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Hubble observes exoplanet that snows sunscreen

29 October 2017 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has found a blistering hot planet outside our solar system where it “snows” sunscreen.

Small asteroid or comet ‘visits’ from beyond the Solar System

29 October 2017 Astronomy Now

A small, recently discovered asteroid — or perhaps a comet — appears to have originated from outside the Solar System, coming from somewhere else in our galaxy. If so, it would be the first “interstellar object” to be observed and confirmed by astronomers.

Hubble discovers ‘wobbling galaxies’

26 October 2017 Astronomy Now

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered that the brightest galaxies within galaxy clusters “wobble” relative to the cluster’s centre of mass.

Engineers hopeful Mars rover’s drill can return to service

25 October 2017 Stephen Clark

Engineers have started testing a new way to use the Curiosity rover’s drill to bore into Martian rocks after a motor in the device stalled late last year, but ground teams are still months away from the first chance to resume drilling operations.

Detector trouble expected to delay ESA’s Euclid dark energy mission

23 October 2017 Stephen Clark

Technical problems discovered during ground testing of U.S.-built detectors for the European Space Agency’s Euclid astronomy mission will delay the completion of the telescope’s scientific payload, jeopardising the observatory’s 2020 launch target, the head of NASA’s astrophysics division said last week.

MAVEN mission finds Mars has a twisted tail

23 October 2017 Astronomy Now

Mars has an invisible magnetic “tail” that is twisted by interaction with the solar wind, according to new research using data from NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft.

NASA’s Dawn mission gears up for close look at Ceres

20 October 2017 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft will remain at Ceres for the rest of its mission, heading closer to the asteroid belt’s largest resident than ever before to obtain new measurements of ice, salts and a tenuous intermittent atmosphere detected around the dwarf planet, the space agency announced Thursday.

Cassini results still keeping scientists busy

19 October 2017 Stephen Clark

Scientists examining data from the Cassini mission’s final months reported this week unexpected measurements of Saturn’s gravity field and outer atmosphere, suggesting they may have to revisit theories about the planet’s rings and the forces that generate magnetic fields.

Examining Mars’ moon Phobos in a different light

17 October 2017 Astronomy Now

NASA’s longest-lived mission to Mars has gained its first look at the Martian moon Phobos, pursuing a deeper understanding by examining it in infrared wavelengths.

Gravitational waves from colliding neutron stars usher in new era of astronomy

16 October 2017 Keith Cooper

For the first time, gravitational waves have been detected coming from the violent collision of two neutron star potentially solving the mystery of where heavy elements like gold come from as well as producing a visible afterglow detected by over 70 telescopes around the world.