Archive – Page 57 – Astronomy Now

Red supergiant Betelgeuse not so bright, not so giant, not so far away

16 October 2020 Astronomy Now

The red supergiant Betelgeuse, a prime supernova candidate in the not-too-distant future, may not be quite as large and far away as previously thought.

Supermassive black hole ‘spaghettifies’ doomed star in tidal disruption event

12 October 2020 Astronomy Now

Catching a tidal disruption event early allowed astronomers to follow along as a supermassive black hole devoured a passing star.

Hubble captures a barred spiral galaxy aglow with blazing stellar nurseries

9 October 2020 Astronomy Now

The Hubble Space Telescope, working with the ALMA radio observatory to characterize galactic environments conducive to star formation, captures a prime example in splendid detail.

Nobel Prize in physics honours black hole theory and observation

6 October 2020 Astronomy Now

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics honours Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for the theory and observation of black holes

Stunning new view of the Carina Nebula shows power of adaptive optics

5 October 2020 Astronomy Now

An infrared adaptive optics system gives Gemini South telescope a remarkably clear view of the Carina Nebula, providing a wealth of never-before-seen detail.

Thirty Hubble exposures blended to reveal stunning view of a face-on spiral

4 October 2020 Astronomy Now

Thirty Hubble exposures captured over nine hours provide a stunning look at a face-on spiral galaxy that has hosted two recent Type 1a supernovae.

Scientists precisely measure total amount of matter in the cosmos

28 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Astronomers come up with the best estimate yet for the total amount of normal and dark matter making up the universe.

Juno probe captures Jupiter’s polar cyclones in all their psychedelic glory

27 September 2020 Astronomy Now

A composite, extreme false-colour image of Jupiter’s northern polar regions based on data from NASA’s Juno orbiter highlights a striking assembly of huge cyclones roiling the giant planet’s atmosphere.

Listening to the music of the Milky Way

26 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have turned the 1s and 0s making up images from three space observatories into sound, allowing them to hear the “music” of the Milky Way.

Black hole’s shadow is wobbling, providing insights into dynamics of accretion disc

23 September 2020 Astronomy Now

The famously imaged shadow of the supermassive black hole at the heart of galaxy M87 is wobbling, opening a new window on the dynamics of its accretion disc.