December 2015 – Page 6 – Astronomy Now

The brilliant core of a starburst galaxy

8 December 2015 Astronomy Now

This image taken by NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope showcases the brilliant core of NGC 1569 in the constellation Camelopardalis, one of the most active galaxies in our local neighbourhood. The entire core is 5000 light-years wide.

Princeton Tec Remix Red LED Headtorch

8 December 2015 Steve Ringwood

Reviewer Steve Ringwood appraises a headband flashlight that enables night vision with due respect to the needs of astronomy. White and dark-adaption red illumination is provided by one white and three red LEDs, respectively, in a 83g low-profile unit that does not protrude like some that aspire to Dalek-like proportions.

How We’ll Live on Mars

8 December 2015 Astronomy Now

Stephen Petranek’s book does not deal with the reasons for exploring the Red Planet, but does outline many of the problems that will be encountered getting to Mars and overcome in order to live on its surface. Reviewer Greg Smye-Rumsby states that the book touches on many aspects of space travel and independent living on Mars, but does so at the cost of detail. “However … it certainly has crammed a great deal in. A worthwhile read,” he says.

Myths, Symbols and Legends of Solar System Bodies

8 December 2015 Astronomy Now

The history of astronomy and how ancient peoples interpreted the Sun, Moon and planets through mythology, legends, art and popular culture is a fascinating one. However, reviewer I. Fontaine finds some serious errors in Rachel Alexander’s book. “It’s a rare example of reading something that overwhelms and disappoints in equal measure,” says Fontaine.

Astronomer solves mystery of ‘born again’ stars with Hubble

7 December 2015 Astronomy Now

University of Texas astronomer Natalie Gosnell has used the Hubble Space Telescope to better understand why some stars aren’t evolving as predicted. These so-called “blue stragglers” look hotter and bluer than they should for their advanced age. It’s almost as it they were somehow reinvigorated to look much younger than they really are.

Lunar occultation of Venus

7 December 2015 Astronomy Now

Venus is seen next to the crescent moon during the daytime, prior to the start of occultation, on 7 December 2015 in Washington, D.C. in the United States. The moon occulted, or passed in front of, Venus for the second time this year.

Japanese probe fires rockets to steer into orbit at Venus

7 December 2015 Stephen Clark

Five years after missing a shot to enter orbit at Venus, Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft completed a critical rocket burn early Monday in a bid to salvage the research mission and become the only space probe operating around Earth’s nearest planetary neighbor.

Venus and the Moon guide you to Comet Catalina in the pre-dawn sky

6 December 2015 Ade Ashford

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) is currently a morning object in Virgo low in the southeast before dawn twilight for UK observers. The comet has a photogenic close encounter with Venus and the waning crescent Moon on the mornings of 7—8 December, then rapidly heads north through the constellation Boötes for a closer brush with Arcturus on New Year’s Day.

Cassini peers through the haze of Saturn’s moon Titan

6 December 2015 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Cassini probe recently peered through the hazy clouds of Saturn’s moon Titan to reveal features on the surface below. The infrared image was captured during a more distant than usual fly past of the moon.

ALMA spots monstrous baby galaxies cradled in dark matter

6 December 2015 Astronomy Now

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) have discovered a nest of colossal baby galaxies 11.5 billion light-years away. The young galaxies seem to reside at the junction of gigantic filaments in a web of dark matter. These findings are important for understanding how enormous galaxies like these are formed and how they evolve into huge elliptical galaxies.