Physics

Environment

See the Sun’s surface in higher detail than ever before in new telescope images

by Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow, Physics

The Sun doesn’t just fuel almost all life on Earth. It’s also our astrophysical laboratory, the only star close enough to observe in sufficient detail.

Science and Technology

TVs keep getting more pixels – but we are approaching the limits of what our eyes can actually see

by Renee Goreham, Associate Professor, University of Newcasrle

I remember sitting very close to the television as a child and seeing the image was made up of tiny coloured dots, each of which broke down into miniature vertical strips of red, green and blue when I looked even closer.

Science and Technology

Girls to the front

by Rosemarie Milsom

Female high school students in the Hunter are being inspired to pursue meaningful careers in STEM thanks to a unique program created over a conversation at a campus cafe.

Environment

Why are sunsets so pretty in winter? There’s a simple explanation

by Chloe Wilkins - Associate Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Solar Physics, University of Newcastle

If you live in the southern hemisphere and have been stopped in your tracks by a recent sunset, you may have noticed they seem more vibrant lately.

Science and Technology

I heard there's an aurora coming. How do I check?

by Dr Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow in the School of Information and Physical Sciences (Physics)

Few sights in the night sky are as awe-inspiring as aurora. The vibrant dancing lights – usually seen close to the planet’s poles – are produced by a wind of charged particles streaming from the Sun into Earth’s atmosphere. The resulting disturbances are called geomagnetic storms.

Science and Technology

Why are auroras so hard to predict? And when can we expect more?

by Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow in Physics at The University of Newcastle, and Brett Carter, Associate Professor in STEM at RMIT University

On Saturday evening before Mother’s Day, Australians witnessed a rare celestial spectacle: a breathtaking display of aurora australis, also known as the southern lights.

Science and Technology

Surviving cyclones: meet the team safeguarding our island nations

by Anita Harvey

“It was really scary – anyone would feel the same, especially when you’re living on a small island in the middle of the Pacific.”