The Galactic Inquirer

Hosted by William Waller and Michael Deneen

Welcome to The Galactic Inquirer — an e-journal for those interested in galactic and extragalactic astronomy, the search for life beyond Earth, and prospects for interstellar communications. This journal is co-edited by Michael Deneen and William H. Waller — galactic astronomers, educators and writers. The Galactic Inquirer invites original articles, commentaries, papers, and presentations on...

    • Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy
    • Cosmochemistry and Astrobiology
    • Interstellar Communications

Please contact us with your proposals.

Latest Articles

Sticking Close to Home #3 — Forming Planets

William Stride - 0
To form a solar system, the literature says that in a simulation like this we can ignore the gravity of the Sun and just concentrate on the interaction of the objects in the protoplanetary disk.The gas, dust and other objects rotate around the forming Sun in Keplerian orbital motion...

We’re All Healthier Under a Starry Sky

Mario Motta MD - 0
Blue wavelengths of light are damaging to many forms of life, and glare from unshielded light compromises road safety and infiltrates bedrooms, suppressing melatonin production, undermining sleep quality and duration, and exacerbating susceptibility to many kinds of illness...

Sticking Close to Home #2 – Bode’s Law and Planetary Spacings

William Stride - 0
There are definite interrelations between the spacings of the planets – they are much more than giant rocks randomly flying through space.  There is order and a scheme, a cosmic dance of the planets as some romantics like to say.

Sticking Close to Home: Observing our Local Solar System

William Stride - 0
An astronomical year for me ….When I was in the third grade I suddenly became very interested in everything astronomical – especially the planets of our local solar system.  That same year we studied the Solar System in public school, and that only added to my excitement over the topic.  I began badgering my parents to buy me a telescope...

Advancing Astronomical Literacy via Student Writing Contests

William H. Waller Ph.D. - 0
It is tempting to say that any well-educated person should know what it takes to be scientifically literate.  But what does scientific literacy really involve?  Given that scientific literacy is a key goal of most science education standards and frameworks, considerable ink has been dedicated to utilizing the term in pedagogical papers.  

Astronomical Meeting in South Africa Makes History

William H. Waller Ph.D. - 0
Africa’s astronomical debut has come at an opportune time, as a multitude of facilities and projects have taken root across the continent in the service of astronomical questing.