News for 'International Astronomical Union'

The Man Who Said No To The Big Bang

The Man Who Said No To The Big Bang

Rediff.com7 Jun 2025

Jayant Narlikar wrote alternative what-if histories, explained difficult scientific theories with funny analogies, and leavened his lectures with jokes and humorous asides.

Asteroid named after Rafael Nadal

Asteroid named after Rafael Nadal

Rediff.com15 Jul 2008

The Rafael Nadal asteroid, currently located between Mars and Jupiter, is 4 kilometers in diameter and travels through space at a speed of 20 km per second.

Pluto no longer a planet

Pluto no longer a planet

Rediff.com24 Aug 2006

The Union also announced a new set of guidelines based on which a heavenly body would or would not be called a planet.

School students in India discover 18 new asteroids

School students in India discover 18 new asteroids

Rediff.com28 Feb 2021

The International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organisation which assigns official names and designations to celestial bodies, has recently confirmed the discovery of 18 new asteroids by Indian students as part of a global science programme.

Big 'Planet X' may exist beyond Pluto: Study

Big 'Planet X' may exist beyond Pluto: Study

Rediff.com19 Jun 2008

An unknown world might exist beyond the orbit of Pluto, says a new computer model.

70 sextillion stars in 'known universe'

70 sextillion stars in 'known universe'

Rediff.com22 Jul 2003

That is about 10 times more than the grains of sand on earth, according to a study.

Nobel winner Malala gets her own asteroid

Nobel winner Malala gets her own asteroid

Rediff.com11 Apr 2015

She survived an assassination attempt and won a Nobel Prize. Now, 17-year-old activist Malala Yousafzai has an asteroid named after her.

Uzbekistan: Land Of Arabian Nights

Uzbekistan: Land Of Arabian Nights

Rediff.com20 Dec 2024

Uzbekistan lives comfortably in several centuries but is also a forward-looking nation, Deepa Gahlot discovers on a visit to this Central Asian country.

Is Pluto a planet or not? Debate rages on

Is Pluto a planet or not? Debate rages on

Rediff.com1 Oct 2018

After stripping Pluto of planet status in 2006, some astronomers want to reclassify it once again, says Devangshu Datta.

With love, from Mars: Mangalyaan sends stunning images of red planet

With love, from Mars: Mangalyaan sends stunning images of red planet

Rediff.com21 Aug 2015

The Indian Space Research Organisation has released a series of beautiful images of a canyon named Ophir Chasma and other physical formations on the surface of the Red Planet taken by the country's Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter.

How S Chandrasekhar's decision laid foundation of NASA's Sun probe

How S Chandrasekhar's decision laid foundation of NASA's Sun probe

Rediff.com12 Aug 2018

Back in 1958, when the 31-year-old Parker suggested that the charged particles streamed continuously from the Sun and fill up the space, the scientific community refused to believe him.

With Pandit Jasraj's passing, heaven has become richer

With Pandit Jasraj's passing, heaven has become richer

Rediff.com18 Aug 2020

The mesmerising and familiar image of Pandit Jasraj saying 'Jai Ho' and then raising his hands to mark the beginning of his performances will now remain only in the fond memories of thousands of Jasraj's fans and followers across the globe, remembers Ankur Biplav.

Pandit Jasraj: Indian classical music's greatest voice

Pandit Jasraj: Indian classical music's greatest voice

Rediff.com17 Aug 2020

Awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri, Pandit Jasraj also popularised semi-classical music like 'haveli sangeet' and reached out to devotees with his 'bhajans', a particular favourite for his fans being "Om Namo Bhagavate" in praise of Lord Krishna.

China's spacecraft successfully brings home moon samples

China's spacecraft successfully brings home moon samples

Rediff.com17 Dec 2020

China's President Xi Jinping congratulated scientists on the complete success of the Chang'e-5 mission.

Govt profiteering off people's misery: Sonia on fuel prices

Govt profiteering off people's misery: Sonia on fuel prices

Rediff.com21 Feb 2021

The government has chosen to profiteer off people's misery and suffering, Gandhi said.

As govt borrowing balloons, focus turns to bond market

As govt borrowing balloons, focus turns to bond market

Rediff.com11 Feb 2019

The continued rise in interest is a pressure on fiscal, but it is not an easy way out unless the government cuts back on populist measures and sticks to fiscal prudence as laid out in the FRBM, which the government missed for the second consecutive year.

Don't mock India's scientific past!

Don't mock India's scientific past!

Rediff.com27 Feb 2020

It is important to approach the belief of people in ancient India's achievements with a sense of proportion, balance and empathy, argues B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant.

Citizenship Bill: Morally valid, long overdue

Citizenship Bill: Morally valid, long overdue

Rediff.com13 Feb 2019

'To treat a Hindu fleeing persecution and certain death in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan on par with a Muslim voluntarily sneaking into India for economic reasons or otherwise is callously cruel, blatantly perverse and grossly unjust.' 'The concept of equality cannot be invoked to perpetuate a historical wrong that needs to be righted,' argues Vivek Gumaste.

Why do Modi and his Mantris Mock Science?

Why do Modi and his Mantris Mock Science?

Rediff.com20 Mar 2018

Hyperbole by our ministers and a few saffronised scientists not only defames Newton and Einstein, but also mocks ancient India's achievements in mathematics, medicine and natural science, says Utkarsh Mishra.

'What we leave behind of ourselves through work is most important'

'What we leave behind of ourselves through work is most important'

Rediff.com23 Jul 2016

In an interview to HarmonyIndia.org, the artist, who had famously said that he lived to paint and painted to live, spoke of what the 'bindu' meant to him, about his friend M F Husain and the legacy that he will leave behind.