August 2020 – Page 2 – Astronomy Now

Hubble offers explanation for dramatic dimming of Betelgeuse

14 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Observations by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest a huge eruption and resulting dust cloud caused recent dimming of Betelgeuse.

ALMA spots unusually stable galaxy shining early in cosmic history

12 August 2020 Astronomy Now

A gravitationally lensed galaxy shining just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang surprises astronomers with unusually evolved features.

Arecibo radio telescope damaged by cable break

11 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Engineers assess damage to Arecibo Observatory’ after a support cable snapped, causing a 30-metre-long gash in its reflector dish.

Bright deposits in Ceres’ Occator Crater hint at ongoing cryovolcanism

10 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Detailed analysis indicates the dwarf planet Ceres may be geologically active with ongoing cryovolcanism.

Don’t miss the Perseid meteor shower

10 August 2020 Mark Armstrong

Get ready for the annual Perseid meteor shower this week, one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the astronomical calendar.

Hubble tests techniques for finding biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres

7 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Hubble uses sunlight reflected from the moon during an eclipse to detect ozone in Earth’s atmosphere, testing methods needed to assess exoplanet atmospheres.

“Space Butterfly” in Vela offers remarkable view of twin-lobed planetary nebula

7 August 2020 Astronomy Now

ESO’s Very Large Telescope captures a colourful view of an unusual bipolar planetary nebula resembling a vast butterfly stretching up to four light years across in the southern constellation Vela.

Radio astronomers measure star’s wobble, find Saturn-size exoplanet

4 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Radio telescope finds Saturn-class exoplanet orbiting nearby dwarf star after measuring slight changes in the star’s position.

As three probes head for Mars, Curiosity nears eighth anniversary on red planet

4 August 2020 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity rover, nearing its eighth anniversary on Mars, will welcome U.S. and Chinese rovers next February, along with an orbiter from the United Arab Emirates. They will have their work cut out for them matching Curiosity’s achievements.

Sub-glacial melting, not flowing rivers, may explain martian channels

3 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Channels seen as evidence for flowing rivers on ancient Mars may have been carved by subglacial meltwater, new research concludes.