Archive – Page 84 – Astronomy Now

Panel recommends planetary protection policy reassessment

20 October 2019 Astronomy Now

An independent review board recommends that NASA reassess its planetary protection protocols to reflect current technology and planned missions.

Don’t miss the close flyby of bright space rock 1998 HL1, 25–29 October

18 October 2019 Ade Ashford

Their high detection rate reveals that near-Earth asteroids are commonplace, but they’re typically small, fleetingly observable and very faint. Hence an opportunity to view a large example bright enough to see in a typical backyard telescope shouldn’t be missed! Here’s our guide to tracking down 700-metre-wide 1998 HL1 between 25 and 29 October 2019.

Orbiter spots InSight on Mars as heat probe resumes hammering

17 October 2019 Astronomy Now

After months of troubleshooting, engineers say the InSight Mars lander’s German temperature probe has resumed its hammering into the martian surface.

Hubble observes interstellar visitor

16 October 2019 Stephen Clark

The Hubble Space Telescope has returned an image of a comet that originated outside our Solar System, providing astronomers with their best view yet of an interstellar visitor.

Citizen scientists track down asteroids in Hubble photos

14 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Citizen scientists spot thousands of asteroid trails in archived photos from the Hubble Space Telescope, helping astronomers pin down orbits

Hubble takes the measure of a nearby globular cluster

13 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Globular clusters are favourite targets for amateur astronomers, vast star swarms that date back to just after the big bang birth of the cosmos. NGC 6397 is one of the closest, as revealed by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Best view yet of flickering jets in black hole feeding frenzy

13 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers capture the most detailed view yet of the titanic flickers and millisecond flashes generated by material swirling around a black hole.

Watch the Moon hide naked-eye star Zeta (ζ) Tauri on 19 October

11 October 2019 Ade Ashford

When a nearby astronomical body passes between the observer and a more distant object, see say that an occultation is taking place. Since the Moon is our nearest celestial neighbour, it regularly passes in front of planets and stars. Observers in the British Isles can see naked-eye star Zeta (ζ) Tauri glide behind the Moon on Saturday, 19 October 2019.

Curiosity closing in on Mars’ transition from wet to dry

9 October 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is closing in on finding out when the martian environment transitioned from a habitable era to the inhospitable desert seen today.

Saturn now boasts Solar System’s most known moons: 82

7 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Planetary astronomer Scott Sheppard leads team in discovery of 20 new moons around Saturday, pushing the ringed planet’s total to a record 82.