Jonti Horner

Jonti Horner

Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland

Jonti is an astronomer and astrobiologist based at the University of Southern Queensland, in Toowoomba, Queensland.

They first became interested in astronomy as a five-year-old, as a result of viewing an accidentally recorded episode of the Sky at Night.

Jonti has always been particularly interested in the Solar system, especially the small objects therein - the comets, asteroids and meteors.

In recent years, they've been expanding their research to include astrobiology and the search for, and study of, exoplanets.

Latest articles by Jonti Horner

a bright white streak in the night sky above the desert

Astronomers just discovered a comet that could be brighter than most stars when we see it next year. Or will it?

By Jonti Horner published

Perhaps one comet per year will approach the edge of naked-eye visibility.

Comets
a green comet with a faint tail in the sky against a backdrop of stars

Are we about to see a rare green comet light up the sky? An expert explains what to expect from Comet Nishimura

By Jonti Horner published

There's a slight chance Comet Nishimura might brighten unexpectedly. Astronomer Jonti Horner explains what to expect.

Stargazing
earth with half on fire and large rock in background

Curious Kids: What would happen if the world split in half?

By Jonti Horner published

The solar system isn't as violent as it used to be, when giant impacts could shatter worlds.

Earth
Four images of an alien planet in blue, red, purple and yellow colors

The James Webb Space Telescope has released its very first exoplanet image – here's what we can learn from it

By Jonti Horner published

The new images reveal JWST will be a fantastic tool for astronomers aiming to improve their knowledge of exoplanets.

James Webb Space Telescope
Artist's impression of a gas giant orbiting very closely to its host star.

A cosmic tango: this distant planet's very strange orbit points to a violent and chaotic past

By Adriana Errico, Brad Carter, Jonti Horner published

If you close your eyes and imagine a system of planets orbiting a distant star, what do you see?

Exoplanets
Shutterstock

A triple meteoric spectacle is set to grace our skies this weekend

By Jonti Horner, Tanya Hill published

This weekend might have three meteor showers active at the same time, combining to provide a celestial firework display almost all through the night.

Meteors & Meteor Showers
A painting of the Leonid meteor storm of 1833 over the Niagra Falls by Edmund Weiß in 1888.

Fragments of a dying comet might put on a spectacular show — or pass by without a trace

By Jonti Horner, Tanya Hill last updated

Occasionally, Earth runs through a particularly narrow, dense clump of debris, resulting in a meteor storm.

Comets
planets comets round shape

I've always wondered: Why are the stars, planets and moons round, when comets and asteroids aren’t?

By Jonti Horner published

This is a fantastic question Lionel, and a really good observation!

Asteroids