News – Page 2 – Astronomy Now

23 September 2020

Triple star system features mis-aligned planet-forming dust rings

4 September 2020 Astronomy Now

A star system in Orion features a warped protoplanetary disc that could indicate the presence of an unseen planet – a first for a triple star system.

Gravitational wave observatories detect biggest black hole merger yet

2 September 2020 Astronomy Now

Gravity waves indicate the birth of an elusive intermediate-mass black hole, raising fresh questions about the gap between stellar and supermassive black holes.

Astronomers find dual quasars are exceedingly rare

1 September 2020 Astronomy Now

While galaxy collisions and mergers are not rare, merging supermassive black holes at the hearts of active galaxies are far less common.

Gemini North captures mesmerising view of Comet NEOWISE’s rotation

25 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Researchers using the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii observe a spiralling outflow of gas from Comet NEOWISE, revealing its rotation.

Nearby supernova blasts may be culprits in at least one mass extinction

24 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Nearby supernovae may be to blame for an extended depletion of Earth’s protective ozone layer at the end of the Devonian period, triggering a mass extinction

Researchers find gas cloud pulsing in synch with distant microquasar

21 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Researchers find otherwise inconspicuous gas cloud pulsing in harmony with a distant black hole, suggesting a direct connection.

Debris in Kepler supernova remnant clocked at 23 million mph

19 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Debris in supernova remnant still moving at more than 20 million mph 400 years after Type 1a explosion.

Jupiter’s moon Ganymede shows hints of Solar System’s largest impact

17 August 2020 Astronomy Now

A 90-mile-wide asteroid may have smashed into Jupiter’s moon Ganymede in the remote past, leaving still-visible traces of a cataclysmic collision.

Hubble offers explanation for dramatic dimming of Betelgeuse

14 August 2020 Astronomy Now

Observations by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest a huge eruption and resulting dust cloud caused recent dimming of Betelgeuse.

ALMA spots unusually stable galaxy shining early in cosmic history

12 August 2020 Astronomy Now

A gravitationally lensed galaxy shining just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang surprises astronomers with unusually evolved features.