Astronomy Now – Page 49

TESS mosaic hints at data-rich southern sky survey

7 November 2019 Astronomy Now

The TESS exoplanet hunter has completed its initial survey of the southern sky, allowing researchers to produce a spectacular mosaic.

Voyager 2 data sheds more light on boundary of interstellar space

5 November 2019 Astronomy Now

Data from the Voyager 2 probe is helping scientists gain a better understanding of the interstellar environment just outside the Sun’s influence.

Citizen scientists showcased for spectacular images

3 November 2019 Astronomy Now

The Chandra X-ray Observatory project is showcasing citizen scientists who help astronomers by sifting through public data archives and processing spectacular, scientifically valuable images that can lead to new discoveries.

Four galaxy clusters merging in colossal collision

31 October 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have caught four galaxy clusters in the process of merging, a collision expected to eventually form one of the most massive objects in the universe.

NASA funds Pluto orbiter concept study

31 October 2019 Astronomy Now

One of 10 studies sponsored by NASA to explore possible planetary missions includes one for a Pluto orbiter that also would venture into the Kuiper Belt.

5,000 electronic “eyes” poised to map the effects of dark energy

30 October 2019 Astronomy Now

The DESI instrument’s 5,000 fiber optic detectors and positioning elements are undergoing tests before starting an ambitious dark energy survey of 35 million galaxies.

Heavy element creation confirmed in neutron star merger

29 October 2019 Astronomy Now

For the first time, astronomers have identified a specific heavy element – strontium – created in the wake of a cataclysmic neutron star merger.

VLT images suggest fourth-largest asteroid may be a dwarf planet

29 October 2019 Astronomy Now

New observations of the asteroid Hygiea reveal a nearly spherical shape, indicating the body meets the basic qualifications for dwarf-planet status.

Colliding galaxies provide a Hubble harbinger of Halloween

28 October 2019 Astronomy Now

A ghostly “head” stares out from the depths of space in this Hubble Space Telescope image of two galaxies crashing into each other 704 light years away, a captivating harbinger of Halloween. The photo was captured in an ongoing survey of interacting galaxies to learn more about how such systems evolve.

Mars 2020 rover stands on its own in pre-launch milestone

27 October 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s 2020 Mars rover has been stood up on its six wheels for the first time in a major milestone on the road to launch next year and landing in Jezero Crater in 2021.