Daily Archives: May 26, 2017

Astronomy (ISSN0091-6358) is a monthly American magazine about astronomy. Targeting amateur astronomers for its readers, it contains columns on sky viewing, reader-submitted astrophotographs, and articles on astronomy and astrophysics that are readable by nonscientists.

Astronomy is a magazine about the science and hobby of astronomy. Based near Milwaukee in Waukesha, Wisconsin, it is produced by Kalmbach Publishing. Astronomys readers include those interested in astronomy, and those who want to know about sky events, observing techniques, astrophotography, and amateur astronomy in general.

Astronomy was founded in 1973 by Stephen A. Walther, a graduate of the University of WisconsinStevens Point and amateur astronomer. The first issue, August 1973, consisted of 48 pages with five feature articles and information about what to see in the sky that month. Issues contained astrophotos and illustrations created by astronomical artists. Walther had worked part time as a planetarium lecturer at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee and developed an interest in photographing constellations at an early age. Although even in childhood he was interested to obsession in Astronomy, he did so poorly in mathematics that his mother despaired that he would ever be able to earn a living. However he graduated in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and as a senior class project he created a business plan for a magazine for amateur astronomers. With the help of his brother David, he was able to bring the magazine to fruition.[citation needed]. He died in 1977.

AstroMedia Corp., the company Walther had founded to publish Astronomy, brought in Richard Berry as editor. Berry also created the offshoot Odyssey, aimed at young readers, and the specialized Telescope Making. In 1985, Milwaukee hobby publisher Kalmbach bought Astronomy.

In 1992, Richard Berry left the magazine and Robert Burnham took over as chief editor. Kalmbach discontinued Deep Sky and Telescope Making magazines and sold Odyssey. In 1996 Bonnie Gordon, now a professor at Central Arizona College, assumed the editorship. David J. Eicher, the creator of "Deep Sky," became chief editor in 2002.

The Astronomy staff also produces other publications. These have included Explore the Universe; Beginners Guide to Astronomy; Origin and Fate of the Universe; Mars: Explore the Red Planet's Past, Present, and Future; Atlas of the Stars; Cosmos; and 50 Greatest Mysteries of the Universe. There also was, for a time in the mid-2000s, a Brazilian edition published by Duetto Editora called Astronomy Brasil. However, due mainly to low circulation numbers, Duetto ceased its publication in September 2007.

Astronomy publishes articles about the hobby and science of astronomy. Generally, the front half of the magazine reports on professional science, while the back half of the magazine presents items of interest to hobbyists. Science articles cover such topics as cosmology, space exploration, exobiology, research conducted by professional-class observatories, and individual professional astronomers. Each issue of Astronomy contains a foldout star map showing the evening sky for the current month and the positions of planets, and some comets.

The magazine has regular columnists. They include science writer Bob Berman, who writes a column called Bob Bermans Strange Universe. Stephen James OMeara writes Stephen James OMearas Secret Sky, which covers observing tips and stories relating to deep-sky objects, planets, and comets. Glenn Chaple writes "Glenn Chaples Observing Basics", a beginners column. Phil Harrington writes "Phil Harringtons Binocular Universe", about observing with binoculars. "Telescope Insider" interviews people who are a part of the telescope-manufacturing industry.

In each issue of Astronomy Magazine, readers will find star and planet charts, telescope observing tips and techniques, and advice on taking photography of the night sky.[2] The magazine also publishes reader-submitted photos in a gallery, lists astronomy-related events, letters from readers, news, and announcements of new products.

Astronomy may include special sections bound into the magazine, such as booklets or posters. Recent examples have included a Messier Catalog booklet, poster showing comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) and historical comets, a Skyguide listing upcoming sky events, a Telescope Buyer's Guide; a poster titled "Atlas of Extrasolar Planets"; and a poster showing the life cycles of stars.

Astronomy is the largest circulation astronomy magazine, with monthly circulation of 114,080.[3] The majority of its readers are in the United States, but it is also circulated in Canada and internationally.[4]

Its major competitor is Sky & Telescope magazine with a circulation of 80,023.[3]

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Astronomy (magazine) - Wikipedia

From its dynamic atmosphere to its hidden depths, the Juno spacecraft has Jupiter as never before surprising NASA scientists with unexpected complexity.

ASKAP, the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder has only had a 3.4-day pilot survey and has already found a fast radio burst!

Two recent studies suggest that brown dwarfs, or so-called failed stars, are nevertheless more like stars than planets.

Astronomers have confirmed the existence of the seventh planet around the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1.

Mars was once far wetter than it is now but just how much rain fell, and when?

Tabby's star, otherwise known as the most mysterious star in the galaxy, is dipping drastically in brightness, giving astronomers an opportunity to figure out what has been causing this star's weird behavior.

A team of researchers led by Benjamin Black (City College of New York) used global drainage patterns of Titan, Earth, and Mars' surfaces to determine the likelihood of recent tectonic activity.

A magnetic field appears to span the space between the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the two dwarf galaxies being consumed by our Milky Way Galaxy.

Want to take your eclipse-photography experience to the next level? Get tips on advanced techniques from Fred Espenak, a.k.a. "Mr. Eclipse," during S&T's live webinar on Tuesday, May 23rd. There are now just three months to go until August 21st's total eclipse of the Sun. And, like me, you're probably wondering how much time and

In just a month, teams will guide this 300-pound, 6-foot-tall humanoid robot in a series of simulated trials as part of NASAs Space Robotics Challenge.

A brand new supernova in NGC 6946 is bright enough to see in modest-sized telescopes. Here's how to find it.

Astronomers have detected water in the cloud-free skies of "warm Neptune" HAT-P-26b, a clue in the larger mystery of how these planets formed.

Large asteroid 2014 JO25 cruised past Earth on April 19, and Goldstone and Arecibo radars were at the ready to capture what turned out to be yet another twin-lobed asteroid.

Another binocular comet? You better believe it. Comet Johnson takes center stage at nightfall this month and next.

The Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award recognizes excellence in astronomical research by American amateur astronomers. Nominations are now open!

Astronomers have discovered an "iceball Earth" orbiting a star 13,000 light-years away. Multiple eyes on the sky have revealed some of this world's secrets.

The Grand Finale is underway, as NASA's Cassini spacecraft sails through a clear gap between Saturn and its rings.

Ten years ago, La Palma was declared a "Starlight Reserve" and measures were implemented to protect its skies from light pollution. How did they work?

A new galaxy survey suggests that a supervoid isnt responsible for the Cold Spot seen in the cosmic microwave background the oddity may have a far more ancient origin.

Listen to May's astronomy podcast to learn why stargazers think of the Big Dipper as the "Swiss Army Knife" of the late-spring northern sky.

Cassini's Grand Finale has begun, as the spacecraft threaded the needle between Saturn and its rings, following several fantastic moon passes and a final glance back at Earth.

Amateur astronomy clubs, planetariums, science museums, and parks celebrate Astronomy Day twice a year, when the public is invited to come learn about the sky and view through telescopes.

The U.S. Postal Service's new Total Eclipse Forever stamp will feature photos by the well-know eclipse expert Fred Espenak, who is also a master of many different kinds of astrophotography.

The universe sings to us in gravitational waves, and we're starting to listen. Michelle Thaller discusses the discovery of gravitational waves and their unusual effects in her latest astronomy podcast.

OBJECTIVE REALITY EXISTS. It was a protest sign that I never imagined I would carry on a crowded all-night bus to a march for science in Washington, DC.

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Astronomy News & Current Events | Sky & Telescope

Everything to do with Astronomy:

A hobby of humanity since the dawn of time, and the scientific study of celestial objects.

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another."

"We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."

Looking for your first telescope?

Here are a few articles to help you make an informed decision:

More helpful information

What to view tonight

What Was That Bright Object Flying Over My House?

Sister Sub-Reddits

Fair Warning:

Rage/Meme Comics, Spam links and disrespectful comments will be removed.

Repeat and/or serious offenses will earn you a ban.

The downvote button is disabled until further notice. Too many newcomers were having their posts downvoted into oblivion. If a post doesn't belong here (rage/meme comics, blog spam, etc.), please use the "report" button.

Please avoid multiple exclamation marks, excessive CAPS, or editorialize in your submission titles. Nine times out ot ten, the actual article title is perfectly usable.

If you plan to post a pic, ask yourself "Would this appear in an Astronomy Magazine?" If the answer is no, submit to /r/pics instead. What this means is that your self-taken photos of stars, planets, etc are welcome, but refrain from posting pics that are tangentially related to astronomy, at best.

Remember, keep looking up!

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Astronomy r/Astronomy - reddit.com

When a massive star expends its fuel, its core collapses into a dense object and sends the rest of its gas outward in an event called a supernova. Whats left is mostly neutron stars or black holes. And now, Hubble seems to have seen a supernova blink out suggesting it captured the moment when a black hole took over.

While some supernova events are explosive and leave clouds of debris for thousands of years (aka nebula) like SN 1054, the star in question seems to have begun to explode and then had all its gas sucked right back into the black hole at the center. This can happen when the core collapse of the star is especially massive. Rather than exploding, the gas collapses directly into the core of the star.

Only a few of these so called massive fails (yes, thats what theyre calling them) have been spotted, so astronomers are cautious about the results. But this particular star, located in the galaxy NGC 6946, was bright enough to see from 22 million light years away and faded in an instant, suggesting a massive stellar-mass black hole was the driving culprit.

Read more here:

A star turned into a black hole before Hubble's very eyes - Astronomy Magazine

13. Extra eyeglasses

You wont forget the ones on your face, but something may happen to that pair.

14. Kids stuff

I have no children, so I cant specify items. I can, however, advise you to bring whatever you will need to keep your offspring happy, comfortable, and occupied. Be aware that, in many locations, cellphone and Wi-Fi access may be limited or nonexistent. Bring along something that doesnt rely on wireless access to entertain your kids. You may discover, much to your chagrin, that your young children do not share your appreciation or awe for the eclipse. Obviously, youre a terrible parent. But dont worry; theyll be seven years older when the 2024 eclipse rolls around.

15. Broad-brimmed hat

This will keep the Sun off your head and face, and also your neck if the hats brim is wide enough. Youll probably sweat, but thats a reasonable trade-off. Keep drinking water.

16. Power inverter

You cant plug most laptops or video players directly into a car. A small DC-to-AC power inverter will let your passengers play games or movies for the whole length of the trip without having to worry about draining the batteries in their devices. Another similar device is a car-lighter-plug-to-USB socket. Such adapters can operate or charge items that dont require much power, like cellphones.

17. Pillow

Actually, bring a pillow for every reclining chair you take along. Your passengers also might like to use these in the car if the ride is long.

18. Sunglasses

Remember, despite their name, sunglasses are not for viewing the Sun through. They are for providing eye comfort when you look at everything else.

19. Cash

If you meet me at the event Im hosting in St. Joseph, Missouri, you can thank me with this. Seriously, some vendors at eclipse events may not take credit or debit cards, and, even for those who do, with the huge numbers of people in transit, paying with cash may save you some serious time.

20. Insect repellent

The farther along the shadows path toward the southeastern United States you set up, the more important this item will become.

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25 things to bring to the eclipse | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine

David Baron Liveright: 2017. ISBN: 9781631490163

Buy this book: US UK Japan

Stocktrek Images/National Geographic Creative

The progress of an eclipse seen from Australia in 2012.

On 21 August 2017, the United States will experience its first all-American total solar eclipse. The path of totality's full shadow some 100 kilometres wide will for the first time make landfall only in the United States, passing over the homes of 12 million people in 14 states, from Oregon to the Carolinas. Heliophysicists and umbraphiles from around the world are preparing for it, along with Department of Transportation officials. The former are still pondering the results of the 1999 eclipse, whose path crossed Europe from Cornwall to Romania and beyond, and of total eclipses since. The latter are doing their best to ensure that millions of drivers get safely into and out of the path.

A total solar eclipse is the most stupendous sight in nature.

The fuss is understandable. A total solar eclipse is the most stupendous sight in nature: the abruptly darkening sky; Baily's beads, glints of sunlight shining through lunar valleys; the dazzling diamond-ring effect; the spiky, pearly solar corona. Then, a couple of minutes later, the whole show in reverse. Equally compelling is the knowledge that you are witnessing a syzygy, an alignment of Earth, Moon and Sun that darkens the sky by an additional factor of 10,000 in the last minute alone. Now, four books all anticipate the coming celestial event in different ways.

In American Eclipse, journalist David Baron harks back to the total eclipse visible in the United States in July 1878. (I read this book in draft and provided a blurb.) A group of eminent scientists, including astronomer Henry Draper and his wife, Anna (see S. Nelson Nature 539, 491492; 2016), travelled to Rawlins, Wyoming, to witness it. But, as Baron relates, 31-year-old whizz-kid inventor Thomas Edison gained the lion's share of publicity, even though he was just tagging along. Edison brought one of his devices, a tasimeter, to measure minute shifts in heat from the Sun's corona during the eclipse. He was unprepared for the strength of the signal, however, and his instrument's needle pinned at its maximum reading. It wasn't until around 1940 that physicists Walter Grotrian, Bengt Edln and Hannes Alfvn found the solar corona to have a temperature of at least 1 million C. Had the tasimeter worked, the scattering of sunlight that we see as the inner corona would have misleadingly given Edison the Sun's surface temperature, 6,000 C.

Baron's stories are good ones, well told. The pioneering US astronomer Maria Mitchell the first professor hired at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York took a group of alumnae, although they weren't offered free rail travel like their male counterparts. Astronomer and inventor Samuel Pierpont Langley, meteorologist Cleveland Abbe and solar spectroscopist-astronomer Charles Young also witnessed the eclipse. Nine years before, Young had co-discovered the green line in the spectrum of the corona that proved key in understanding coronal temperature; in the 1940s, it was found to come from iron gas so hot that many of its atoms have lost half their electrons.

Continued here:

Astronomy: An all-American eclipse : Nature : Nature Research - Nature.com

NASAs Discovery mission to a smashed protoplanet core will reach its target four years early after a new launch date. Instead of launching in 2023, the craft will now in launch in 2022 and will reach its target, the asteroid Psyche, by 2026.

Psyche orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter and thanks to its component of nickel-iron metal, studying it will give scientists a closer look at the space collisions that create planets. Psyche was the 16th asteroid discovered, but it will be the first world scientists explore made of metal instead of rock or ice. Psyches metal core means at one point in time the asteroid was likely a protoplanet, or a large body of matter that turns into a planet, that had repeated collisions that resulted in leaving just the metal core.

After some consideration, NASA reached out to the Psyche team to see if it would be possible to rework the spacecraft to get an earlier launch date. A 2022 launch will perch the Psyche craft well for a Mars assist in 2023. That assist will help get the craft to Psyche four years ahead of schedule.

The biggest advantage is the excellent trajectory, which gets us there about twice as fast and is more cost effective, Principal Investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University in Tempe said in a press release. We are all extremely excited that NASA was able to accommodate this earlier launch date. The world will see this amazing metal world so much sooner.

Space Systems Loral (SSL) is building the Psyche spacecraft for the mission and had to change things around to accommodate the new trajectory. The solar array system was changed from a four-panel straight row design to a five-panel x-shaped design, which will give the craft the power it needs to move at the faster pace.

Aside from planet creation, the team hopes to learn more information about where Psyche came from and what its surface is like.

Read more here:

NASA's mission to a planetary core has been moved up - Astronomy Magazine

Before they were born, these mice were astronauts. Or, rather, the sperm that would go on to deliver half of their genetic material were.

For nine months, mouse sperm was kept aboard the International Space Station, freeze-dried to preserve it. Brought back to Earth, the sperm was rehydrated, introduced to an egg and allowed to divide for about 20 days. The resulting mouse pups carry the distinction of having traveled perhaps the farthest distance ever on their way to being born.

The experiment, from researchers in Japan, was the latest in an ongoing effort to determine how the effects of space travel will impact the creation of new life. The question isnt as academic (or snicker-inducing) as it may seem if humans are ever to make trips to distant planets, the time scales involved will likely necessitate multiple generations of individuals born in space.

Spending time in space carries a unique set of risks, due to factors ranging from the weightless environment to cosmic radiation. Its not really known how well earthly reproductive systems would manage in space, although a few experiments have probed elements of the question. Bothfishandsalamander eggshave been fertilized in space, and a group ofrats were gestatedpartially in microgravity to assess the effects. The fish and salamanders seemed to do fine, and the rats werent harmed much, although they did have difficulty reorienting themselves with respect to gravity.

This study attacked the problem from another angle, looking at what happens when reproductive material is kept in outer space for extended periods of time. So, for three-quarters of a year, astronauts aboard the ISS lived with tubes of mouse sperm aboard the station.

It was eventually brought back and injected into mouse egg cells, which were left to develop normally. The pups went on to grow up healthy and have kids of their own, indicating that little damage had occurred. Compared to mice from freeze-dried sperm that stayed on Earth, the researchers say that the space pupsshowed little signs of mutations or defects.

Thepaperwas published Monday in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers were most interested in the DNA-harming effects of cosmic radiation, which can result in dangerous mutations. While the stellar mouse sperm did turn out to have higher levels of damage, cells at the beginning of gestation have a supercharged ability to make repairs to their DNA. This seems to have made up for all of the damage that the sperm accrued while in space.

This is good news for potential interstellar settlers, for whom space sex will be the reality. This is only a step toward raising stellar babies, however. For starters, the mouse sperm was freeze-dried, which may have affected its resilience. While we can reconstitute mouse sperm and put it into an egg, the same process is not yet feasible for human germ cells. In addition, only half of the chromosomes that madethese mice went into space the eggs remained firmly terrestrial. The effects of actually fertilizing a human egg and gestating a child in space are unknown as well, and probably will be for some time.

That is to say nothing of the physical difficulties of actually getting it on in zero gravity. NASA firmly denies any tests of this nature, although the awkwardness is pretty easy to imagine. Thankfully,theres a suit for that but everything afterwards is up in the air.

This article originally appeared on Discover.

The rest is here:

Mice born from freeze-dried space sperm are doing OK - Astronomy Magazine

This article originally appeared in our February 2017 issue of Astronomy.

Virtual reality is finally entering prime time. And thats good news for astronomy junkies.

You can explore Mars, manipulate the solar system, experiment with orbital dynamics, and land on the Moon, all from the comfort of your home.

To understand just what virtual reality is, lets distinguish between the two different ideas behind combining the digital and the real world. Augmented reality (AR) consists of adding digital components to the real world. Virtual reality (VR), a more immersive approach, removes all constraints of the physical world and places you directly into a computer simulation. VR allows you to float among the stars, create or destroy virtual solar systems, or finally get a taste of that childhood dream becoming an astronaut.

Just how does VR work for the enthusiastic amateur astronomer? VR can be broken down into a couple of areas: mobile VR and high-end VR.

Examples of mobile VR include Google Cardboard, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms. It requires only a semi-modern phone capable of meeting the hardware requirements, and a headset (which costs anywhere from free to $100 or more) responsible for holding the phone and allowing for interaction. Another popular product, Samsungs Gear VR, developed in conjunction with Oculus, is tailored to work with certain Samsung phones and is more advanced than the Google Cardboard (though not quite to Oculus levels.)

On the other end of the experience scale, we find headsets that require the user be tethered to a powerful personal computer or gaming console. As of this writing, 2016 has already seen the introduction of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, VR units designed for personal computers.

The two are similar in form and function. The Rift is slightly more comfortable and polished, but the Vive currently ships with tracked motion controllers (wands) that allow you to directly manipulate your virtual environment. The Oculus version of those wands, Touch, was unveiled in October 2016. After Touch ships, the systems will ultimately offer similar experiences, and for the most part be cross compatible.

At this point, most VR experiences do not require hand controllers and are accessible via a game pad. With Rift pricing at $599 and Vive at $799, the cost of entry is steep, although the Vive price does include the controllers. After Oculus releases Touch, the systems should cost about the same. Both headsets are readily available, but youll need a powerful Windows-based computer system to run them (Apple Macintosh systems arent supported). The minimum specs include a modern Intel i5 Core Processor, 8 GB of RAM and a GTX 970 graphics card. Several manufacturers sell VR-ready PCs, typically costing north of $900.

Now that we have a basic understanding of whats involved, lets take a look at some experiences available for amateur astronomers.

Mobile VR

The top two choices are the Google Cardboard, which works for Android and iPhone devices, and Gear VR, which is specific to Samsung devices.

Mobile/desktop

Some overlap exists between mobile and desktop VR. Generally where they exist on both platforms youll find a smoother, higher definition experience with the pricier units and perhaps some added features to boot.

There are a few software outlets. Oculus Home is only for use with a VR headset. Steam is an online software distribution platform available for download via the web. WEARVR, http://www.theriftarcade.com and itch.io are online stores designed for VR software. If software is in early access, it is still under development, and while complete enough for use, it is actively undergoing changes, both to add new content and eradicate bugs. Note that in some cases compatibility for a particular title may require running some extra software.

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Rocketing off to (cyber) space - Astronomy Magazine

May 24, 2017 The left is the "new image" from a couple of nights ago while the middle one is the "reference" image taken a couple of years ago, the right image is the difference between "new" and "reference." The researchers said there is clearly an exploding star in the outskirts of the galaxy. Credit: ANU

Online volunteers, including a woman from Belgium and a Scottish man, have helped astronomers at The Australian National University (ANU) find a star that exploded 970 million years ago, predating the dinosaurs' time on Earth.

ANU has invited everyone with an interest in astronomy to join the University's search for exploding stars called supernovae, which scientists can use to measure the Universe and acceleration of its growth.

Co-lead researcher Dr Brad Tucker said his team was able to confirm a previously unknown object was a real exploding star in just a day, thanks to the efficiency and dedication of volunteer supernovae hunters - more than 700 of them.

"The supernova is about 970 million light years away, meaning that it exploded before the dinosaurs were even on the Earth," said Dr Tucker from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA).

"This is the exact type of supernova we're looking for - type Ia supernova - to measure properties of and distances across the Universe."

Among the amateur co-discoverers are Alan Craggs from Aberdeenshire in Scotland and Elisabeth Baeten from Belgium.

Seven potential supernovae have been reported to the Transient Name Server.

"We are tracking 18 other possible exploding stars," Dr Tucker said.

Co-lead researcher Dr Anais Mller said the Ia supernova discovered through the ANU project had already been named.

"Supernovae have boring names - it's called SN2017dxh," said Dr Mller from RSAA.

"We are recognising volunteers by listing the first three people to find a previously unknown supernova in the discovery when we report it to the International Astronomical Union.

"In the first 24 hours we had over 30,000 classifications. We've almost reached 40,000 classifications, with more than 1,300 images classified, since the launch of our project."

Astrophysicists use supernovae, which are explosions as bright as 100 million billion billion billion lightning bolts, as light sources to measure how the Universe is growing and better understand dark energy, the cause of the Universe's acceleration.

Scientists can measure the distance of a supernova from Earth by calculating how much the light from the exploding star fades.

The ANU project allows citizen scientists to use a web portal on Zooniverse.org to search images taken by the SkyMapper 1.3-metre telescope at the ANU Siding Spring Observatory for the SkyMapper Transient Survey.

Citizen volunteers scan the SkyMapper images online to look for differences and mark up those differences for the researchers to follow up.

SkyMapper is the only telescope that is doing a comprehensive survey of the southern sky looking for supernovae and other interesting transient events at these distances.

Watch a video interview with Dr Brad Tucker about the project:

The video will load shortly

People can to participate in the ANU citizen science project at http://www.zooniverse.org/projects/skymap/supernova-sighting to join the search for exploding stars.

Explore further: Four unknown objects being investigated in Planet 9 search

Astronomers from The Australian National University (ANU) are investigating four unknown objects that could be candidates for a new planet in our Solar System, following the launch of their planetary search on the BBC's Stargazing ...

ANU is launching a search for a new planet in our solar system, inviting anyone around the world with access to the Internet to help make the historic discovery.

It may soon be possible to detect the universe's first stars by looking for the blue colour they emit on explosion.

More than 40,000 amateur astronomers have classified two million unidentified heavenly bodies found by the SkyMapper telescope at The Australian National University (ANU).

Astronomers have captured the earliest minutes of two exploding stars and for the first time seen a shockwave generated by a star's collapsing core.

Astronomers have used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to observe the remnant of a supernova explosion in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Beyond just delivering a beautiful image, Hubble may well have traced the surviving ...

Combined observations from three spacecraft show that Jupiter's brightest auroral features recorded to date are powered by both the volcanic moon Io and interaction with the solar wind.

NASA's Juno mission, led by Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Scott Bolton, is rewriting what scientists thought they knew about Jupiter specifically, and gas giants in general, according to a pair of Science papers released ...

Methanol, a key building block for the complex organic compounds that comprise life, has been detected for the first time in the protoplanetary disk of a young, distant star. This finding could help scientists better understand ...

Using a system developed under an ESA contract, the Greek NELIOTA project has begun to detect flashes of light caused by small pieces of rock striking the moon's surface. NELIOTA is the first system that can determine the ...

NASA's Cassini spacecraft still has a few months to go before it completes its mission in September, but the veteran Saturn explorer reaches a new milestone today. Saturn's solsticethat is, the longest day of summer in ...

A team of astronomers including Carnegie's Eduardo Baados and led by Roberto Decarli of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy has discovered a new kind of galaxy which, although extremely oldformed less than a billion ...

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Volunteers help astronomers find star that exploded 970 million ... - Phys.Org