Observation is embedded in law and culture

The observatory logged a millionth science exposure while searching for water in an exoplanet atmosphere.

The target was the hot gas giant HAT-P-7b, observed for atmospheric signatures.

The milestone reflects decades of research by many teams using the orbiting observatory.

The selected observation illustrates how exoplanets became part of Hubble’s science program.

The publication surveys calendars, navigation, cardinal directions, eclipses, meteor impacts and oral explanations of the sky.

The study reports traditions capable of orienting travel to within a few degrees through celestial cues.

The overview rejects portrayals of Indigenous Australians as passive observers without systematic knowledge.

Researchers surveyed villages across central India to document sky stories and observational traditions among Gond communities.

The study shows that familiar star patterns are not universal and can be grouped according to distinct cultural histories.

Celestial observations interact with agriculture, ritual, ancestry and community identity.