April 2018 – Page 2 – Astronomy Now

Astronomers collect spectra in search for Sun’s lost siblings

20 April 2018 William Harwood

Australian astronomers are in the process of collecting the spectra of a million stars across the Milky Way in a project to study galactic evolution. In the process, they hope to track down at least some of the sun’s lost siblings.

Get ready for the Lyrid meteor shower this weekend

20 April 2018 Ade Ashford

If skies are clear between moonset and the first glimmer of dawn this weekend, you may get to see some celestial fireworks from the Lyrid meteor shower. While it may not be the richest of the annual shooting star displays, the Lyrids can deliver a few fireballs and a portion of these medium-speed meteors can leave glowing trains.

Mars moons likely formed from more modest impact

19 April 2018 Astronomy Now

Sophisticated computer modeling indicates Mars’ two small moons likely formed as the result of a relatively modest-size impactor, not a much larger body as previously theorized.

Hubble peers into the heart of the Lagoon Nebula

19 April 2018 Astronomy Now

Marking its 28th anniversary in space, the Hubble Space Telescope peered deep into the heart of the Lagoon Nebula, capturing a spectacular vista of a vast star-forming region familiar to amateur astronomers around the world.

All-sky surveyor launched from Cape Canaveral on the hunt for exoplanets

19 April 2018 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, built to find planets around other stars that are close enough for detailed follow-ups by future telescopes, launched Wednesday into a unique high-altitude orbit on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

See the young crescent Moon meet Venus at dusk on 18 April

18 April 2018 Ade Ashford

Observers in Western Europe should try to locate Venus low in the western sky an hour after sunset. The 3-day-old slim crescent Moon acts as a convenient guide, located some 12½ degrees (or half the span of an outstretched hand at arm’s length) to the upper left of the brightest planet on 18 April. Prominent star Aldebaran lies in the same low-power binocular field of view as the Moon too.

Powerful new camera developed to directly image exoplanets

16 April 2018 Astronomy Now

Physicists are testing a powerful new camera known as DARKNESS that is designed to directly image exoplanets orbiting nearby stars. The camera is being tested with the 200-inch Hale Telescope at Mount Palomar.

Hubble captures extremely remote galaxy cluster

16 April 2018 William Harwood

The Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3 captured an image of a massive galaxy cluster some six billion light years from Earth, part of a program to find targets for the James Webb Space Telescope.

Juno peers beneath Jupiter’s cloud tops, revealing wonders

11 April 2018 William Harwood

Using infrared data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft, scientists have assembled a 3D map of Jupiter’s north polar region, showing details of a huge central cyclone and eight surrounding storms. Juno also is shedding light on Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field.

Jupiter’s red spot might be shrinking, but it’s still great!

10 April 2018 William Harwood

The Juno probe’s public-outreach camera routinely captures stunning views of Jupiter cloudtops and storms, including the Great Red Spot, seen here in an image processed by graphic artist Seán Doran. The GRS has been shrinking for years, but it remains easily the largest storm in the solar system and one still worthy of its name.