Ken Croswell

Ken Croswell earned his Ph.D. in astronomy at Harvard University for studying the Milky Way's halo. He has authored eight books on astronomy, including The Alchemy of the Heavens: Searching for Meaning in the Milky Way.

All Stories by Ken Croswell

  1. Space

    Born in deep shadows? That could explain Jupiter’s strange makeup

    Dust that blocked sunlight might have caused the gas giant to form in a deep freeze, a new study suggests.

  2. Space

    Milky Way’s tidal forces are shredding a nearby star cluster

    The nearest star cluster is being pulled apart, due largely to the tidal forces of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Bye bye, Hyades!

  3. Space

    Explainer: Stars and their families

    Most pinpoints that light the night sky are raging infernos we call stars. As adults, many will create new elements that they later cast off into the cosmos.

  4. Space

    This ‘Sombrero’ stole a big galaxy

    The Sombrero Galaxy is an odd spiral galaxy that outshines all others within 35 million light-years of Earth. Its bright, iron-rich halo suggests it consumed one or more large galaxies.