May 2019 – Page 2 – Astronomy Now

Galactic hit-and-run collision spawns firestorm of starbirth in its wake

20 May 2019 Astronomy Now

A glancing collision between two galaxies in the distant past triggered a firestorm of starbirth in the smaller of the two, leaving one side relatively intact while the other was set ablaze by gravitational stresses.

Maps of Moon’s south pole provide context for astronaut visits

20 May 2019 Astronomy Now

A new atlas showing permanently shadowed areas near the Moon’s south pole shows possible targets of opportunity for ice-seeking astronauts.

See the Moon and Jupiter get close in the small hours of 21 May

19 May 2019 Ade Ashford

Observers in the UK with clear skies around 1am BST on Tuesday, 21 May can see Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet, just 4 degrees from the waning gibbous Moon low in the south-southeast. At this time both the Moon and Jupiter fit within the same field of view of binoculars magnifying less than 10×, while telescope users can also view Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Lunar orbiter pinpoints Israeli Beresheet crash site

17 May 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s eagle-eyed Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted the site where the Israeli Beresheet lander crashed to the Moon’s surface in April.

Precision ground tracking critical to Gaia mapping

15 May 2019 Astronomy Now

High-precision tracking by ESO’s VLT Survey Telescope and others improves the accuracy of ESA’s galaxy-mapping Gaia spacecraft.

If it looks like a duck… it might be frost on Mars

14 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Late winter sunlight hitting the surface of Mars at a low angle contributes to a striking Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image of sandy terrain dusted with frost, producing graceful shapes that evoke… a duck?

Re-analysis of Apollo seismic data indicates Moon still active

14 May 2019 Astronomy Now

A re-analysis of Apollo seismic data, along with ongoing observations by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, indicate the Moon is still tectonically active.

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover coming together at JPL

13 May 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover is taking shape at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where engineers are integrating key components.

OSIRIS-REx images show asteroid Bennu’s rubble pile appearance

13 May 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is busy mapping the asteroid Bennu, revealing a remarkably fractured surface littered with countless rocks of varying sizes giving it the appearance of a jumbled rubble pile in space.

New study hints at early galaxies lighting up cosmos

9 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Deep field observations by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes reveal many ancient galaxies shining brighter than expected, possibly providing energy to help turn the cosmos transparent.