The Universe ~ The Search for Cosmic Clusters

The Pleiades star cluster (which is an example of an open cluster)

Today on Far Future Horizons we present another exciting episode of the acclaimed History Channel series The Universe, concerning the Search for Cosmic Clusters.

Cosmic clusters are the one-stop-shopping places for learning all about the nature, variety and evolution of stars in the Universe. 

A Globular Cluster

They are unique, because in clusters, all the stars were born at about the same time, from the same material and all are at the same approximate distance from Earth. This means we can be sure that any differences among them are due to their true natures and not distorted by different distances from Earth and other factors.

The Universe ~ Liquid Universe

© 2000 Don Dixon We do not believe Jupiter has any solid surface (despite what you may have seen in the movies!). Instead, the "surface" is probably liquid molecular hydrogen under great pressure from the thick atmosphere. Perhaps it would look like this artist's concept!

Join us today on Far Future Horizons as we ply the exotic oceans of our Cosmos. 

On alien planets scalding iron rains from the sky. On distant moons, even at hundreds of degrees below zero, they slosh around in lakes of methane.