By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

China’s New Crew Capsule Just Landed, and so Did Parts of their New Rocket! China’s next-generation crewed spacecraft recently returned to Earth after a successful test flight. The Long March 5B rocket that sent it up did as well (parts of it, anyway!) The post China’s New Crew Capsule Just Landed, and so Did Parts of their New Rocket! appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

Black holes and neutron stars merge unseen in dense star clusters Mergers between black holes and neutron stars in dense star clusters are quite unlike those that form in isolated regions where stars are few. Their associated features could be crucial to the study of gravitational waves and their source. Dr. Manuel Arca Sedda of the Institute for Astronomical Computing at Heidelberg University came to this conclusion in a study that used computer simulations. The research may offer critical insights into the fusion of two massive stellar objects that astronomers observed in 2019. The findings were published in the journal Communications Physics. phys.org Go toRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

K2-25: An eccentric hot Neptune with the mass of seven Earths Of the roughly 4,300 exoplanets confirmed to date, about ten percent of them are classified as “hot Jupiters.” These are planets with masses between about 0.4 and 12 Jupiter-masses and orbital periods less than about 110 days (implying that they orbit close to their star—usually much closer than Mercury is to the Sun—and have hot surface temperatures). A “hot Neptune” has a smaller mass, closer to that of Neptune which is about twenty times less than Jupiter, and which also orbits close to its star. Astronomers study not only the properties of exoplanets butRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

Technology, international bonds, and inspiration: Why astronomy matters in times of crisis In an international emergency like the present one, you might expect the science of the stars to be the last thing on people’s minds. The problems facing both individuals and governments are infinitely more pressing than events in the depths of space. People are suffering unprecedented hardships. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: AWESOMEASTRO, RSSfeeds

#95 – May 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: Ralph channels his inner Churchill, while Jen goes on about Tiger King and her upcoming Cafe Scientifique talk. And we hear from listener Mark Grundy about the Welsh Room in the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburg. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: China’s mission to Mars and the patch that suggests further ambitions Musings on Starlink visibility and what is being done to help astronomers. Commercial Crew Launch 27th May News about disaster and success at SpaceX with Starship Main news story: NASAs proposals for how Artemis Moon missions will workRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Astronomers Continue to Analyze Pluto’s Atmosphere When NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto, studying the atmosphere was a key scientific objective. Most of what we know about the ice dwarf came from that flyby. That happened in July 2015, but it took over 15 months to send all the data home, and it’s taking even longer to analyze it. But … Continue reading “Astronomers Continue to Analyze Pluto’s Atmosphere” The post Astronomers Continue to Analyze Pluto’s Atmosphere appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Even More Evidence that Europa has Geysers Earlier this week, we shared some stunning, newly reprocessed images of Europa from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft, which visited Jupiter and its moons from December 1995 to September 2003. Now, as scientists continue to revisit Galileo’s data, even more details are coming into focus about Jupiter’s enticing moon. Not only is there evidence within the past … Continue reading “Even More Evidence that Europa has Geysers” The post Even More Evidence that Europa has Geysers appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Space Force is About to Launch its Mysterious X-37B Spaceplane Again The X-37B will be going to space again this Saturday to test a number of experiments, many of which are military in nature and classified! The post Space Force is About to Launch its Mysterious X-37B Spaceplane Again appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

Seeing the universe through new lenses Like crystal balls for the universe’s deeper mysteries, galaxies and other massive space objects can serve as lenses to more distant objects and phenomena along the same path, bending light in revelatory ways. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

TRAPPIST-1 planetary orbits not misaligned Astronomers using the Subaru Telescope have determined that the Earth-like planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system are not significantly misaligned with the rotation of the star. This is an important result for understanding the evolution of planetary systems around very low-mass stars in general, and in particular the history of the TRAPPIST-1 planets including the ones near the habitable zone. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Finally! InSight’s Mole is Making Slow and Steady Progress Personnel at NASA and the DLR have been working for months to get InSight’s Mole working. They’re at a disadvantage, since the average distance between Earth and Mars is about 225 million km (140 million miles.) They’ve tried a number of things to get the Mole into the ground, and they may finally be making … Continue reading “Finally! InSight’s Mole is Making Slow and Steady Progress” The post Finally! InSight’s Mole is Making Slow and Steady Progress appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Sediments on Mars, Created By Blowing Wind or Flowing Water The HiRISE (High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) instrument on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has given us a steady stream of images of the Martian surface. It’s been in orbit around Mars since March 2006, and has greatly outlived its intended mission length. One of the latest Hi-PODs, or HiRISE Pictures of the Day, is this … Continue reading “Sediments on Mars, Created By Blowing Wind or Flowing Water” The post Sediments on Mars, Created By Blowing Wind or Flowing Water appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Another Starship Success! Raptor Engine Fires for 4 Seconds and Nothing Explodes SpaceX has passed another milestone with their Starship prototype after the successful completion of a static fire test The post Another Starship Success! Raptor Engine Fires for 4 Seconds and Nothing Explodes appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

This “All Terminator” Image of the Moon isn’t Actually Possible to See. But it Sure is Beautiful “This moon might look a little funny to you, and that’s because it is an impossible scene,” wrote photographer Andrew McCarthy on Instagram. He was talking about his other-wordly, almost Shakesperean image of the Moon. And that’s because this is an ‘all-terminator’ image. The terminator is the line between light and dark—or day and night—on … Continue reading “This “All Terminator” Image of the Moon isn’t Actually Possible to See. But it Sure is Beautiful” The post This “All Terminator” Image of the Moon isn’t Actually Possible toRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Time Travel Into The Future Is Totally Possible Believe it or not, time travel is possible. In fact, you’re doing it right now. Every single second of every single day you are advancing into your own future. You are literally moving through time, the same way you would move through space. It may seem pedantic, but it’s a very important point. Movement through … Continue reading “Time Travel Into The Future Is Totally Possible” The post Time Travel Into The Future Is Totally Possible appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds, Universe Today

Better Tires to Drive on Mars A future rover on Mars may include shape-shifting capabilities. This innovative tech won’t quite be like the liquid-metal polymorphing robot from “Terminator 2,” but will solve a problem that have plagued previous rovers: wheel wear and tear. NASA’s Glenn Research Center is now using shape memory alloys (SMA) to build better wheels for driving on … Continue reading “Better Tires to Drive on Mars” The post Better Tires to Drive on Mars appeared first on Universe Today. Universe Today Go to SourceRead More →

By:
On:
In: News, RSSfeeds

Researchers observe iron in exoplanetary atmosphere An international team of researchers, led by astronomers from the University of Amsterdam, has directly demonstrated the presence of iron in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. The researchers discovered emission lines of uncharged iron atoms in the light spectrum of KELT-9b. The observation was complicated as the exoplanet is outshined by its bright host star. phys.org Go to SourceRead More →