October 2019 – Astronomy Now

Four galaxy clusters merging in colossal collision

31 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have caught four galaxy clusters in the process of merging, a collision expected to eventually form one of the most massive objects in the universe.

NASA funds Pluto orbiter concept study

31 October 2019 Astronomy Now

One of 10 studies sponsored by NASA to explore possible planetary missions includes one for a Pluto orbiter that also would venture into the Kuiper Belt.

5,000 electronic “eyes” poised to map the effects of dark energy

30 October 2019 Astronomy Now

The DESI instrument’s 5,000 fiber optic detectors and positioning elements are undergoing tests before starting an ambitious dark energy survey of 35 million galaxies.

Heavy element creation confirmed in neutron star merger

29 October 2019 Astronomy Now

For the first time, astronomers have identified a specific heavy element – strontium – created in the wake of a cataclysmic neutron star merger.

VLT images suggest fourth-largest asteroid may be a dwarf planet

29 October 2019 Astronomy Now

New observations of the asteroid Hygiea reveal a nearly spherical shape, indicating the body meets the basic qualifications for dwarf-planet status.

Colliding galaxies provide a Hubble harbinger of Halloween

28 October 2019 Astronomy Now

A ghostly “head” stares out from the depths of space in this Hubble Space Telescope image of two galaxies crashing into each other 704 light years away, a captivating harbinger of Halloween. The photo was captured in an ongoing survey of interacting galaxies to learn more about how such systems evolve.

Mars 2020 rover stands on its own in pre-launch milestone

27 October 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s 2020 Mars rover has been stood up on its six wheels for the first time in a major milestone on the road to launch next year and landing in Jezero Crater in 2021.

Observe planet Uranus at its best in the autumn sky

27 October 2019 Ade Ashford

Have you ever seen Uranus with the naked eye? If not, moonless nights in late October and November offer ideal conditions to test your visual acuity and sky clarity. Uranus reaches opposition in the constellation of Aries on 28 October 2019 and lies 48° above the southern horizon at midnight as seen from the heart of the British Isles. Here is our guide to tracking down the seventh planet from the Sun.

“Tension” increases with different measurement of Hubble constant

24 October 2019 Astronomy Now

The first use of adaptive optics to measure the Hubble constant appears to confirm a discrepancy in cosmologists’ understanding of how fast the universe is expanding.

Curiosity snaps a selfie at Mount Sharp drill site

24 October 2019 Astronomy Now

The Curiosity Mars rover snaps a 57-image composite selfie while exploring the Glen Etive region of Mount Sharp where it drilled and collected two samples for chemical analysis.