How do we know the mass of stars?

Daniel and Kelly answer questions about bark beetles, ambipolar fields, and gray hairs!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Daniel and Kelly talk about how computers store information, and how cosmic rays might flip some vital bits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Since astronomers can't actually travel to a star, they rely on two ingenious methods to measure a star's distance from earth. Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the science of space measurement in this editor's choice podcast from HowStuffWorks.

Like most things in the universe, stars begin as particles floating around in massive clouds of dust and gas. But what forces these particles to coalesce and form a star? Tune in and learn more about the birth of stars in this podcast.

After our sun dies, it and many other stars will eventually crystallize. Learn how astrophysicists figured this out -- and how it works -- in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for pri ...  Show more

As far as weight goes, Earth is a pretty hefty celestial body. But exactly how heavy? And how does one measure something so massive? Find out in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.