March 2021 – Page 2 – Astronomy Now

Now you see it, now you don’t: what happened to Mars’ water?

16 March 2021 Astronomy Now

New research indicates most of the water that once flowed and pooled on Mars may still be there, locked in minerals making up the planet’s crust.

A “gem” of a young star cluster shines in Carina

16 March 2021 Astronomy Now

A beautiful star cluster in Carina, known as the Gem, was first observed in 1757. The young, 10-million-year-old cluster is seen here in all its glory courtesy of ESO’s 2.2-metre MPG telescope at La Silla Observatory in Chile.

Hubble Space Telescope out of safe mode after software glitch

15 March 2021 Astronomy Now

Engineers resolved a software glitch aboard the Hubble Space Telescope but ran into trouble with a motor used to open and close its aperture door.

Observe Comet 2020 R4 (ATLAS) as it wings its way towards Earth

15 March 2021 Mark Armstrong

Long-period comet 2020 R4 (ATLAS) is gracing our predawn skies this week and is well-worth a look through a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.

Solving a cosmic (ray) mystery

12 March 2021 Astronomy Now

New research indicates the most energetic cosmic rays may be generated in young star clusters, not supernovae as previously theorised.

Fisheye lens on space station captures vast panorama

8 March 2021 Astronomy Now

Using a wide-angle lens, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a dramatic near-cloudless view of north Africa and the Middle East.

Red hypergiant mimics Betelguese with dusty dimming on a vast scale

7 March 2021 Astronomy Now

Red hypergiant star mimics Betelgeuse with dust-related dimming, but on a vastly larger scale.

Hubble captures the “Black Eye” galaxy in glorious detail

3 March 2021 Astronomy Now

M64, more casually known as the “Black Eye” galaxy, is a familiar target for amateur astronomers, but it shines in all its glory – and earns its nickname – in images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Evidence grows for pulsar at the heart of famed supernova remnant

1 March 2021 Astronomy Now

Astronomers find more evidence for an obscured pulsar at the heart of the famed SN 1987A supernova remnant.