Universe Today (Page 177)

22 Years Of The Sun From Soho

By Evan Gough - February 26, 2018 05:29 PM UTC | Solar Astronomy

SOHO is celebrating a huge milestone, and one it was never intended to meet: it has now observed one complete, 22-year cycle in the life of the Sun.

Astronomy Cast Ep. 480: Rockets pt. 2 - Multi-stage Boosters

By susie - February 26, 2018 02:26 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Venus Returns to the Dusk Sky

By David Dickinson - February 26, 2018 12:01 PM UTC | Planetary Science

Where have all the planets gone? The end of February 2018 sees the three naked eye outer planets – Mars, Jupiter and Saturn-- hiding in the dawn. It takes an extra effort to brave the chill of a February morning, for sure. The good news is, the two inner planets – Mercury and Venus – begin favorable dusk apparitions this week, putting on a fine sunset showing in March.

Special Skinsuits Could Help Astronauts Avoid Back Pain When Their Spines Expand In Space

By Evan Gough - February 23, 2018 04:17 PM UTC | Space Exploration

The microgravity in space makes astronauts' spines to elongate, causing back pain. A new SkinSuit being developed by the European Space Agency gives astronauts some relief.

This was Exactly Where Cassini Crashed into Saturn

By Matthew Williams - February 23, 2018 03:34 PM UTC | Planetary Science

NASA has released a mosaic image that shows exactly where the Cassini probe would crash into Saturn's atmosphere, mere hours before it did!

Wow, Indonesia's Mount Sinabung is Making a Mess. Here's the View From Space!

By Matthew Williams - February 23, 2018 02:26 PM UTC | Planetary Science

The Eruption of Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, was recently photographed from space by satellites belonging to NASA's Earth Observatory

Spacecraft Shields Will Need to be Tough. Here's an Aluminum Bullet Shattering a Shield at 7 km/s

By Matthew Williams - February 23, 2018 12:53 PM UTC | Space Exploration

A team of ESA researchers recently tested a new type of shielding by firing an aluminum bullet at it and filming the results.

Maybe There's no Connection Between Supermassive Black Holes and Their Host Galaxies?

By Matthew Williams - February 22, 2018 06:56 PM UTC | Black Holes

A recent study by an international team of scientists has indicated that there may be no connection between SMBHs and star formation in a galaxy.

SpaceX Launches the First of Thousands of Space Internet Satellites, but Didn't Quite Catch the Fairing

By Matthew Williams - February 22, 2018 01:47 PM UTC | Space Exploration

After a few delays, SpaceX launched the first of its planned constellation of internet satellites, but failed to recover the fairings from the rocket.

Here's How SpaceX is Planning to Recover Rocket Fairings: a Boat With a Net Called Mr. Steven

By Matthew Williams - February 21, 2018 09:34 PM UTC | Space Exploration

In their latest attempt to reduce the costs of individual launches, SpaceX is looking to make their rockets payload fairings reusable.

Astronomers Find The Most Distant Supernova Ever: 10.5 Billion Light-Years Away

By Evan Gough - February 21, 2018 06:39 PM UTC | Extragalactic

Astronomers with the Dark Energy Survey have discovered the most distant and ancient supernova yet: a rare Super Luminous Supernova about 10.5 billion light years away.

Weekly Space Hangout: Feb 21, 2018: Dr. Jessie Christiansen and "Exoplanet Explorers"

By Fraser Cain - February 21, 2018 06:10 PM UTC | Exoplanets

Some of The Last Glaciers in The Tropics. They'll be Gone in About a Decade

By Matthew Williams - February 21, 2018 02:50 PM UTC | Planetary Science

Images released by NASA's Earth Observatory show how ice loss in the tropics is advancing, and how glaciers there will be gone within a decade.

OSIRIS-REx Sends Home an Image of the Earth and Moon

By Matthew Williams - February 21, 2018 01:17 PM UTC | Planetary Science

The OSIRIS-REx mission once again provided a beautiful composite image of the Earth-Moon system, showing just how far it has ventured from Earth.

How Badly Will Humanity Freak Out if We Discover Alien Life?

By Evan Gough - February 21, 2018 12:57 PM UTC | Astrobiology

Scientists at Arizona State University wanted to find out what peoples' reactions would be to the announcement of the discovery of alien life. The result? We're mostly looking forward to it.

Russia and China Are Working on Space and Counterspace Weapons

By Matthew Williams - February 20, 2018 06:24 PM UTC | Space Policy

According to the Department of National Intelligence's (DNI) 2018 report, China and Russia could be developing technologies that will give them an edge in space.

Astronomers Observe the Rotating Accretion Disk Around the Supermassive Black Hole in M77

By Matthew Williams - February 20, 2018 01:12 PM UTC | Black Holes

A team of Japanese astronomers conducted the first detailed observation of a dust and gas torus surrounding a supermassive black hole.

Opportunity Just Saw its 5,000th Sunrise on Mars

By Matthew Williams - February 19, 2018 09:19 PM UTC | Planetary Science

The Opportunity rover just experienced its 5000th sunrise on Mars and is still revealing things about the Martian surface.

Subscribe to Our New Weekly Email Newsletter Written By Fraser

By Fraser Cain - February 19, 2018 07:28 PM UTC | Site News

Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter, written by Universe Today publisher Fraser Cain.

Neptune's Huge Storm Is Shrinking Away In New Images From Hubble

By Evan Gough - February 19, 2018 03:14 PM UTC | Planetary Science

Hubble images track the demise of an enormous storm in Neptune's atmosphere. Rather that expiring in a flash of atmospheric glory, the storm is slowly just fading away.

Astronomy Cast Ep. 479: Rockets pt. 1 - What Does "Single Stage To Orbit" Really Mean?

By susie - February 19, 2018 02:26 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Carnival of Space #549

By susie - February 19, 2018 01:02 PM UTC | Site News

It Turns Out, Andromeda is Younger Than Earth... Sort Of

By Matthew Williams - February 18, 2018 08:34 PM UTC | Extragalactic

According to a recent study by a French-Chinese collaboration, the Andromeda galaxy (as we know it) is younger than we thought!

Astrophotographer Captures Musk's Tesla Roadster Moving Through Space

By Evan Gough - February 16, 2018 02:58 PM UTC | Space Exploration

An award-winning astrophotographer in California has captured images of the Tesla Roadster and its driver "Starman" speeding through space.

Interstellar Asteroid 'Oumuamua Had a Violent Past

By Matthew Williams - February 16, 2018 01:34 PM UTC | Stars

According to the latest study by a team that has been observing 'Oumuamua since it was first discovered, this interstellar asteroid had a violent past!

What are the Chances Musk's Space Tesla is Going to Crash Into Venus or Earth?

By Matthew Williams - February 15, 2018 04:26 PM UTC | Space Exploration

According to a new study, there is a slim chance that Musk's Roadster (and Spaceman) could collide with Earth or Venus is a few eons.

Witness The Power Of A Fully Operational ESPRESSO Instrument. Four Telescopes Acting As One

By Evan Gough - February 15, 2018 02:39 PM UTC | Telescopes

The ESO's ESPRESSO instrument is getting all four of the telescopes at the Very Large Telescope to play nicely together, and the results will excite even the most discovery-weary space fan.

Weekly Space Hangout: Feb 14, 2018: Joe Pappalardo's "Spaceport Earth"

By Fraser Cain - February 14, 2018 08:04 PM UTC | Site News

Mars 2020 Rover is Going to be Taking a Chunk of Mars Back to... Mars?

By Matthew Williams - February 14, 2018 07:39 PM UTC | Planetary Science

When the Mars 2020 arrives on the surface of the Red Planet, it will be carrying a piece of a Martian meteorite with it

New Horizons Just Took a Record Breaking Image. No Camera Has Ever Taken a Picture From This Far From Earth

By Matthew Williams - February 13, 2018 04:14 PM UTC | Missions

This past December, the New Horizons probe took a series of pictures from the Kuiper Belt, thus breaking the record for the most distant images ever taken!

Carnival of Space #548

By susie - February 13, 2018 04:06 PM UTC | Site News

Messier 66 - the NGC 3627 Intermediate Spiral Galaxy

By tammy-plotner - February 12, 2018 03:25 PM UTC | Stars

Located in the direction of the Leo constellation, about 36 million light-years from Earth, is the intermediate spiral galaxy known as Messier 66

If We Receive a Message From Aliens, Should We Delete it Without Reading it?

By Matthew Williams - February 12, 2018 03:13 PM UTC | Astrobiology

A new study considers how messages from extra-terrestrial civilizations could pose an existential threat, and what humanity should do about it.

Astronomy Cast Ep. 478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt

By susie - February 12, 2018 03:07 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Researchers Just Scanned 14 Worlds From the Kepler Mission for "Technosignatures", Evidence of Advanced Civilizations

By Matthew Williams - February 09, 2018 03:19 PM UTC | Astrobiology

In the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), a team of astronomers recently searched through the Kepler field to look for signatures of technologically-advanced civilizations.

Carnival of Space #547

By susie - February 09, 2018 01:11 PM UTC | Site News

The Solar System Probably has Thousands of Captured Interstellar Asteroids

By Matthew Williams - February 07, 2018 03:28 PM UTC | Planetary Science

According to a new study by a team of Harvard researchers, there could be thousands of interstellar asteroids like 'Oumuamua in the Solar System, which has implications for the spread of life.

Weekly Space Hangout - Feb 7, 2018: Weekly News Roundup

By Fraser Cain - February 07, 2018 02:43 PM UTC | Site News

James Webb Makes The Journey From Houston To Los Angeles; Last Stop Before It Heads To The Launch Facility In 2019

By Evan Gough - February 06, 2018 06:45 PM UTC | Telescopes

The James Webb Space Telescope is now in LA. After final assembly there, it will undergo more testing. Then it will be transported to its launch site in Guiana and begin its mission in Spring 2019.

There is a car, in space. Launched by a rocket with reused parts that landed back on Earth by a billionaire who wants to colonize Mars.

By Fraser Cain - February 06, 2018 05:31 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Here's a Prediction About the Orbit Musk's Tesla is Going to Take Through the Solar System

By Matthew Williams - February 06, 2018 03:25 PM UTC | Planetary Science

The inaugural launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is happening today! Here's a prediction of what will happen to its payload: Musk's cherry-red Tesla Roadster

Good News For The Search For Life, The Trappist System Might Be Rich In Water

By Evan Gough - February 05, 2018 05:08 PM UTC | Exoplanets

Scientists have been hard at work trying to determine the densities of the TRAPPIST-1 planets, and it looks like water is abundant in the TRAPPIST system.

ESA's ExoMars has Completed its Aerobraking Maneuvers to Bring it Into a Circular 400 km Orbit Around Mars

By Matthew Williams - February 05, 2018 04:06 PM UTC | Planetary Science

In the past few months, the ExoMars orbiter has been conducting aerobraking maneuvers that have brought it steadily closer to assuming its final orbit around the Red Planet.

Astronomy Cast Ep. 477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon

By susie - February 05, 2018 03:07 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Astronomers use a Galaxy Cluster as an Extremely Powerful "Natural Telescope" to Peer Even Farther into the Universe

By Matthew Williams - February 04, 2018 04:17 PM UTC | Extragalactic

An international team of astronomers recently discovered a fainter, older galaxy using the most extreme case of the gravitational microlensing technique to date

For the First Time, Planets Have Been Discovered in ANOTHER Galaxy!

By Matthew Williams - February 03, 2018 06:45 PM UTC | Exoplanets

Thanks to a new study performed by a pair of astrophysicists from the University of Oklahoma, the first extra-galactic planets have now been discovered!

12,800 Years Ago, Earth Was Struck by a Disintegrating Comet, Setting Off Global Firestorms

By Matthew Williams - February 03, 2018 02:59 PM UTC | Planetary Science

According to a massive research study, Earth was struck by a comet 12,800 years ago that caused massive wildfires to rage over 10% of its surface.

SpaceX Performs an Experimental High Retrothrust and Survives a Water Landing

By Evan Gough - February 02, 2018 05:42 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Bonus Rocket! This rocket was conducting a very high retro-thrust landing over water, and it wasn't expected to survive that test. But it did, and SpaceX might be able to salvage it.

The First Results From The IllustrisTNG Simulation Of The Universe Has Been Completed, Showing How Our Cosmos Evolved From The Big Bang

By Evan Gough - February 02, 2018 04:01 PM UTC | Cosmology

The IllustrusTNG Project has created a large and detailed simulation of the Universe. It's helping us answer some important questions about the formation and evolution of...everything.

Outflows From Black Holes are Creating New Molecules Where There Should Only be Destruction

By Matthew Williams - February 02, 2018 01:52 PM UTC | Black Holes

A new study from a team of astronomers from Northwestern University indicates that molecules could be born within the outflows created by supermassive black holes.