September 2020 – Page 2

Possible evidence found for life on Venus

14 September 2020 Keith Cooper

The best evidence for life beyond Earth has been found in the most surprising of places – the atmosphere of Venus. A team led by Jane Greaves, who is a professor at Cardiff University, has detected the presence of phosphine gas in Venus’ clouds.

Watch today’s major announcement from the Royal Astronomical Society

14 September 2020 Astronomy Now

The Royal Astronomical Society is hosting a news conference today to announce a groundbreaking astronomy result. Tune in at 4pm BST (1500 GMT).

A new angle on the Andromeda galaxy wins astrophotography prize

14 September 2020 Astronomy Now

French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux has beaten thousands of amateur and professional photographers from around the globe to win the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s title of Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020.

Iconic Arecibo Observatory undergoing detailed structural inspections

11 September 2020 Astronomy Now

The Arecibo Observatory remains off line pending results of detailed structural and safety analyses needed to clear the way for repairs.

Japan’s MMX Mars probe will carry 8K “Super Hi-Vision Camera”

11 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Japan’s planned Martian Moons eXploration mission will carry an ultra-high resolution 8K camera system to the red planet.

Previewing the Sun’s fate: a white dwarf blazing in the colourful shroud of a planetary nebula

10 September 2020 Astronomy Now

The Hubble Space Telescope’s view of a colourful planetary nebula 4,000 light years away previews the fate of the Sun, showing a hot white dwarf illuminating the blown-off outer layers of its atmosphere.

Shotgun-like meteoroid impacts and thermal stress trigger asteroid ejections

9 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Small rocks seen spewing into space from the asteroid Bennu likely were ejected due to thermal stress and shotgun-like meteoroid impacts.

Survey finds no detectable alien radio signals across 10 million stars

8 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Australian researchers find no detectable alien radio emissions across at least 10 million stars

Chandra shows off multiwavelength “treasure chest of cosmic delights”

7 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Multiwavelength astronomy offers a fresh look at familiar and unfamiliar targets alike.

A familiar face-on spiral hosts stars galore and a supermassive black hole

7 September 2020 Astronomy Now

The spiral galaxy M61, mistaken for a comet by Charles Messier in 1779, is an anchor tenant of the Virgo galaxy cluster, a beehive of rapid star birth.