2015 – Page 77 – Astronomy Now

First light for new exoplanet-hunting telescopes

15 January 2015 Astronomy Now

Astronomers extend the search for Neptune-sized and smaller exoplanets to the southern sky with the Next-Generation Transit Survey — a new array of twelve robotic telescopes built by a UK, Swiss and German consortium.

10 years since we landed on Titan

14 January 2015 Keith Cooper

Ten years ago today, on 14 January 2005, a compact, flattened cylinder called Huygens, chock-full of sensors, cameras and scientific experiments, went hurtling through the orange skies of the mysterious moon Titan.

International Astronomical Union opens exoplanet naming contest

13 January 2015 Astronomy Now

The IAU opens the first ever contest allowing members of the public to name ExoWorlds, offering registered clubs and organisations the chance to nominate their favourite systems to take through to the next rounds.

Hubble’s high-definition panoramic view of the Andromeda Galaxy

13 January 2015 Astronomy Now

A large swathe of the Andromeda Galaxy, our galactic next-door neighbour, is mapped in unprecedented detail in the largest NASA Hubble Space Telescope image ever assembled.

NASA’s Mars Rover Opportunity scales new heights

11 January 2015 Astronomy Now

Despite ongoing problems with its flash memory, Opportunity reached the summit of “Cape Tribulation” on the rim of Endeavour Crater during its 3,894th Martian day, pausing to photograph the stunning vista.

See asteroid 1630 Milet occult a star tonight

11 January 2015 Ade Ashford

Observers in China, Western Europe and the southern British Isles get a chance to see tiny asteroid 1630 Milet pass in front of a star visible in binoculars and small telescopes. We show you where and when to see it.

Scientists pinpoint Saturn with exquisite accuracy

9 January 2015 Astronomy Now

Researchers have paired the continent-wide Very Large Baseline Array radio telescope system with NASA’s Cassini spacecraft to determine the position of Saturn and its moons to within two miles — at a range of nearly a billion miles.

NASA’s unprecedented look at superstar Eta Carinae

8 January 2015 Astronomy Now

Eta Carinae is the most luminous and massive stellar system within 10,000 light-years of Earth. A long-term study led by astronomers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center used satellites, ground-based telescopes and theoretical modelling to produce the most comprehensive picture of Eta Carinae to date.

See Comet Lovejoy at its best

6 January 2015 Ade Ashford

With Full Moon past, opportunities to see Comet Lovejoy are improving again. So don’t miss the first bright comet of 2015 with our nightly observing guide.

Hubble Revisits the Iconic ‘Pillars of Creation’

5 January 2015 Astronomy Now

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Hubble Space Telescope has revisited the famous “Pillars of Creation”, providing astronomers with a sharper and wider view.