Rare relic is one of only three fossil clouds known in the universe A relic cloud of gas, orphaned after the Big Bang, has been discovered in the distant universe by astronomers using the world’s most powerful optical telescope, the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Messier 74 – the NGC 628 Spiral Galaxy Located in the Pisces constellation, roughly 30 million light years from Earth, is the spiral galaxy known as Messier 74 (aka. the “Phantom Galaxy”). The post Messier 74 – the NGC 628 Spiral Galaxy appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System Astronomers have discovered a distant body that’s more than 100 times farther from the Sun than Earth is. Its provisional designation is 2018 VG18, but they’ve nicknamed the planet “Farout.” Farout is the most distant body ever observed in our Solar System, at 120 astronomical units (AU) away. The International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center … Continue reading “Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System” The post Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go toRead More →
Here are 20 Protoplanetary Disks, With Newly Forming Planets Carving Out Gaps in the Gas and Dust A new survey by an ALMA collaboration has resulted in stunning images of 20 nearby protoplanetary disks, which shows the process of planet formation as it happens. The post Here are 20 Protoplanetary Disks, With Newly Forming Planets Carving Out Gaps in the Gas and Dust appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Outer solar system experts find ‘far out there’ dwarf planet A team of astronomers has discovered the most-distant body ever observed in our Solar System. It is the first known Solar System object that has been detected at a distance that is more than 100 times farther than Earth is from the Sun. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Alien imposters: Planets with oxygen don’t necessarily have life In their search for life in solar systems near and far, researchers have often accepted the presence of oxygen in a planet’s atmosphere as the surest sign that life may be present there. A new Johns Hopkins study, however, recommends a reconsideration of that rule of thumb. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Narrowing the universe in the search for life Humankind’s exploration of space has for years pondered one central question: Is there another world somewhere in the universe where human beings could survive? phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Hubble goes deep This image from the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey encompasses 12,000 star-forming galaxies in a part of the constellation Fornax known as the GOODS-South field. With the addition of ultraviolet light imagery, astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured the largest panoramic view of the fire and fury of star birth in the distant universe. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
The life and death of a planetary system How did we get here? phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
Image: Giant black hole powers cosmic fountain Before electrical power became available, water fountains worked by relying on gravity to channel water from a higher elevation to a lower one. This water could then be redirected to shoot out of the fountain and create a centerpiece for people to admire. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
A new neptune-size exoplanet The remarkable exoplanet discoveries made by the Kepler and K2 missions have enabled astronomers to begin to piece together the history of the Earth and to understand how and why it differs from its diverse exoplanetary cousins. Two still outstanding puzzles include the differences between the formation and evolution of rocky versus non-rocky small planets, and why there seem to be a size gap with very few exoplanets at or about two Earth-radii in size (planets with smaller radii are likely to be rocky or Earth-like in their composition). In order to estimate an exoplanet’s composition its density is needed, requiringRead More →
Here’s the First Image of the Sun from the Parker Solar Probe It’s been 124 days since the Parker Solar Probe was launched, and several weeks since it made the closest approach any spacecraft has ever made to a star. Now, scientists are getting their hands on the data from the close approach. Four researchers at the recent meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington, D.C. … Continue reading “Here’s the First Image of the Sun from the Parker Solar Probe” The post Here’s the First Image of the Sun from the Parker Solar Probe appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go toRead More →
Rosetta Flew Through the Bow Shock of Comet 67P Several Times During its Mission According to a new analysis of Rosetta data, the orbiter passed through the bow shock of Comet 67/P several times during its mission. The post Rosetta Flew Through the Bow Shock of Comet 67P Several Times During its Mission appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Of Course You’ll Want to See InSight’s First Selfie. InSight has been on the Martian surface for almost three weeks, prepping itself for all the science it’s going to do. But in the meantime, it’s doing what any self-respecting, modern robotic lander does: Taking pictures of itself. And now NASA has released InSight’s first selfie for all the lander’s adoring fans and Instagram followers. … Continue reading “Of Course You’ll Want to See InSight’s First Selfie.” The post Of Course You’ll Want to See InSight’s First Selfie. appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
You’re Looking at an Actual Image of a White Dwarf Feeding on Material from a Larger Red Giant, 650 Light Years from Earth. The SPHERE planet-hunting instrument on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope captured this image of a white dwarf feeding on its companion star, a type of Red Giant called a Mira variable. Most stars exist in binary systems, and they spend an eternity serenely orbiting their common center of gravity. But something almost sinister … Continue reading “You’re Looking at an Actual Image of a White Dwarf Feeding on Material from a Larger Red Giant, 650 Light Years from Earth.” TheRead More →
Exactly How We Would Send our First Laser-Powered Probe to Alpha Centauri In a recent study, an international team of scientists present their concept for a lightsail and spacecraft that could make the journey to the nearest star in about 100 years. The post Exactly How We Would Send our First Laser-Powered Probe to Alpha Centauri appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
There’s a Surprising Amount of Life Deep Inside the Earth. Hundreds of Times More Mass than All of Humanity Scientists with the Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) are transforming our understanding of life deep inside the Earth, and maybe on other worlds. Their discoveries suggest that abundant life could exist in the sub-surface of other planets and moons, even where temperatures are extreme, and energy and nutrients are scarce. They’ve also discovered that all of … Continue reading “There’s a Surprising Amount of Life Deep Inside the Earth. Hundreds of Times More Mass than All of Humanity” The post There’s a Surprising Amount of Life DeepRead More →
Every Few Hours There’s a Flash of Light Coming From the Moon. Another Impact. The ESA’s NELIOTA project is busy monitoring the dark side of the Moon for impact flashes, which could tell us more about the risk of asteroids hitting Earth. The post Every Few Hours There’s a Flash of Light Coming From the Moon. Another Impact. appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →
Hubble finds far-away planet vanishing at record speed The speed and distance at which planets orbit their respective blazing stars can determine each planet’s fate—whether the planet remains a longstanding part of its solar system or evaporates into the universe’s dark graveyard more quickly. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
NASA’s Webb Telescope will provide census of fledgling stars in stellar nursery The dazzling glow of young stars dominates images of the giant stellar nursery NGC 346, in the neighboring dwarf galaxy called the Small Magellanic Cloud. But this photogenic beauty is more than just a “pretty face.” phys.org Go to SourceRead More →
