Archive – Page 325 – Astronomy Now

Space observatories find missing clue to galaxy cluster formation

2 April 2015 Astronomy Now

Astronomers using the Herschel Space Observatory and Plank satellite, plus University of Arizona observatories, discover likely precursors of the galaxy clusters we see today and reveal glimpses into how galaxies like our Milky Way came to be.

Follow Comet Lovejoy into the high north during April

1 April 2015 Ade Ashford

Comet Lovejoy continues its northerly trek through Cassiopeia, en route to a close encounter with Polaris on May 27th. A circumpolar object of the high north, the comet never sets as seen from the British Isles this month — what’s more, it’s brighter than predicted.

Make the most of observing Jupiter and its moons during April

1 April 2015 Ade Ashford

Jupiter may be two months past opposition, but it’s still big, bright and high to the south before 9 pm from the centre of the British Isles. The Galilean moons, their shadows and the Great Red Spot are all on show — plus mutual phenomena of the moons.

The iOptron iEQ45 mount revisited

31 March 2015 Astronomy Now

Ninian Boyle tests the updated version of iOptron’s classic iEQ45 mount and finds portability and versatility in a single package.

Curiosity’s Martian nitrogen find raises possibility of ancient life

31 March 2015 Astronomy Now

Nitrogen, in the form of nitric oxide (one nitrogen atom and one oxygen atom), has been detected for the first time on the surface of Mars by a team of researchers using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite aboard NASA’s Curiosity rover, adding to the growing speculation that life could have once flourished on ancient Mars.

Race to detect gravitational waves intensifies

31 March 2015 Astronomy Now

One of the great challenges in astrophysics is the detection of low-frequency gravitational waves — elusive ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by extremely energetic and large-scale cosmic events. To this end, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves $14.5 million over 5 years.

Cassini gets our best view yet of Saturn’s moon Rhea

30 March 2015 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Cassini probe has entered a new series of orbits which bring it close to Saturn’s icy moons. It has already captured the highest resolution view yet of Rhea, Saturn’s second largest moon.

Planet Mercury blackened by billions of years of comet dust

30 March 2015 Astronomy Now

Mercury’s dark, barely reflective surface has long been a mystery to scientists. Now, researchers believe that a steady rain of carbon over billions of years from comets crumbling near the Sun has coated the innermost planet.

iStar WXT 204-6LT refractor review

29 March 2015 Astronomy Now

For truly immersive deep-sky views, it’s hard to better the high contrast, wide-angle images delivered by a large aperture refractor of short focal ratio. Refractor expert Neil English takes the 8-inch f/6 iStar WXT 204-6LT through its paces and likes what he sees.

A dramatic starscape in the Southern Hemisphere

29 March 2015 Astronomy Now

This view in the southern constellation of Ara (The Altar) is a treasure trove of celestial objects. Star clusters, emission nebulae and active star-forming regions are just some of the riches observed in this region lying some 4000 light-years from Earth.