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

The starship Enterprise NCC 1701-D investigates a Dyson sphere then gets stuck inside

Dyson spheres: How humans (and aliens) could capture a star’s energy

If the moon were bigger, at what point would it be deemed a planet and the Earth and ‘Moon’ a ‘binary planet’ system? © Getty Images

What is a binary planet system?

The Pillars of Creation as taken by the JWST

How is colour added to the JWST images? An astronomer explains

If I travelled at light speed, would far away objects disappear? © NASA/ESA/CSA/James Webb Space Telescope

What would happen to our view of far-off galaxies, if we travelled at (or near) light-speed towards them?

How do solar flares affect the Earth? © Getty Images

How do solar flares affect the Earth?

The Sun: Everything you wanted to know © Getty Images

The Sun: Everything you need to know

Conceptual image representing the process of nuclear fusion, specifically the creation of helium from hydrogen. Four protons (hydrogen nuclei) are combining on the left, releasing in the process two protons and two neutrons (a helium nucleus). The sum of the masses of the neutron and protons is less than that of the original four protons. The 'missing mass' is converted to energy, which we see in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This is the power behind the Sun's brilliant glow. In practice, the conversion of hydrogen into helium is more complicated than this, and undergoes several stages between the two shown here.

Future Technology

How does nuclear fusion work?

Have we discovered anything in space that we now use in everyday life? © Dan Bright

Everyday science

Have we discovered anything in space that we now use in everyday life?

How do we know the shape of the Universe? © Science Photo Library

What shape is the Universe?

What is Hawking radiation? © Getty Images

What is Hawking radiation?

Could you protect astronauts from cosmic radiation by creating a magnetic field around their spaceship? © Alamy

Could a magnetic field protect a spacecraft?

Why do we think there are black holes in galaxy centres and not supermassive suns? creating a magnetic field around their spaceship? © Alamy

Why do we think black holes are in the centre of galaxies?

Would Earth be any different if it spun the other way? © Getty Images

Would Earth be any different if it spun the other way?

Why doesn’t Earth have rings? © Science Photo Library

Why doesn’t Earth have rings?

What is a wormhole? © Science Photo Library

What is a wormhole?