Sky Matters: 2020 saw the launch of 111 rockets, some carrying up to 60 satellites

The unmanned Chinese Chang’e spacecraft brought back the largest haul of moon rock since the Apollo era. 

In 2020 the Japanese Hayabusa 2 spacecraft returned to Earth after a rendez-vous with a near-Earth asteroid called Ryugu. 

We have passed the shortest day of the year. Slowly but surely the hours of daylight increase. More energy from the sun falls on the northern hemisphere and gradually the warming begins. 

It’s not immediate, as we all know, partly because our atmosphere is slow to react. This time lag may have been a cause for concern for our ancestors who likely prayed to their deities in the hope of the fruitful return of the longer days. For us, it’s different. We know the lengthening of the days are inevitable because we understand the principal force of nature responsible — gravity.