News – Page 209 – Astronomy Now

31 March 2023

Astronomers solve puzzle about bizarre object at the centre of our galaxy

4 November 2014 Astronomy Now

The mystery about a thin, bizarre object in the centre of the Milky Way headed toward our galaxy’s enormous black hole has been solved by astronomers using the Keck Observatory.

Rosetta shifts into higher orbit to dispatch Philae lander on 12 November

1 November 2014 Astronomy Now

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta probe has shifted into a higher orbit around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in readiness for the release of its Philae lander on 12 November.

Hubble Space Telescope sees ‘ghost light’ from dead galaxies

30 October 2014 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has picked up the faint, ghostly glow of stars ejected from ancient galaxies that were gravitationally ripped apart several billion years ago.

Moon probe’s impact crater found

30 October 2014 Astronomy Now

NASA’S Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has spied a new crater on the lunar surface; one made from the impact of NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission.

Pew! Rosetta’s comet stinks!

30 October 2014 Keith Cooper

If it were possible to breath in space, one would smell a pungent aroma of rotten eggs, ammonia, vinegary sulphur dioxide and toxic hydrogen cyanide coming from comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, according to sensors on the Rosetta mission.

ESA’s ‘ambitious’ step into science fiction for Rosetta

29 October 2014 Keith Cooper

The European Space Agency’s first foray into science fiction, in the form of a short film entitled Ambition that promotes the Rosetta mission, may herald a new way in which science outreach can be conducted.

Two families of comets found around nearby star

24 October 2014 Astronomy Now

ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile has been used to make the most complete census of comets around another star ever created.

Chinese probe launched on round-trip flight to the Moon

24 October 2014 Stephen Clark

China launched a demonstrator probe Thursday on a round-trip flight around the Moon to test out a heat shield and landing capsule planned for use on a lunar sample return mission in 2017.

Latest images show spectacular streams of dust from Rosetta’s comet

24 October 2014 Astronomy Now

A new image from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission show a clearly visible increase in activity from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Live coverage of the partial solar eclipse

23 October 2014 Astronomy Now

Live coverage of the partial solar eclipse from NASA Television.