News – Page 38 – Astronomy Now

Thick, persistent dust disc challenges planet formation theory

29 December 2019 Astronomy Now

Protoplanetary discs are expected to dissipate as planets form and solar winds push debris away, but some stars defy current theory.

Cotton-candy worlds may be steps on planetary evolution ladder

26 December 2019 Astronomy Now

The three lowest-density exoplanets yet discovered may be steps on the planetary evolution ladder, shrinking to resemble more commonplace worlds over time.

CHEOPS launched on follow-up exoplanet research mission

24 December 2019 Stephen Clark

The European Space Agency’s CHEOPs satellite is now in space for an ambitious mission to study already-discovered exoplanets in more detail.

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover passes first driving test on road to red planet

21 December 2019 Astronomy Now

In another major milestone on the road to launch next year, NASA’s Mars 2020 rover passed its first weight-on-wheels driving test with flying colours.

A titanic burst of star formation in Milky Way’s recent past

17 December 2019 Astronomy Now

Peering into the heart of the Milky Way with a powerful infrared camera, astronomers see evidence for a titanic burst of star formation in the relatively recent past.

OSIRIS-REx sample collection site selected on asteroid Bennu

16 December 2019 Astronomy Now

Mission planners with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft have selected a challenging but scientifically rich sample collection site on the asteroid Bennu.

Seeing beyond the horizon of a space-warping pulsar

15 December 2019 Astronomy Now

The NICER telescope array aboard the International Space Station has made the most accurate measurements yet of a pulsar’s mass and size.

Water vapor common among exoplanets, but less than expected

12 December 2019 Astronomy Now

A five-year study shows water is a relatively common component of exoplanet atmospheres, but the observed abundances are less than expected, researchers say.

Quantum “vacuum squeezers” improve sensitivity of gravity wave detectors

9 December 2019 Astronomy Now

Exotic technology improves the sensitivity of gravity wave detectors, allowing researchers in the U.S. and Europe to “see” more high-energy events

In a first, astronomers find traces of a planet orbiting a white dwarf

7 December 2019 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have found evidence of a Neptune-class ice giant orbiting a white dwarf, its atmosphere stripped away by intense ultraviolet radiation.