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Today — November 24th 2024فیزیک و مهندسی
Yesterday — November 23rd 2024فیزیک و مهندسی
  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmosMark Zastrow
    In the 1960s, celebrated radio astronomer Frank Drake proposed his eponymous equation, which attempted to wrangle with the probability of finding extraterrestrial life — at least, the kind that we could identify through radio broadcasts — somewhere out there in the universe. One of the key parameters of that formulation is the rate of starContinue reading "Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmos" The post Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmos appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmos

November 23rd 2024 at 2:30 pm

In the 1960s, celebrated radio astronomer Frank Drake proposed his eponymous equation, which attempted to wrangle with the probability of finding extraterrestrial life — at least, the kind that we could identify through radio broadcasts — somewhere out there in the universe. One of the key parameters of that formulation is the rate of starContinue reading "Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmos"

The post Dark energy sheds light on life in the cosmos appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Before yesterdayفیزیک و مهندسی
  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Lion’s markingsMark Zastrow
    David Gluchowski, taken from Brooklyn, New York The Lion Nebula (Sharpless 2–132) is a faint emission nebula lit by young hot stars; their winds and radiation are expanding outward, forming shock waves that comprise many of the lion’s features. This shot also accentuates the play of light and shadow around the lion’s “head”. The imagerContinue reading "The Lion’s markings" The post The Lion’s markings appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

The Lion’s markings

November 22nd 2024 at 10:23 pm

David Gluchowski, taken from Brooklyn, New York The Lion Nebula (Sharpless 2–132) is a faint emission nebula lit by young hot stars; their winds and radiation are expanding outward, forming shock waves that comprise many of the lion’s features. This shot also accentuates the play of light and shadow around the lion’s “head”. The imagerContinue reading "The Lion’s markings"

The post The Lion’s markings appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • String theory is not dead yetTom Siegfried
    Scientists seeking the secrets of the universe would like to make a model that shows how all of nature’s forces and particles fit together. It would be nice to do it with Legos. But perhaps a better bet would be connecting everything with strings. Not literal strings, of course — but tiny loops or snippetsContinue reading "String theory is not dead yet" The post String theory is not dead yet appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

String theory is not dead yet

November 22nd 2024 at 7:54 pm

Scientists seeking the secrets of the universe would like to make a model that shows how all of nature’s forces and particles fit together. It would be nice to do it with Legos. But perhaps a better bet would be connecting everything with strings. Not literal strings, of course — but tiny loops or snippetsContinue reading "String theory is not dead yet"

The post String theory is not dead yet appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Flight suit worn on 1st all-private astronaut mission to ISS debuts on display

November 22nd 2024 at 7:30 pm
When Michael Lopez-Alegria commanded the first privately funded crewed mission to visit the International Space Station, he traded his NASA "blues" for a "Deep Space" and "Mesosphere" flight suit.

© Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Unusual black hole light bursts puzzle astronomers: 'We are finding a lot of weird stuff'

November 22nd 2024 at 5:30 pm
Astronomers have stumbled upon a pair of massive black holes in a distant galaxy that are triggering unusual bursts of light that may be caused by the black hole duo disrupting a massive gas cloud — a phenomenon researchers say is the first of its kind to be detected.

© NASA/Aurore Simonnet (Sonoma State University

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • JWST spots more light than expected in the early universeTheo Nicitopoulos
    The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is well-known for discovering young, bright galaxies in the very early universe. How such regions, bursting with stars, formed so quickly and survived is enticing researchers to rethink cosmic evolution.    A recent study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters uses JWST data to probeContinue reading "JWST spots more light than expected in the early universe" The post JWST spots more light than expected in the early universe a
     

JWST spots more light than expected in the early universe

November 22nd 2024 at 5:30 pm

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is well-known for discovering young, bright galaxies in the very early universe. How such regions, bursting with stars, formed so quickly and survived is enticing researchers to rethink cosmic evolution.    A recent study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters uses JWST data to probeContinue reading "JWST spots more light than expected in the early universe"

The post JWST spots more light than expected in the early universe appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after sunsetAlison Klesman
    Friday, November 22Last Quarter Moon occurs at 8:28 P.M. EST, leaving most of the evening dark for deep-sky observing.  About two hours after sunset, you’ll find the Great Square of Pegasus high in the southeastern sky. The Winged Horse is home to a fabulous globular cluster, M15, which just barely hits naked-eye magnitude at 6.2.Continue reading "The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after sunset" The post The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after
     

The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after sunset

November 22nd 2024 at 9:30 am

Friday, November 22Last Quarter Moon occurs at 8:28 P.M. EST, leaving most of the evening dark for deep-sky observing.  About two hours after sunset, you’ll find the Great Square of Pegasus high in the southeastern sky. The Winged Horse is home to a fabulous globular cluster, M15, which just barely hits naked-eye magnitude at 6.2.Continue reading "The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after sunset"

The post The Sky This Week from November 22 to 29: Venus lingers long after sunset appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after allKorey Haynes
    In 1986, Voyager 2 flew by the ice giant Uranus. It was humanity’s first close-up view of the outer planet, and it remains the closest any spacecraft has ever come. On this trip, the spacecraft found 10 previously undiscovered moons, two rings, and a truly bizarre magnetic field that has baffled scientists ever since. MostContinue reading "Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all" The post Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all

November 22nd 2024 at 2:13 am

In 1986, Voyager 2 flew by the ice giant Uranus. It was humanity’s first close-up view of the outer planet, and it remains the closest any spacecraft has ever come. On this trip, the spacecraft found 10 previously undiscovered moons, two rings, and a truly bizarre magnetic field that has baffled scientists ever since. MostContinue reading "Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all"

The post Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

James Webb Space Telescope unveils surprising 'Red Monsters' in the early universe

November 21st 2024 at 10:30 pm
Three ultramassive galaxies found by the James Webb Space Telescope have astronomers reconsidering how galaxies grew so quickly in the first billion years after the Big Bang.

© NASA/CSA/ESA, M. Xiao & P. A. Oesch (University of Geneva), G. Brammer (Niels Bohr Institute), Dawn JWST Archive

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How Comet ATLAS fizzled outDavid L. Chandler
    When comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) was first discovered in late September, it was almost immediately identified as a member of the Kreutz family of Sun-grazing comets. But it was highly unusual for a Kreutz comet — virtually all of these are only discovered in their last hours or days of existence, as they plunge towardContinue reading "How Comet ATLAS fizzled out" The post How Comet ATLAS fizzled out appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How Comet ATLAS fizzled out

November 21st 2024 at 5:30 pm

When comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) was first discovered in late September, it was almost immediately identified as a member of the Kreutz family of Sun-grazing comets. But it was highly unusual for a Kreutz comet — virtually all of these are only discovered in their last hours or days of existence, as they plunge towardContinue reading "How Comet ATLAS fizzled out"

The post How Comet ATLAS fizzled out appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇اسطرلاب (StarYab)
  • خاموشی دور از انتظار؟فائزه اخلاقی‌منش
    با استفاده از مطالعه‌ی جمعیت ستاره‌ای۱ کهکشان‌ها می‌توان آن‌ها را به دو دسته‌ی کلی ستاره‌زا۲ و غیرستاره‌زا یا خاموش۳ طبقه‌بندی کرد. دسته‌ی اول شامل کهکشان‌هایی است که جوان و در حال ستاره‌زایی هستند و دسته‌ی دوم کهکشان‌هایی را شامل می‌شود که ستاره‌زایی در آن‌ها متوقف شده است و جمعیت ستاره‌ای پیرتری دارند. یکی از اهداف اصلی تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب۴، پاسخ به یکی از چالش‌برانگیزترین سوالات در مطالعه‌ی ساختار و تحول کهکشان‌ها است: چگونگی شکل‌گیری سریع جرم کهکشان‌ها در یک بازه‌ی زمانی بسیار کوتاه، پایان
     

خاموشی دور از انتظار؟

با استفاده از مطالعه‌ی جمعیت ستاره‌ای۱ کهکشان‌ها می‌توان آن‌ها را به دو دسته‌ی کلی ستاره‌زا۲ و غیرستاره‌زا یا خاموش۳ طبقه‌بندی کرد. دسته‌ی اول شامل کهکشان‌هایی است که جوان و در حال ستاره‌زایی هستند و دسته‌ی دوم کهکشان‌هایی را شامل می‌شود که ستاره‌زایی در آن‌ها متوقف شده است و جمعیت ستاره‌ای پیرتری دارند. یکی از اهداف اصلی تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب۴، پاسخ به یکی از چالش‌برانگیزترین سوالات در مطالعه‌ی ساختار و تحول کهکشان‌ها است: چگونگی شکل‌گیری سریع جرم کهکشان‌ها در یک بازه‌ی زمانی بسیار کوتاه، پایان یافتن ستاره‌زایی آن‌ها و قرار گرفتن آن‌ها در دسته‌ی خاموش یا غیرستاره‌زا.

بر اساس تئوری‌های موجود در زمینه‌ی تحول کهکشان‌ها پیش‌بینی می‌شود که برای مصرف تمام گاز مورد نیاز برای ستاره‌زایی به زمانی از مرتبه‌ی میلیارد سال نیاز است (هر چند عواملی مانند بادهای‌ ستاره‌ای۵، بازخورد هسته‌ی فعال کهکشانی۶، ادغام‌۷ و برهم‌کنش با دیگر کهکشان‌ها می‌توانند این فرآیند را تسریع کنند). در نتیجه انتظار می‌رود با نگاه کردن به فواصل دورتر (نگاه به گذشته در زمان) شاهد تعداد کم‌تری از کهکشان‌های خاموش باشیم.

نویسندگان این مقاله با استفاده از داده‌های به دست آمده از طیف‌سنج فروسرخ نزدیک تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب (NIRSpec) حضور یک کهکشان خاموش به نام GS-9209 با جرم ستاره‌ای نزدیک به ۳۸ میلیون برابر جرم خورشید در انتقال به سرخ‌ ۴/۶۵۸، تنها ۱/۲۵ میلیارد سال بعد از انفجار بزرگ۸ را گزارش می‌کنند. بر اساس مطالعات انجام شده توسط این گروه به نظر می‌رسد تمام جرم ستاره‌ای این کهکشان تنها در یک بازه‌ی زمانی ۲۰۰ میلیون ساله، قبل از به پایان رسیدن فعالیت ستاره‌زایی در انتقال به سرخ ۶/۵ معادل با زمانی که عمر کیهان تنها ۸۰۰ میلیون سال بوده‌است، تشکیل شده باشد.

در این مقاله، نویسندگان خطوط جذبی طیف کهکشان GS-9209 را مطالعه کرده‌اند. بررسی خطوط جذبی طیف‌ کهکشان‌ها، یکی از روش‌های مطالعه‌ی تاریخچه‌ی خاموشی کهکشان‌های ستاره‌زا است. تصویر۱ طیف کهکشان GS-9209 را که توسط تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب رصد شده‌است، نشان می‌دهد. این طیف در بازه‌ی طول موجی۵/۱ -۱/۷میکرومتر قرار دارد که شامل تعداد زیادی خطوط جذبی بالمر۹ (خط جذبی حاصل از گذار الکترون از تراز۲ به ترازهای بالاتر) است. طیف به دست آمده از این کهکشان خاموش با حضور این خطوط جذبی بالمر شباهت بسیار زیادی به طیف ستارگان نوع A داشته که با استفاده از آن‌ها می‌توان تحولات ستاره‌زایی را در طول زمانی از مرتبه‌ی حدود ۱۰۰ میلیون سال بررسی کرد. به بیان ساده‌تر، این ستارگان اطلاعات مربوط به تغییرات ستاره‌زایی در طی ۱۰۰ میلیون سال اخیر را در بر دارند. حضور این جمعیت ستاره‌ای یادآور کهکشان‌های پساستاره‌زا۱۰ در انتقال به سرخ‌های پایین‌تر و نشان‌دهنده‌ی پایان ستاره‌زایی در یک بازه‌ی کوتاه، در حدود طول عمر ستارگان نوع A بر روی رشته‌ی اصلی است. نویسندگان این مقاله برای تعیین عمق هر کدام از این خطوط جذبی پهنای-هم‌عرض۱۱ این خطوط را گزارش می‌کنند (پهنای-هم‌عرض معیاری است که شدت یک خط جذبی را توصیف می‌کند). مطالعه‌ی پهنای-هم‌عرض خطوط مشاهده شده‌ی جذبی سری بالمر و پهن‌شدگی نسبی خط نشری نیتروژن-۲ نسبت به خط نشری پهن شده‌‌ی هیدروژن-آلفا (حاصل از گذار الکترون برانگیخته از تراز ۳ به ۲) به ترتیب نمایان‌گر غالب بودن جمعیت‌ ستاره‌ای در پیوستار و حضور هسته‌ی فعال کهکشانی است.

شکل ۱. طیف گرفته‌شده از GS-9209 با استفاده از طیف‌سنج تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب در ناحیه‌ی فروسرخ نزدیک. خط سیاه مدل‌ به دست آمده از کد Bagpipes برای برازش بر روی خطوط جذبی و نشری موجود در طیف را نمایش می‌دهد. این کد با بهره‌گیری از آمار بیز و همچنین در برداشتن فرضیات گسترده در مورد تاریخچه‌ی ستاره‌زایی برای مدل سازی طیف کهکشان‌ها استفاده می‌شود.

شکل ۱. طیف گرفته‌شده از GS-9209 با استفاده از طیف‌سنج تلسکوپ فضایی جیمز وب در ناحیه‌ی فروسرخ نزدیک. خط سیاه مدل‌ به دست آمده از کد Bagpipes برای برازش بر روی خطوط جذبی و نشری موجود در طیف را نمایش می‌دهد. این کد با بهره‌گیری از آمار بیز و همچنین در برداشتن فرضیات گسترده در مورد تاریخچه‌ی ستاره‌زایی برای مدل سازی طیف کهکشان‌ها استفاده می‌شود.

شکل ۲. نرخ ستاره‌زایی کهکشان GS-9209 بر اساس تابعی از زمان. طبق این نمودار، کهکشان GS-9209، عمده‌ی جمعیت ستاره‌ای خود را طی یک بازه‌ی زمانی ۲۰۰ میلیون ساله، از حدود ۶۰۰ تا ۸۰۰ میلیون سال پس از انفجار بزرگ شکل داده‌است.

شکل ۲. نرخ ستاره‌زایی کهکشان GS-9209 بر اساس تابعی از زمان. طبق این نمودار، کهکشان GS-9209، عمده‌ی جمعیت ستاره‌ای خود را طی یک بازه‌ی زمانی ۲۰۰ میلیون ساله، از حدود ۶۰۰ تا ۸۰۰ میلیون سال پس از انفجار بزرگ شکل داده‌است.

مطالعات خط نشری پهن شده‌ی هیدروژن-آلفا و نیتروژن-۲ بر روی طیف کهکشان GS-9209 نشان می‌دهد که این کهکشان دربردارنده‌ی یک ابرسیاه‌چاله‌۱۲ با جرمی ۴-۵ برابر جرم قابل انتظار برای کهکشان‌هایی با جرم ستاره‌ای مشابه GS-9209 است. بر اساس نتایج به دست آمده از بررسی تاریخچه‌ی ستاره‌زایی در این کهکشان، میانگین نرخ ستاره‌زایی این کهکشان در ۱۰۰ میلیون سال گذشته تقریبا برابر با صفر است و این کهکشان را در دسته‌بندی غیرستاره‌زا قرار می‌دهد. بررسی بیش‌تر بر روی پیشینه‌ی فعالیت این ابرسیاه‌چاله‌، بازخورد فعالیت‌های ناشی از هسته‌ی فعال کهکشانی را یکی از دلایل احتمالی برای توقف ستاره‌زایی در این کهکشان می‌داند. هسته‌ی فعال کهکشانی باعث گرمایش گاز سرد (سوخت اصلی ستاره‌زایی) شده و کهکشان‌ها را از حالت فعال ستاره‌زایی به حالت غیرفعال تبدیل می‌کند. GS-9209 یک نمونه‌ی جالب توجه است که نشان می‌دهد تشکیل ساختارهای عظیمی مانند کهکشان‌ها، در همان یک میلیارد سال اولیه‌ی عالم و خاموشی ستاره‌زایی حداکثر تا ۸۰۰ میلیون سال بعد از انفجار بزرگ به خوبی صورت گرفته‌است.

 

۱. Stellar Population
۲. Star Forming
۳. Quiescent
۴. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
۵. Stellar Winds
۶.Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) Feedback
۷. Merger
۸. Big Bang
۹. Balmer Absorption Lines
۱۰. Post-Starburst Galaxies
۱۱. Equivalent Width
۱۲. Super Massive Blackhole

شکل بالای صفحه: گروه کهکشانی HCG 87. در این تصویر کهکشان‌های ستاره‌زا و غیرستاره‌زا دیده می‌شوند. منبع: ویکیپدیا

عنوان اصلی مقاله: A massive quiescent galaxy at redshift 4.658
نویسندگان: Adam C. Carnall et al
لینک اصلی مقاله: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2301.11413

گردآوری: فائزه اخلاقی‌منش

 

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but still pushing the envelopeAlison Klesman
    While it did not recreate the historic Super Heavy booster catch it pulled off last time, SpaceX continued to push the envelope during the sixth test flight of its Starship spacecraft. The largest and most powerful rocket ever built lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase launchpad in Texas on Tuesday evening, Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines creating aContinue reading "SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but still pushing the envelope" The post SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but s
     

SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but still pushing the envelope

November 20th 2024 at 11:43 pm

While it did not recreate the historic Super Heavy booster catch it pulled off last time, SpaceX continued to push the envelope during the sixth test flight of its Starship spacecraft. The largest and most powerful rocket ever built lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase launchpad in Texas on Tuesday evening, Super Heavy’s 33 Raptor engines creating aContinue reading "SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but still pushing the envelope"

The post SpaceX Starship Flight 6: No booster catch, but still pushing the envelope appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets formAlison Klesman
    Not so far from Earth, an infant planet is just getting its start at life. And by peeking beneath the thick cocoon of material surrounding it, astronomers could be getting a rare chance to watch a world for which our solar system has no equivalent settle into its early life. The planet closely orbits theContinue reading "This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets form" The post This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets form appeared firs
     

This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets form

November 20th 2024 at 7:42 pm

Not so far from Earth, an infant planet is just getting its start at life. And by peeking beneath the thick cocoon of material surrounding it, astronomers could be getting a rare chance to watch a world for which our solar system has no equivalent settle into its early life. The planet closely orbits theContinue reading "This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets form"

The post This young, shrouded super-Neptune could help teach us how such planets form appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The past, present, and future of Boeing in spaceBen Evans
    In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing may shed its space business to focus on commercial aircraft and defense systems. This could be due in part to this summer’s test flight of its Starliner crew transport to the International Space Station (ISS), which adversely reshaped public opinion of the beleaguered aerospace titan. ButContinue reading "The past, present, and future of Boeing in space" The post The past, present, and future of Boeing in space appeared first on Astronomy
     

The past, present, and future of Boeing in space

By: Ben Evans
November 20th 2024 at 5:30 pm

In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing may shed its space business to focus on commercial aircraft and defense systems. This could be due in part to this summer’s test flight of its Starliner crew transport to the International Space Station (ISS), which adversely reshaped public opinion of the beleaguered aerospace titan. ButContinue reading "The past, present, and future of Boeing in space"

The post The past, present, and future of Boeing in space appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

'It's bananas:' Toy fruit becomes first zero-g indicator to fly on SpaceX Starship

November 20th 2024 at 2:30 pm
An artificial banana floated in the microgravity environment of outer space. No longer needing its attached tethers, it just hung there in the bay of its spacecraft's otherwise empty cargo hold.

© SpaceX/collectSPACE.com

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The billowing cosmosMark Zastrow
    Jeff Schilling from Houston, Texas The dark nebulae LDN 935/6 contrast with billowing clouds of bright emission from the North America Nebula (NGC 7000). For this close-up study of light and dark in motion, the imager took 13¼ hours of exposure in Hubble-palette filters. The post The billowing cosmos appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     
  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’ in the gas between galaxy clustersAlison Klesman
    The game is afoot! Astronomers may have found some of the universe’s missing matter, thanks to one team’s cosmic detective work. The case has been open for more than 20 years. In the 1990s and early 2000s, scientists sleuthed out the universe’s contents using observations from the cosmic microwave background radiation and Big Bang models.Continue reading "Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’ in the gas between galaxy clusters" The post Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’
     

Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’ in the gas between galaxy clusters

November 19th 2024 at 8:05 pm

The game is afoot! Astronomers may have found some of the universe’s missing matter, thanks to one team’s cosmic detective work. The case has been open for more than 20 years. In the 1990s and early 2000s, scientists sleuthed out the universe’s contents using observations from the cosmic microwave background radiation and Big Bang models.Continue reading "Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’ in the gas between galaxy clusters"

The post Scientists discover significant ‘missing matter’ in the gas between galaxy clusters appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewalDavid J. Eicher
    On Saturday, Nov. 16, in Flagstaff, Arizona, the astronomy world changed a bit.  Lowell Observatory has long been a beacon of history in the cosmic universe. Here, Boston Brahmin Percival Lowell founded an institution to study the heavens from the far west in 1894. Here he famously studied Mars, an early obsession, believing it toContinue reading "Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewal" The post Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewal appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewal

November 19th 2024 at 7:20 pm

On Saturday, Nov. 16, in Flagstaff, Arizona, the astronomy world changed a bit.  Lowell Observatory has long been a beacon of history in the cosmic universe. Here, Boston Brahmin Percival Lowell founded an institution to study the heavens from the far west in 1894. Here he famously studied Mars, an early obsession, believing it toContinue reading "Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewal"

The post Lowell Observatory celebrates a monumental renewal appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇American Physical Society
  • Dark Matter at Cosmic DawnCharles Day
    Author(s): Charles DayLow-frequency radio observations could allow researchers to distinguish among several dark matter models, thanks to dark matter’s influence on the early Universe.[Physics 17, s132] Published Tue Nov 19, 2024
     

SpaceX's epic Starship Super Heavy rocket catch looked just like the company imagined (side-by-side video)

November 18th 2024 at 10:30 pm
New video ahead of SpaceX next Starship launch shows footage of a rendering versus reality of the Super Heavy booster performing its landing burn before being caught by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms.

© SpaceX

Aurora forecast: Will the northern lights be visible tonight?

November 18th 2024 at 8:38 pm
The latest aurora predictions for tonight help you make sure you're in the right place at the right time to see the northern lights.

© <a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/photographer?photographer=Westend61" rel="nofollow">Westend61 via </a>Getty Images

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun?Astronomy Staff
    How big is the ellipse that our planet travels in a year around the Sun? J.J. MüdespacherMexico City, Mexico Earth’s orbit around the Sun is not circular, but an ellipse that is slightly elongated with an eccentricity of 0.017. (An eccentricity of 0 is a circle, while the dwarf planet Pluto has a relatively highContinue reading "How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun?" The post How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun?

November 18th 2024 at 7:30 pm

How big is the ellipse that our planet travels in a year around the Sun? J.J. MüdespacherMexico City, Mexico Earth’s orbit around the Sun is not circular, but an ellipse that is slightly elongated with an eccentricity of 0.017. (An eccentricity of 0 is a circle, while the dwarf planet Pluto has a relatively highContinue reading "How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun?"

The post How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Space
  • Where did the universe's magnetic fields come from?
    How the universe got its large magnetic fields has remained one of the stickiest outstanding problems in astrophysics. Now, researchers have proposed a novel solution: a giant "dust battery" operating when the first stars appeared.
     
  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch forMark Zastrow
    SpaceX is targeting the sixth test flight of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster — which comprise the largest and most powerful rocket system ever built — as early as Monday. Both the rocket and booster were moved to the launch mount this week for stacking. The mission, which like previous Starship flights willContinue reading "SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch for" The post SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch for appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch for

November 16th 2024 at 5:41 am

SpaceX is targeting the sixth test flight of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster — which comprise the largest and most powerful rocket system ever built — as early as Monday. Both the rocket and booster were moved to the launch mount this week for stacking. The mission, which like previous Starship flights willContinue reading "SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch for"

The post SpaceX Starship Flight 6: What to watch for appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket to launch AST SpaceMobile's huge BlueBird smartphone satellites

November 15th 2024 at 6:30 pm
AST SpaceMobile, a startup with plans for a direct-to-cellphone satellite service constellation, has chosen Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket to launch some of its next-gen satellites.

© Blue Origin

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to deathAlison Klesman
    Astronomer Francesco D’Eugenio wasn’t looking for a murdered galaxy.  His team set out to measure the motions of stars in a distant galaxy and to understand why they appeared so old. Similar massive galaxies in the early universe were typically bustling with new star formation, and D’Eugenio, a scientist at the Kavli Institute for CosmologyContinue reading "JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to death" The post JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to death appe
     

JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to death

November 15th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Astronomer Francesco D’Eugenio wasn’t looking for a murdered galaxy.  His team set out to measure the motions of stars in a distant galaxy and to understand why they appeared so old. Similar massive galaxies in the early universe were typically bustling with new star formation, and D’Eugenio, a scientist at the Kavli Institute for CosmologyContinue reading "JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to death"

The post JWST just found a black hole starving its host galaxy to death appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Draconic fratricideMark Zastrow
    Kfir Simon, taken from Tivoli Farm, Namibia At a distance of 3,900 light-years in Norma the Square lies NGC 6164/5, also known as the Dragon’s Egg. Astronomers think the binary star at its center, HD 148937, was originally a triple system. The billowing outer shell was caused by stellar winds early in the system’s life;Continue reading "Draconic fratricide" The post Draconic fratricide appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Draconic fratricide

November 15th 2024 at 2:30 pm

Kfir Simon, taken from Tivoli Farm, Namibia At a distance of 3,900 light-years in Norma the Square lies NGC 6164/5, also known as the Dragon’s Egg. Astronomers think the binary star at its center, HD 148937, was originally a triple system. The billowing outer shell was caused by stellar winds early in the system’s life;Continue reading "Draconic fratricide"

The post Draconic fratricide appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the PleiadesAlison Klesman
    Friday, November 15We’re starting out the week strong with the Moon on center stage. November’s Full Moon, also called the Beaver Moon, occurs at 4:29 P.M. EST. But there’s more to this Full Moon — it’s a Super Moon, which occurs when the Moon reaches Full near its closest point to Earth, called perigee. ItContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the Pleiades" The post The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the P
     

The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the Pleiades

November 15th 2024 at 9:30 am

Friday, November 15We’re starting out the week strong with the Moon on center stage. November’s Full Moon, also called the Beaver Moon, occurs at 4:29 P.M. EST. But there’s more to this Full Moon — it’s a Super Moon, which occurs when the Moon reaches Full near its closest point to Earth, called perigee. ItContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the Pleiades"

The post The Sky This Week from November 15 to 22: 2024’s last Super Moon occults the Pleiades appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How some black holes maintain long-distance relationshipsMark Zastrow
    The European Space Agency’s Gaia emission has revealed two unexpected black holes orbiting stars like our own Sun. One minor problem: we’re not exactly sure how black holes like this should form. But a team of researchers might have an answer.  Astronomers can’t directly observe black holes. That’s because by definition they do not emitContinue reading "How some black holes maintain long-distance relationships" The post How some black holes maintain long-distance relationships appeared first on
     

How some black holes maintain long-distance relationships

November 15th 2024 at 12:47 am

The European Space Agency’s Gaia emission has revealed two unexpected black holes orbiting stars like our own Sun. One minor problem: we’re not exactly sure how black holes like this should form. But a team of researchers might have an answer.  Astronomers can’t directly observe black holes. That’s because by definition they do not emitContinue reading "How some black holes maintain long-distance relationships"

The post How some black holes maintain long-distance relationships appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Asteroid pieces brought to Earth help reveal how our solar system's planets and moons grew

November 14th 2024 at 11:30 pm
Samples collected from the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu have revealed clues about a primordial magnetic field that helped asteroids, planets and moons grow in our solar system.

© JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, University of Aizu, AIST

Surprised Russian school kids discover Arctic island has vanished after comparing satellite images

November 13th 2024 at 8:30 pm
The cryovolcanic "centaur" comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann has erupted four times in less than 48 hours, becoming unusually bright in the process. It is the most powerful outburst from the city-size oddball in more than three years.

© Alexandra Barymova / Lomonosov Moscow State University Marine Research Center

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • New Starlink satellites could be 32 times brighter in radio waves than beforeSamantha Hill
    Researchers using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope in Europe have discovered the second generation of Starlink satellites emit higher levels of radio waves that could pose a serious risk to radio astronomy. This issue of radio-wave emission is in addition to the sunlight that Starlink and other satellites reflect, which can be visibleContinue reading "New Starlink satellites could be 32 times brighter in radio waves than before" The post New Starlink satellites could be 32 times b
     

New Starlink satellites could be 32 times brighter in radio waves than before

November 13th 2024 at 7:29 pm

Researchers using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope in Europe have discovered the second generation of Starlink satellites emit higher levels of radio waves that could pose a serious risk to radio astronomy. This issue of radio-wave emission is in addition to the sunlight that Starlink and other satellites reflect, which can be visibleContinue reading "New Starlink satellites could be 32 times brighter in radio waves than before"

The post New Starlink satellites could be 32 times brighter in radio waves than before appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Could black holes create dark energy? Alison Klesman
    Black holes are the universe’s shadowy figures, with many millions of them roaming unseen in our galaxy alone. These cosmic heavyweights famously destroy anything that wanders too close, tearing stars and other objects to shreds with their immense gravitational pull.  But that may not be the end of the story for those doomed objects. AContinue reading "Could black holes create dark energy? " The post Could black holes create dark energy?  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Could black holes create dark energy? 

November 13th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Black holes are the universe’s shadowy figures, with many millions of them roaming unseen in our galaxy alone. These cosmic heavyweights famously destroy anything that wanders too close, tearing stars and other objects to shreds with their immense gravitational pull.  But that may not be the end of the story for those doomed objects. AContinue reading "Could black holes create dark energy? "

The post Could black holes create dark energy?  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Under the Tuscan sunsMark Zastrow
    Marco Meniero taken from Poggio Pinzuti, Italy The stars pirouette around Polaris above the hills of Tuscany near Pisa in this two-panel panorama taken with a Nikon Z9 mirrorless camera and a 70mm zoom lens. The imager captured 170 exposures of 15 seconds at f/4.5 and ISO 250. The post Under the Tuscan suns appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     
  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • What is dark energy?David J. Eicher
    In a 1998 research breakthrough, Saul Perlmutter of the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues in the Supernova Cosmology Project found the expansion rate of the universe is accelerating. Perlmutter and his team made the discovery by observing distant type Ia supernovae, whose brightnesses are well known, at different distances. His team made observationsContinue reading "What is dark energy?" The post What is dark energy? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

What is dark energy?

November 12th 2024 at 8:07 pm

In a 1998 research breakthrough, Saul Perlmutter of the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues in the Supernova Cosmology Project found the expansion rate of the universe is accelerating. Perlmutter and his team made the discovery by observing distant type Ia supernovae, whose brightnesses are well known, at different distances. His team made observationsContinue reading "What is dark energy?"

The post What is dark energy? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way Korey Haynes
    Inside the bright but unassumingly named nebula Gum 55 lies a dark nebula — a rift of dust grains that absorb visible light — creating a swatch of darkness against the glow of bright gas. Fittingly named for its shape, the Dark Wolf Nebula is no mere puppy — it spans an area some fourContinue reading "ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way " The post ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way 

November 12th 2024 at 7:45 pm

Inside the bright but unassumingly named nebula Gum 55 lies a dark nebula — a rift of dust grains that absorb visible light — creating a swatch of darkness against the glow of bright gas. Fittingly named for its shape, the Dark Wolf Nebula is no mere puppy — it spans an area some fourContinue reading "ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way "

The post ESO captures Dark Wolf Nebula stalking across the Milky Way  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Quantifying the Background Radiation Hitting Superconducting Qubits

November 12th 2024 at 1:30 pm

Author(s): Marric Stephens

Researchers have characterized the naturally occurring background radiation hitting a typical quantum circuit—a result that might help with the engineering of devices that are less vulnerable to radiation-induced decoherence.


[Physics 17, s140] Published Tue Nov 12, 2024

Mysterious, city-size 'centaur' comet gets 300 times brighter after quadruple cold-volcanic eruption

November 12th 2024 at 5:30 pm
The cryovolcanic "centaur" comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann has erupted four times in less than 48 hours, becoming unusually bright in the process. It is the most powerful outburst from the city-size oddball in more than three years.

© NASA/Spitzer Space Telescope 

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • New astronomy products to be thankful forAstronomy Staff
    Star struck Wisconsin Historical Society PressMadison, WI In Chasing the Stars, authors Kelly Tyrell and James Lattis discuss the astronomical achievements of Washburn Observatory at the University of Wisconsin. The book’s 256 pages feature many images and details the early days of stargazing in the region, as well as Washburn’s many modern discoveries in theContinue reading "New astronomy products to be thankful for" The post New astronomy products to be thankful for appeared first on Astronomy
     

New astronomy products to be thankful for

November 12th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Star struck Wisconsin Historical Society PressMadison, WI In Chasing the Stars, authors Kelly Tyrell and James Lattis discuss the astronomical achievements of Washburn Observatory at the University of Wisconsin. The book’s 256 pages feature many images and details the early days of stargazing in the region, as well as Washburn’s many modern discoveries in theContinue reading "New astronomy products to be thankful for"

The post New astronomy products to be thankful for appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Dust on dustMark Zastrow
    Lynn Hilborn from Grafton, Ontario The origin of the reflection nebula van den Bergh 9 in Cassiopeia is the Cepheid variable star SU Cas; its blue light is reflected by surrounding dust, which are themselves partially shrouded by thicker dust clouds. This image represents 5 hours of exposure on an 8-inch scope in RGB filters. The post Dust on dust appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Dust on dust

November 11th 2024 at 11:40 pm

Lynn Hilborn from Grafton, Ontario The origin of the reflection nebula van den Bergh 9 in Cassiopeia is the Cepheid variable star SU Cas; its blue light is reflected by surrounding dust, which are themselves partially shrouded by thicker dust clouds. This image represents 5 hours of exposure on an 8-inch scope in RGB filters.

The post Dust on dust appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

At 60 years, monument to NASA's Project Mercury still stands, but what of its time capsule?

November 11th 2024 at 8:30 pm
A 60-year-old tribute to America's first human spaceflight program is standing up to the test of time, but what about the contents of its time capsule not to be opened until 2464?

© Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave EicherDavid J. Eicher
    In this episode, Dave Eicher invites you to observe the what happens when our planet, during its journey around the Sun, runs into a stream of particles in its orbit. Such an event is called a meteor shower, and because the streaks of light from these meteors seem to all come from a point in theContinue reading "The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher" The post The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

November 11th 2024 at 7:52 pm

In this episode, Dave Eicher invites you to observe the what happens when our planet, during its journey around the Sun, runs into a stream of particles in its orbit. Such an event is called a meteor shower, and because the streaks of light from these meteors seem to all come from a point in theContinue reading "The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher"

The post The Leonid meteor shower: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • What is the universe expanding into?Astronomy Staff
    What is the universe expanding into? Euan TobinEdinburgh, Scotland This excellent question forces us to confront a region beyond the bounds of our intuition, so please bear with me. When you inflate a balloon, the balloon’s membrane moves outward, closer to the boundaries of whatever room encloses it. You can easily visualize this expansion becauseContinue reading "What is the universe expanding into?" The post What is the universe expanding into? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

What is the universe expanding into?

November 11th 2024 at 7:30 pm

What is the universe expanding into? Euan TobinEdinburgh, Scotland This excellent question forces us to confront a region beyond the bounds of our intuition, so please bear with me. When you inflate a balloon, the balloon’s membrane moves outward, closer to the boundaries of whatever room encloses it. You can easily visualize this expansion becauseContinue reading "What is the universe expanding into?"

The post What is the universe expanding into? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid waterKorey Haynes
    Mars is tantalizingly similar to Earth in many ways, but especially in its surface features, which often resemble Earth deserts to an eerie degree. Both Earth and Mars share features such as valleys; canyons; fanlike washes of sand and rock; and long, winding gravel ridges called eskers. All are formed by flowing water, marking theContinue reading "How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water" The post How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water

November 8th 2024 at 9:38 pm

Mars is tantalizingly similar to Earth in many ways, but especially in its surface features, which often resemble Earth deserts to an eerie degree. Both Earth and Mars share features such as valleys; canyons; fanlike washes of sand and rock; and long, winding gravel ridges called eskers. All are formed by flowing water, marking theContinue reading "How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water"

The post How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How to see a Saturn ring mirageStephen James O'Meara
    Roughly every 15 years, Earth passes through the plane of Saturn’s rings, causing them to nearly disappear from view — not to mention generating a variety of other interesting phenomena. The next such edge-on appearance will be in March 2025, though Saturn will unfortunately be too close to the Sun (only 9.5° away) for usContinue reading "How to see a Saturn ring mirage" The post How to see a Saturn ring mirage appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How to see a Saturn ring mirage

November 8th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Roughly every 15 years, Earth passes through the plane of Saturn’s rings, causing them to nearly disappear from view — not to mention generating a variety of other interesting phenomena. The next such edge-on appearance will be in March 2025, though Saturn will unfortunately be too close to the Sun (only 9.5° away) for usContinue reading "How to see a Saturn ring mirage"

The post How to see a Saturn ring mirage appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this monthMark Zastrow
    The sixth test flight of Starship — the largest and most powerful rocket to ever fly — will launch no earlier than 5 p.m. EST on Monday, November 18, SpaceX said Wednesday. The previous test flight of Starship, which SpaceX also refers to simply as “Ship,” and the Super Heavy booster resulted in the unprecedented catchContinue reading "SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this month" The post SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this month appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this month

November 8th 2024 at 2:30 pm

The sixth test flight of Starship — the largest and most powerful rocket to ever fly — will launch no earlier than 5 p.m. EST on Monday, November 18, SpaceX said Wednesday. The previous test flight of Starship, which SpaceX also refers to simply as “Ship,” and the Super Heavy booster resulted in the unprecedented catchContinue reading "SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this month"

The post SpaceX: Starship Flight 6 coming later this month appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids earlyAlison Klesman
    Friday, November 8Although the constellation Perseus is perhaps best known for housing the famous Double Cluster, it’s also home to another open star cluster: M34, one of the Hero’s two Messier objects.  M34 is some 180 million years old and sits 1,400 light-years from Earth. The cluster contains about 100 stars and takes up roughlyContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids early" The post The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids early appeared
     

The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids early

November 8th 2024 at 9:30 am

Friday, November 8Although the constellation Perseus is perhaps best known for housing the famous Double Cluster, it’s also home to another open star cluster: M34, one of the Hero’s two Messier objects.  M34 is some 180 million years old and sits 1,400 light-years from Earth. The cluster contains about 100 stars and takes up roughlyContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids early"

The post The Sky This Week from November 8 to 15: Catch the Leonids early appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observeStuart Atkinson
    Many constellations are well-known for having one very special deep-sky object within their borders, something so famous that when you read or hear that constellation’s name, you instantly think of it, like an astronomical word association game. Orion? The Orion Nebula! Andromeda? The Andromeda Galaxy, of course! Lyra? Easy — the Ring Nebula. And Perseus?Continue reading "Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observe" The post Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observe appeared first
     

Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observe

November 7th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Many constellations are well-known for having one very special deep-sky object within their borders, something so famous that when you read or hear that constellation’s name, you instantly think of it, like an astronomical word association game. Orion? The Orion Nebula! Andromeda? The Andromeda Galaxy, of course! Lyra? Easy — the Ring Nebula. And Perseus?Continue reading "Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observe"

The post Five ‘shy,’ lesser-known deep-sky gems to observe appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

'What's Starlink?' Trump talks Elon Musk, Starship and SpaceX in election night victory speech (video)

November 7th 2024 at 12:03 am
President-elect Donald Trump had high words of praise for Elon Musk and SpaceX during his election night victory speech, mentioning twice that he did not know what Starlink satellites were.

© Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Learn the difference between common astronomical termsStuart Atkinson
    Astronomy is a science and a hobby that loves long words, acronyms, and abbreviations. At times, listening to someone talking about an event happening in the sky or an object faraway in space can feel like watching one of those episodes of Star Trek where the characters spend 10 minutes just speaking in “technobabble,” soContinue reading "Learn the difference between common astronomical terms" The post Learn the difference between common astronomical terms appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Learn the difference between common astronomical terms

November 6th 2024 at 9:30 pm

Astronomy is a science and a hobby that loves long words, acronyms, and abbreviations. At times, listening to someone talking about an event happening in the sky or an object faraway in space can feel like watching one of those episodes of Star Trek where the characters spend 10 minutes just speaking in “technobabble,” soContinue reading "Learn the difference between common astronomical terms"

The post Learn the difference between common astronomical terms appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • A meteoric volleyMark Zastrow
    Xiaofeng Qu, taken at Xiaochaidan Lake, Qinghai Province, China The Perseid meteors streak across the sky from its radiant in the constellation Perseus appearing in this perspective to be lobbed across the sky. This panorama of 17 stitched 60-second frames was taken with a Nikon DSLR at 14mm lens at f/1.8. Sky frames were capturedContinue reading "A meteoric volley" The post A meteoric volley appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

A meteoric volley

November 6th 2024 at 8:37 pm

Xiaofeng Qu, taken at Xiaochaidan Lake, Qinghai Province, China The Perseid meteors streak across the sky from its radiant in the constellation Perseus appearing in this perspective to be lobbed across the sky. This panorama of 17 stitched 60-second frames was taken with a Nikon DSLR at 14mm lens at f/1.8. Sky frames were capturedContinue reading "A meteoric volley"

The post A meteoric volley appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Recruiting the world’s first disabled astronaut doesn't mean space travel is inclusive – here’s how to change that

November 6th 2024 at 7:30 pm
Despite the rapid growth in the number of space travellers, underrepresented population groups are still left behind, particularly those with disabilities. So how can space agencies and “space tourism” companies make spaceflight more inclusive for disabled astronauts?

© ESA/Novespace

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • We’re entering the era of private space stationsDoug Adler
    The era of the International Space Station (ISS) is coming to a close. In the near future, NASA plans to bring down the station in a controlled deorbit. The end of the ISS will leave a large gap in human spaceflight, although the Chinese Tiangong space station is currently active. Still, to make a spaceContinue reading "We’re entering the era of private space stations" The post We’re entering the era of private space stations appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

We’re entering the era of private space stations

November 6th 2024 at 6:30 pm

The era of the International Space Station (ISS) is coming to a close. In the near future, NASA plans to bring down the station in a controlled deorbit. The end of the ISS will leave a large gap in human spaceflight, although the Chinese Tiangong space station is currently active. Still, to make a spaceContinue reading "We’re entering the era of private space stations"

The post We’re entering the era of private space stations appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Supernova hides in new Hubble Telescope galaxy 'light show' image (photo)

November 6th 2024 at 2:30 pm
A celestial light show illuminates a distant spiral galaxy, where a hidden supernova briefly outshines its stellar neighbors in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

© ESA/Hubble & NASA, O. Fox, L. Jenkins, S. Van Dyk, A. Filippenko, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team, D. de Martin (ESA/Hubble), M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed Alison Klesman
    Today, at the World Travel Market in London, STARMUS and The Canary Islands proudly unveiled the line-up for the highly anticipated STARMUS La Palma festival. The announcement was made during a special presentation led by STARMUS co-founder and Director, Prof. Garik Israelian, featuring the President of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez. Under theContinue reading "Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed " The post Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed  appea
     

Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed 

November 6th 2024 at 12:42 am

Today, at the World Travel Market in London, STARMUS and The Canary Islands proudly unveiled the line-up for the highly anticipated STARMUS La Palma festival. The announcement was made during a special presentation led by STARMUS co-founder and Director, Prof. Garik Israelian, featuring the President of the Cabildo de La Palma, Sergio Rodríguez. Under theContinue reading "Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed "

The post Starmus La Palma: The Island of Stars lineup revealed  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm?Alison Klesman
    The second-largest moon in our solar system may have a secret ingredient that explains many of its mysteries — and maybe ups the chances for life there. In research published Sept. 30 in The Planetary Science Journal, a University of Hawaii-led team modeled the potential for methane clathrate (a kind of methane-infused water ice) inContinue reading "Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm?" The post Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm?

November 5th 2024 at 10:30 pm

The second-largest moon in our solar system may have a secret ingredient that explains many of its mysteries — and maybe ups the chances for life there. In research published Sept. 30 in The Planetary Science Journal, a University of Hawaii-led team modeled the potential for methane clathrate (a kind of methane-infused water ice) inContinue reading "Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm?"

The post Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • This famous black hole system is actually a tripleDaniela Mata
    Despite their destructive forces, black holes are often seen in with a companion, such as a star, neutron star, white dwarf, or even another black hole. However, a study published Oct. 23 in Nature has found that the black hole binary system V404 Cygni, which contains a black hole and a small star, has anContinue reading "This famous black hole system is actually a triple" The post This famous black hole system is actually a triple appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

This famous black hole system is actually a triple

November 5th 2024 at 7:30 pm

Despite their destructive forces, black holes are often seen in with a companion, such as a star, neutron star, white dwarf, or even another black hole. However, a study published Oct. 23 in Nature has found that the black hole binary system V404 Cygni, which contains a black hole and a small star, has anContinue reading "This famous black hole system is actually a triple"

The post This famous black hole system is actually a triple appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

'Vega continues to be unusual:' Lack of planets around young star puzzles astronomers

November 5th 2024 at 5:30 pm
A joint Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) project to learn more about the dusty disk around the bright star Vega has found a surprising lack of planets.

© NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, S. Wolff (University of Arizona), K. Su (University of Arizona), A. Gáspár (University of Arizona)

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Explore the science of rainbowsRaymond Shubinski
    Rainbows don’t actually exist. You can’t find the end of a rainbow (or its attendant pot of gold). It’s not possible to walk across a rainbow as the Norse gods did on the Bifrost, the bridge for fallen warriors to reach Valhalla, or to travel over one like Dorothy to Oz. Rather, rainbows and otherContinue reading "Explore the science of rainbows" The post Explore the science of rainbows appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Explore the science of rainbows

November 5th 2024 at 5:30 pm

Rainbows don’t actually exist. You can’t find the end of a rainbow (or its attendant pot of gold). It’s not possible to walk across a rainbow as the Norse gods did on the Bifrost, the bridge for fallen warriors to reach Valhalla, or to travel over one like Dorothy to Oz. Rather, rainbows and otherContinue reading "Explore the science of rainbows"

The post Explore the science of rainbows appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a naked eye object — barelyDavid J. Eicher
    Stellar Stories Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS now a faint naked-eye object Moving across the constellation Ophiuchus in the evening sky, Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS continues to fade as it moves farther away from Earth and the Sun. The comet now glows at 6th magnitude, keeping it as a faint naked-eye object under a very dark sky. ButContinue reading "Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a naked eye object — barely" The post Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a nak
     

Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a naked eye object — barely

November 5th 2024 at 2:30 pm

Stellar Stories Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS now a faint naked-eye object Moving across the constellation Ophiuchus in the evening sky, Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS continues to fade as it moves farther away from Earth and the Sun. The comet now glows at 6th magnitude, keeping it as a faint naked-eye object under a very dark sky. ButContinue reading "Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a naked eye object — barely"

The post Universe, Discovered: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS still a naked eye object — barely appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash sceneDavid J. Eicher
    Stellar Stories Hera spacecraft launched The European Space Agency’s Hxera spacecraft launched on October 7, initiating an exciting exploration of an unusual asteroid. The solar system contains many thousands of small asteroid bodies, but the target here — 65803 Didymos, is a binary object spanning some 850 meters (about half a mile). The accompanying imageContinue reading "Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash scene" The post Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash
     

Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash scene

November 5th 2024 at 11:46 am

Stellar Stories Hera spacecraft launched The European Space Agency’s Hxera spacecraft launched on October 7, initiating an exciting exploration of an unusual asteroid. The solar system contains many thousands of small asteroid bodies, but the target here — 65803 Didymos, is a binary object spanning some 850 meters (about half a mile). The accompanying imageContinue reading "Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash scene"

The post Universe, Discovered: Hera launches to asteroid crash scene appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave EicherDavid J. Eicher
    In this episode, Dave Eicher invites you to observe the Moon as it closely passes the Ringed Planet on the evening of November 10. Our natural satellite will be just past its First Quarter phase, while Saturn will glow nicely at magnitude 0.8. If you have a telescope and point it at Saturn, you’ll seeContinue reading "The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher" The post The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

November 5th 2024 at 2:42 am

In this episode, Dave Eicher invites you to observe the Moon as it closely passes the Ringed Planet on the evening of November 10. Our natural satellite will be just past its First Quarter phase, while Saturn will glow nicely at magnitude 0.8. If you have a telescope and point it at Saturn, you’ll seeContinue reading "The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher"

The post The Moon meets Saturn: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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  • Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the MoonRobert Reeves
    It has been 52 years since Apollo 17 lifted off from the Taurus-Littrow Valley on the Moon.  All the Apollo landing sites, starting with Tranquility Base on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, have been immortalized in print and film and are well known to space aficionados worldwide. But soon, another name will join the exclusiveContinue reading "Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon" The post Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon appeared first on As
     

Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon

November 4th 2024 at 8:56 pm

It has been 52 years since Apollo 17 lifted off from the Taurus-Littrow Valley on the Moon.  All the Apollo landing sites, starting with Tranquility Base on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility, have been immortalized in print and film and are well known to space aficionados worldwide. But soon, another name will join the exclusiveContinue reading "Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon"

The post Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How are long-exposure astrophotos made? Astronomy Staff
    Many astrophotos feature exposures of 12 hours or more. Since nighttime darkness is only about this long, this implies multiple exposures on different nights. How does one set things up to get the exact same location, and avoid parallax error due to Earth’s rotation and orbit? Jose G. RieraSt. Augustine, Florida You are correct, manyContinue reading "How are long-exposure astrophotos made? " The post How are long-exposure astrophotos made?  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How are long-exposure astrophotos made? 

November 4th 2024 at 7:30 pm

Many astrophotos feature exposures of 12 hours or more. Since nighttime darkness is only about this long, this implies multiple exposures on different nights. How does one set things up to get the exact same location, and avoid parallax error due to Earth’s rotation and orbit? Jose G. RieraSt. Augustine, Florida You are correct, manyContinue reading "How are long-exposure astrophotos made? "

The post How are long-exposure astrophotos made?  appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Eye of the universeMark Zastrow
    Overall Photons: Andrea Iorio, Elisa Cuccu, Fernando Linsalata, Javier Caldera, Paul Montague, Carlos Uriarte Castillo, Darius Kopriva, Drew Evans, Bruno Rota Sargi, Blake Behrends, Manuel Alejandro Chavarría Silva, Phillip Hoppes, Jan Beranek, Roberto Volpini, Pier Mattia Basciano, Marco Finatti, Jeff Ratino, Vakhtang Khutsishvili, and Patrice Soom NGC 7293 — better known as the Helix NebulaContinue reading "Eye of the universe" The post Eye of the universe appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Eye of the universe

November 4th 2024 at 2:30 pm

Overall Photons: Andrea Iorio, Elisa Cuccu, Fernando Linsalata, Javier Caldera, Paul Montague, Carlos Uriarte Castillo, Darius Kopriva, Drew Evans, Bruno Rota Sargi, Blake Behrends, Manuel Alejandro Chavarría Silva, Phillip Hoppes, Jan Beranek, Roberto Volpini, Pier Mattia Basciano, Marco Finatti, Jeff Ratino, Vakhtang Khutsishvili, and Patrice Soom NGC 7293 — better known as the Helix NebulaContinue reading "Eye of the universe"

The post Eye of the universe appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • How Edwin Hubble won the Great DebateAlison Klesman
    By the dawn of the 20th century, not much had changed in the 400 years since Galileo’s discovery of the four jovian moons and his confirmation of Copernicus’ Sun-centered solar system.  Through the early 1900s, astronomers disagreed on whether the universe was home to a multitude of galaxies, so-called “island universes,” or contained entirely withinContinue reading "How Edwin Hubble won the Great Debate" The post How Edwin Hubble won the Great Debate appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

How Edwin Hubble won the Great Debate

November 2nd 2024 at 8:30 pm

By the dawn of the 20th century, not much had changed in the 400 years since Galileo’s discovery of the four jovian moons and his confirmation of Copernicus’ Sun-centered solar system.  Through the early 1900s, astronomers disagreed on whether the universe was home to a multitude of galaxies, so-called “island universes,” or contained entirely withinContinue reading "How Edwin Hubble won the Great Debate"

The post How Edwin Hubble won the Great Debate appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve from NASARandall Hyman
    Scientists breathed a collective sigh of relief last week when NASA announced that the Chandra X-ray Observatory had been spared the chopping block — at least for another year. It was an abrupt about-face from plans announced in March to decommission the space-based telescope by this December.  Much of the credit for the 11th-hour stayContinue reading "Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve from NASA" The post Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve f
     

Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve from NASA

November 2nd 2024 at 1:00 am

Scientists breathed a collective sigh of relief last week when NASA announced that the Chandra X-ray Observatory had been spared the chopping block — at least for another year. It was an abrupt about-face from plans announced in March to decommission the space-based telescope by this December.  Much of the credit for the 11th-hour stayContinue reading "Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve from NASA"

The post Chandra X-ray telescope, facing chopping block, gets reprieve from NASA appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Trump’s records on space policyAlison Klesman
    The next president of the United States could be the first in that office to accept a phone call from the Moon and hear a woman’s voice on the line. To do so, they’ll first need to make a series of strategic space policy decisions. They’ll also need a little luck. Enormous government investment supports outerContinue reading "Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Trump’s records on space policy" The post Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Tr
     

Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Trump’s records on space policy

November 1st 2024 at 11:15 pm

The next president of the United States could be the first in that office to accept a phone call from the Moon and hear a woman’s voice on the line. To do so, they’ll first need to make a series of strategic space policy decisions. They’ll also need a little luck. Enormous government investment supports outerContinue reading "Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Trump’s records on space policy"

The post Opinion: An international affairs expert breaks down Harris and Trump’s records on space policy appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Gales of NovemberMark Zastrow
    Bob Fera/Steve Mandel, taken from Sierra Remote Observatories, California The Sailboat Cluster (NGC 225) is an open star cluster in Cassiopeia; its common name was given to it by Astronomy contributor Rodney Pommier for the visual pattern of its stars. (If you can’t see the sailboat, try tilting your head slightly to the right.) TheContinue reading "Gales of November" The post Gales of November appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Gales of November

November 1st 2024 at 7:17 pm

Bob Fera/Steve Mandel, taken from Sierra Remote Observatories, California The Sailboat Cluster (NGC 225) is an open star cluster in Cassiopeia; its common name was given to it by Astronomy contributor Rodney Pommier for the visual pattern of its stars. (If you can’t see the sailboat, try tilting your head slightly to the right.) TheContinue reading "Gales of November"

The post Gales of November appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Here’s how ISS astronauts will vote in the 2024 electionAlison Klesman
    Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) orbit the Earth hundreds of miles above American soil. But that doesn’t mean they can’t vote while they float. Indeed, Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams—who have been in the orbital laboratory since June after their test mission was extended due to safety concerns—said they intend to cast their ballots in theContinue reading "Here’s how ISS astronauts will vote in the 2024 election" The post Here’s how ISS astronau
     

Here’s how ISS astronauts will vote in the 2024 election

November 1st 2024 at 6:35 pm

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) orbit the Earth hundreds of miles above American soil. But that doesn’t mean they can’t vote while they float. Indeed, Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams—who have been in the orbital laboratory since June after their test mission was extended due to safety concerns—said they intend to cast their ballots in theContinue reading "Here’s how ISS astronauts will vote in the 2024 election"

The post Here’s how ISS astronauts will vote in the 2024 election appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Bringing the Sun to lightSten Odenwald
    For thousands of years, humans have worshipped the Sun. Our ancestors built monuments and temples to it, and used it to mark the annual cycle of seasons. For ancient Egyptians, their most important god, Re, was the personification of the Sun itself. Today, we are no less in thrall to the wonders and mysteries ofContinue reading "Bringing the Sun to light" The post Bringing the Sun to light appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Bringing the Sun to light

November 1st 2024 at 4:30 pm

For thousands of years, humans have worshipped the Sun. Our ancestors built monuments and temples to it, and used it to mark the annual cycle of seasons. For ancient Egyptians, their most important god, Re, was the personification of the Sun itself. Today, we are no less in thrall to the wonders and mysteries ofContinue reading "Bringing the Sun to light"

The post Bringing the Sun to light appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

November 2024: What’s in the sky this month? Mars and Jupiter are improving, while Uranus reaches opposition

November 1st 2024 at 8:30 am

November brings many sights to explore, including Mercury in the early evening, Mars brightening, and the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn adding to the spectacle. Jupiter in particular is reaching its best apparition in a decade for Northern Hemisphere observers. Let’s start soon after sunset. Mercury hugs the southwest horizon and remains easily visible throughoutContinue reading "November 2024: What’s in the sky this month? Mars and Jupiter are improving, while Uranus reaches opposition"

The post November 2024: What’s in the sky this month? Mars and Jupiter are improving, while Uranus reaches opposition appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into viewAlison Klesman
    Friday, November 1New Moon occurs this morning at 8:47 A.M. EDT.  The planet Mercury is now becoming visible, low in the evening sky. If you have a clear view southwest, you may catch the planet some 30 minutes after sunset, hanging just 2° above the horizon. Although bright at magnitude –0.3, it may be difficultContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into view" The post The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into view appeared fir
     

The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into view

November 1st 2024 at 8:30 am

Friday, November 1New Moon occurs this morning at 8:47 A.M. EDT.  The planet Mercury is now becoming visible, low in the evening sky. If you have a clear view southwest, you may catch the planet some 30 minutes after sunset, hanging just 2° above the horizon. Although bright at magnitude –0.3, it may be difficultContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into view"

The post The Sky This Week from November 1 to 8: Valles Marineris comes into view appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Boeing can recover from its Starliner troubles, but it can’t afford any other misfires

November 1st 2024 at 12:30 am
The partial failure of Starliner’s mission doesn’t help Boeing’s effort to bounce back from its problems. The company’s reputation has not been irreparably damaged, however. Boeing can recover and is taking the right initiatives to re-emphasise a safety culture – something that’s crucial to its business going forward.

© NASA

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane damage and human failures, says reportMark Zastrow
    Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory was felled by the combination of a hurricane, an equipment failure never before seen in the annals of engineering, and an “alarming” lack of concern from engineers and inspectors when crucial support cables were seen slipping out of their sockets years before the main platform of the famed radio telescope cameContinue reading "Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane damage and human failures, says report" The post Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane dama
     

Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane damage and human failures, says report

October 31st 2024 at 11:43 pm

Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory was felled by the combination of a hurricane, an equipment failure never before seen in the annals of engineering, and an “alarming” lack of concern from engineers and inspectors when crucial support cables were seen slipping out of their sockets years before the main platform of the famed radio telescope cameContinue reading "Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane damage and human failures, says report"

The post Arecibo telescope was doomed by hurricane damage and human failures, says report appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Stare into the 'blood-soaked eyes' of 2 spooky galaxies in new Hubble, JWST images (video)

October 31st 2024 at 10:00 pm
Two of the world's most powerful space telescopes have spied a spooky pair of galaxies in deep space, staring out like a pair of "blood-soaked" eyes  just in time for Halloween.

© NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Boo!Mark Zastrow
    Jeff Schilling from Houston, Texas The star Gamma (γ) Cassiopeia sets aglow the interstellar clouds of IC 63 and IC 59, which appear like a ghost and its tail, respectively. This imager used a 5-inch refractor to take exposures in HαRGB filters of 5.4, 2, 2, and 2 hours, respectively. The post Boo! appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Boo!

October 31st 2024 at 1:23 am

Jeff Schilling from Houston, Texas The star Gamma (γ) Cassiopeia sets aglow the interstellar clouds of IC 63 and IC 59, which appear like a ghost and its tail, respectively. This imager used a 5-inch refractor to take exposures in HαRGB filters of 5.4, 2, 2, and 2 hours, respectively.

The post Boo! appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Can 'failed stars' have planets? James Webb Space Telescopes offers clues

October 31st 2024 at 12:31 am
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered brown dwarfs at the heart of planet-forming disks in the Orion nebula. The discovery could help reveal if these "failed stars" can have planets.

© NASA/ESA/CSA, Mark McCaughrean/ESA, Massimo Robberto/STScI/JHU, Kevin Luhman/Penn State, Catarina Alves de Oliveira/ESA.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern scienceAlison Klesman
    For all of human history, the Sun has served as a great constant in daily life. As this brilliant orb blazes across the sky, it sustaind life, provides harmonious rhythms to our world, and marks the continuous passage of time. It is no wonder that curious minds have always sought to explain both the Sun’sContinue reading "Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern science" The post Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern science appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
     

Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern science

October 30th 2024 at 9:40 pm

For all of human history, the Sun has served as a great constant in daily life. As this brilliant orb blazes across the sky, it sustaind life, provides harmonious rhythms to our world, and marks the continuous passage of time. It is no wonder that curious minds have always sought to explain both the Sun’sContinue reading "Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern science"

The post Tales of the Sun: From myth to modern science appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

  • ✇Astronomy Magazine
  • Watch a zombie star feed on its companionDaniela Mata
    “Watch out for rambunctious stars. They are trouble,” says Astronomy Editor David Eicher. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) just published a new photograph showing the stunning masterpiece that is R Aquarii, lying about 700 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius the Water-bearer. It is an uncommon type of binary star system displaying chaotic behavior andContinue reading "Watch a zombie star feed on its companion" The post Watch a zombie star feed on its companion appeared first on Astron
     

Watch a zombie star feed on its companion

October 30th 2024 at 4:30 pm

“Watch out for rambunctious stars. They are trouble,” says Astronomy Editor David Eicher. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) just published a new photograph showing the stunning masterpiece that is R Aquarii, lying about 700 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius the Water-bearer. It is an uncommon type of binary star system displaying chaotic behavior andContinue reading "Watch a zombie star feed on its companion"

The post Watch a zombie star feed on its companion appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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