News – Astronomy Now

13 November 2019

The first stars may have formed even earlier than first thought

10 November 2019 Astronomy Now

Analysis of light passing through an ancient gas cloud indicates the the first generation of stars began shining sooner than previously thought.

NICER spots thermonuclear flash from pulsar detonation

8 November 2019 Astronomy Now

The NICER X-ray telescope array aboard the International Space Station has witnessed a brilliant Type 1 X-ray burst from a pulsar 11,000 light years away.

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.

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.

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.