Astronomy Now – Page 59

NASA helicopter passes key tests on road to Mars flight

10 June 2019 Astronomy Now

Engineers are making preparations to attach a small drone-like helicopter to the Mars 2020 rover; a webcam is now available to monitor the rover’s assembly.

A dark vortex swirling in a Jovian jet stream

7 June 2019 Astronomy Now

The gift that keeps on giving, NASA’s Juno spacecraft is re-writing the textbooks about the inner workings of Jupiter, beaming back stunning photos along the way.

Polarisation study finds no new evidence for cosmic “anomalies”

7 June 2019 Astronomy Now

A new study based on polarisation data from ESA’s Planck spacecraft finds no new evidence for large-scale “anomalies” in the Cosmic Microwave Background.

Double asteroid tracked by VLT in planetary defence test

4 June 2019 Astronomy Now

ESO’s Very Large Telescope successfully tracked and imaged a fast-moving double asteroid in a key test of ongoing planetary defence efforts.

NASA funds commercial moon landers for science, exploration

2 June 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA funds three fast-track lunar landers to help kick start private-sector lunar exploration and pave the way for astronaut landings starting in 2024.

Curiosity confirms clay deposits on slopes of Mount Sharp

31 May 2019 Astronomy Now

The Curiosity Mars rover has confirmed the presence of clay deposits, formed in the presence of water in the distant past, on the slopes of Mount Sharp.

Spitzer snaps family portrait capturing stars from infancy to old age

31 May 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, scheduled to cease operations in January, captures a family portrait showing stars spanning the full range of stellar evolution, from infancy to old age.

Rare-Earth metals found in atmosphere of hellish exoplanet

28 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers studying the hottest exoplanet discovered to date have detected multiple elements in its super-heated atmosphere, including iron and titanium.

New study suggests higher cometary contribution to Earth’s oceans

27 May 2019 Astronomy Now

SOFIA observations suggest a class of hyperactive comets contains ice similar to seawater, reinforcing the idea comets contributed to Earth’s oceans.

A rich globular lurking in the shadow of a more famous sibling

27 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Lurking in plain sight just a stone’s throw away from a more famous sibling is the rich globular cluster M92, one of the brightest in the northern sky and a worthy target for even modest telescopes.