Exomoons may be home to extra-terrestrial life Moons orbiting planets outside our solar system could offer another clue about the pool of worlds that may be home to extra-terrestrial life, according to an astrophysicist at the University of Lincoln. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Gamma-ray pulsations detected from the pulsar J0952−0607 An international team of astronomers reports the detection of gamma-ray pulsations from the millisecond pulsar (MSP) known as PSR J0952−0607. The finding, available in a paper published May 27 on arXiv.org, sheds more light on the properties of this pulsar and could be helpful in improving our understanding of MSPs in general. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Observing Gaia from Earth to improve its star maps While ESA’s Gaia mission has been surveying more than one billion stars from space, astronomers have been regularly monitoring the satellite’s position in the sky with telescopes across the world, including the European Southern Observatory in Chile, to further refine Gaia’s orbit and ultimately improve the accuracy of its stellar census. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Physicists discover new clue to planet formation An international study led by the Monash School of Physics and Astronomy has discovered the first observational evidence for the existence of circumplanetary discs. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
NASA is building up a map of the entire sky seen in X-rays, line by line with its NICER experiment Using data from the first 22 months of the NICER instruments mission, NASA has constructed a beautiful image of what the X-ray sky looks like. The post NASA is building up a map of the entire sky seen in X-rays, line by line with its NICER experiment appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Subaru Telescope Sees 1800 Supernovae Japanese astronomers have captured images of an astonishing 1800 supernovae. 58 of these supernovae are the scientifically-important Type 1a supernovae located 8 billion light years away. Type 1a supernovae are known as ‘standard candles’ in astronomy. The team of astronomers used the Subaru Telescope and one of the world’s most powerful digital cameras to find … Continue reading “Subaru Telescope Sees 1800 Supernovae” The post Subaru Telescope Sees 1800 Supernovae appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Rovers on Mars should be searching for rocks that look like pasta – they’re almost certainly created by life According to a new study, future NASA missions to Mars should look for “pasta-like” mineral structures, which are an indication of ancient bacteria here on Earth. The post Rovers on Mars should be searching for rocks that look like pasta – they’re almost certainly created by life appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
LEGO’s New Apollo 11 Lunar Lander has been Released The 50th anniversary of You-Know-What is coming up and LEGO is getting in on the celebration. The much-beloved company has released a replica of the Apollo 11 Eagle Lunar Lander. The new lander is part of LEGO’s Creator Expert collection. LEGO teamed up with NASA on this effort, and the model boasts quite a few … Continue reading “LEGO’s New Apollo 11 Lunar Lander has been Released” The post LEGO’s New Apollo 11 Lunar Lander has been Released appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
A pair of fledgling planets directly seen growing around a young star Astronomers have directly imaged two exoplanets that are gravitationally carving out a wide gap within a planet-forming disk surrounding a young star. While over a dozen exoplanets have been directly imaged, this is only the second multi-planet system to be photographed. (The first was a four-planet system orbiting the star HR 8799.) Unlike HR 8799, though, the planets in this system are still growing by accreting material from the disk. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Heart of lonesome galaxy is brimming with dark matter Isolated for billions of years, a galaxy with more dark matter packed into its core than expected has been identified by astronomers using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Precision calibration empowers largest solar telescope An article published in the SPIE publication Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems (JATIS), “Polarization Modeling and Predictions for DKIST Part 5: Impacts of enhanced mirror and dichroic coatings on system polarization calibration,” marks a substantial advance in ensuring the accurate solar information measured and collected by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST). phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Researchers solve mystery of the galaxy with no dark matter A group of researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has clarified a 2018 mystery in the field of extragalactic astrophysics: The supposed existence of a galaxy without dark matter. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Fermi observations provide insights into the nature of Terzan 5 globular cluster Using NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, astronomers have collected important data that could disclose the real nature of the globular cluster Terzan 5. The new study, presented in a paper published May 24 on arXiv.org, delivers new information regarding the cluster’s pulsar population and its broadband emission spectrum. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Three ancient globular clusters found in the galactic bulge Three old and metal-poor globular clusters have been spotted in the Milky Way’s bulge. The newly found clusters, designated Camargo 1107, 1108 and 1109, could offer important clues on structure and nature of the central region of our galaxy. The finding was reported in a paper published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters in January 2019, co-authored by Denilso Camargo and Dante Minniti. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Giant stellar eruption detected for the first time A group of researchers has identified and characterized for the first time in a complete way a powerful eruption in the atmosphere of the active star HR 9024, marked by an intense flash of X-rays followed by the emission of a giant bubble of plasma, ie hot gas containing charged particles. This is the first time a coronal mass ejection, or CME, has been seen in a star other than our Sun. The corona is the outer atmosphere of a star. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
ESO contributes to protecting Earth from dangerous asteroids The unique capabilities of the SPHERE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope have enabled it to obtain the sharpest images of a double asteroid as it flew by Earth on 25 May. While this double asteroid was not itself a threatening object, scientists used the opportunity to rehearse the response to a hazardous Near-Earth Object (NEO), proving that ESO’s front-line technology could be critical in planetary defence. ESO News Feed Go to SourceRead More →
Phew! James Webb passes its final thermal vacuum test. Still on track for 2021 The James Webb Space Telescope recently completed vacuum chamber testing, and is good to go for its 2021 launch date! The post Phew! James Webb passes its final thermal vacuum test. Still on track for 2021 appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
MOONRISE: Melting lunar regolith with lasers to build structures on the Moon A team of German scientists have invented a new laser system that could be used to build a lunar base in the near-future. The post MOONRISE: Melting lunar regolith with lasers to build structures on the Moon appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
The First-Ever Film of a Total Solar Eclipse – in 1900 – was Just Discovered and Restored The first film of a total solar eclipse has been restored by specialists at the British Film Institute (BFI) and made available for viewing. The film was taken in North Caroline in 1900 by Nevil Maskelyne. Maskelyne was a British man who was a magician turned film-maker. He took the film as part of a … Continue reading “The First-Ever Film of a Total Solar Eclipse – in 1900 – was Just Discovered and Restored” The post The First-Ever Film of a Total Solar Eclipse – in 1900Read More →
Curiosity has Found the Mother Lode of Clay on the Surface of Mars Clay is a big deal on Mars because it often forms in contact with water. Find clay, and you’ve usually found evidence of water. And the nature, history, and current water budget on Mars are all important to understanding that planet, and if it ever supported life. Right now, MSL Curiosity is at Mt. Sharp … Continue reading “Curiosity has Found the Mother Lode of Clay on the Surface of Mars” The post Curiosity has Found the Mother Lode of Clay on the Surface of Mars appeared first on Universe Today. UniverseRead More →
