despair at the state of astronomy education in schools today. What? They don’t teach astronomy at school? Well, if they did, how would your teacher explain Luhman 16AB? “Today we’re going to talk about brown dwarfs, stellar objects that …

John Pilger – Voice for the voiceless, champion of the oppressed

Dan Wild

“It is not enough for journalists to see themselves as mere messengers without understanding the hidden agendas of the message and the myths that surround it” This is the strap-line on the X (Twitter) account of John Pilger, who sadly passed away on 30 December 2023. The world has lost one its kindest, compassionate and …

You can’t be Sirius? Actually, I’m Sirius B

Dan Wild

Sirius is really two stars. A faint white dwarf, Sirius B, is locked in a dance with Sirius A, and it takes 50 years for them to orbit each other. Sirius B used to be a big guy: it was once a red giant. Except it doesn’t have quite the same mass as Betelgeuse, a …

Betelgeuse: Life as a Red Supergiant

Dan Wild

You’ve heard of Betelgeuse if you’re an amateur astronomer. It’s that flickering red star at the bottom right corner of the constellation of Orion, as viewed in the southern hemisphere, and top left viewed from the northern hemisphere. Those born in the 1980s would have heard of it via the surreal Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice. …

Space Juice: Chapter 40 – Great Elevator

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. “Damn! By the red sludge of the Zorgons, where am I?” Chuck Marley thought he must have slept 20 hours. Or overdosed on Gelsem X, the equivalent of falling into a coma. His previous record asleep was 18 hours. The reflection in a metal cabinet shocked him. “My hair, my priceless haircut! I’ll …

Space Juice: Chapter 39 – Friend of Man from the Stars

Dan Wild

Preceding Chapter.. They braced themselves, trying to remember the instructions given to SpaceBus passengers in an emergency. The warning system told them to do it anyway, though it was probably useless: “Brace position! Photon Annihilation event imminent.” Gaston Dimble huddled in a corner, hands clasped behind head, head upon knees. If he held himself any …

Space Juice: Chapter 38 – Visualising your ideal state

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. His loneliness lasted a second, snapped by the vibrating flablet. It was Thuris Thranganis, without his glasses. He stared at Chuck Marley from his terminal, his eyes larger without his lenses. “Mr Marley, you’re alive! I thought by now–” Static. Something was distorting the connection. “I’ve bought us some time. Not much time.” …

Space Juice: Chapter 37 – Sleep mode

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. Four minutes left. There were more controls here than in a Jovian Sports Coupe, where half of them were for display only. None of the buttons had labels. …Except for one. In the bottom left corner a small unassuming knob had the words ‘On’ and ‘Off’, displayed above and below it. Without thinking …

Space Juice: Chapter 36 – Death dance

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. “Watch and know.” The source of this voice was not Rothball Hazard, Acting Chief Scientist, Head of Roboto-Genetic-Engineering, madman and pantomime villain… It came from within, and Marley immediately guessed its meaning. His intuition activated at just the right moment, knowing what he should watch, what he should know. Actually, it was what …

Space Juice: Chapter 35 – Countdown to destiny

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. Chuck Marley descended further into the dungeon laboratories. In his mind’s eye, Professor Gaston Dimble and scientist Thuris Thranganis followed him as guardians. Perhaps, after all, they were friends. An image of Gaston bobbled before him, begging him to reclaim the Antlers so he would have a chance to look at the Sablic …