News – Page 65 – Astronomy Now

Tracking ‘Oumuamua back to its home star – a major challenge

26 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Researchers analyzing the trajectory and behavior of ‘Oumuamua, an interstellar body passing through Earth’s solar system, have identified four candidate stars where the unusual comet-like body might have originated.

Mars’ moon Phobos may be a chip off the old block

26 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Re-evaluating data collected 20 years ago by NASA’s now retired Mars Global Surveyor, researchers say the martian moon Phobos could have originated in the aftermath of a titanic planetary collision that blasted surface material into space.

Mars orbiter photographs still-silent Opportunity rover

25 September 2018 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted the Opportunity rover on the surface of the red planet where it remains out of contact with Earth in the wake of a global dust storm in June.

Cassini data show dust storms blowing across Titan

24 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Researchers studying the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan using archived data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft have spotted infrared signatures of what appear to be giant dust storm blowing across the large moon’s surface.

Ancient Mars could have supported sub-surface biosphere

24 September 2018 Astronomy Now

A new study indicates Mars had more than enough sub-surface hydrogen, from the breakdown of water due to radioactive decay, to support a global microbial biosphere that could have persisted for hundreds of millions of years.

Japan’s Hayabusa2 lands two rovers on asteroid Ryugu

24 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Japan’s Hayabusa2 sample return spacecraft successfully deployed two small landers that dropped to the surface of an astroid known as Ryugu and then began hopping about in a major milestone for the ambitious mission.

Astronomers use novel technique to probe stellar rotation

21 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have measured differential rotation in 13 Sun-like stars where equatorial zones rotate faster than higher latitudes, a phenomenon thought to play a major role in the generation of sunspots and magnetic fields.

Seeing matter sucked into a black hole at 30 percent lightspeed

20 September 2018 Astronomy Now

For the first time, astronomers have observed dust being sucked directly into a supermassive black hole, evidence of “chaotic accretion” that may have helped supermassive holes rapidly gain mass in the early universe.

NASA troubleshooting data transmission glitch with Curiosity Mars rover

19 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Engineers are troubleshooting a data transmission glitch aboard the Curiosity Mars rover that has interrupted science operations. They are studying real-time telemetry, which is not affected, to diagnose the problem.

Hubble sees unusual features around ‘magnificent seven’ neutron star

19 September 2018 Astronomy Now

Beams from rotating neutron stars – pulsars – are normally seen in X-rays, gamma rays and radio waves. The Hubble Space Telescope has now seen unusual infrared emissions, possibly from “pulsar winds” or surrounding dust.