Dr Alastair Gunn

Alastair is a radio astronomer at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester.

Recent articles by Dr Alastair Gunn

Can a planet orbit backwards compared to the other planets in a solar system? © Alamy

Can a planet orbit backwards compared to the other planets in a solar system?

Could there be fossils on Mars? © Dan Bright

Could there be fossils on Mars?

The Allende meteorite, a slice of which is seen here, contains nine minerals never seen on Earth, including panguite © NASA

How can we tell that a meteorite has come from a particular planet?

If humans don't finish it, when will the world actually end? © Getty Images

If humans don’t finish it, when will the world actually end?

Is the weight of the Earth changing? © Getty Images

Is the weight of the Earth changing?

How do we know the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy? © Getty Images

How do we know the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy?

How do we calculate distances to other galaxies? © NASA/Hubble Space Telescope

How do we calculate distances to other galaxies?

How did Mars lose its atmosphere? © Getty Images

How did Mars lose its atmosphere?

How many stars are in the Milky Way? © Getty Images

How many stars are in the Milky Way?

Could you walk on a neutron star? © Getty Images

Why is a neutron star so heavy?

How big would Jupiter be if it were stripped of all its gases? © Getty Images

How big would Jupiter be if it were stripped of all its gases?

What does lunar dust smell like? © NASA

What does lunar dust smell like?

What’s the tallest mountain in the Solar System? © Getty Images

What’s the tallest mountain in the Solar System?

sunspots_0

Everyday science

Why are sunspots black?

What colour is space? © Getty Images

What colour is space?