galaxies
Spitzer Captures a Pink Sunflower in Space
[/caption] Looking out my own window this morning provides a gloomy overcast view, so this new image from the Spitzer…
Thick Stellar Disk Isolated in Andromeda
[/caption] From the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University press release: A team of astronomers from the UK, the US…
What <i>is</i> a galaxy? (Vote now!)
[/caption]Classification is key to all sciences, but can often cause debate. Within astronomy, fierce debates have raged over the definition…
Swift Survey Finds ‘Missing’ Active Galaxies
From a NASA press release: Seen in X-rays, the entire sky is aglow. Even far away from bright sources, X-rays…
Hollywood-like Galactic Encounter Results in Baby Stars
Like news ripped from a Hollywood tabloid, this saga includes an encounter between two individuals; one aging, and thought to…
PSA: Bars Kill Galaxies
[/caption]Many spiral galaxies are known to harbor bars. Not the sort in which liquor is served as a social lubricant,…
Missing Milky Way Dark Matter
[/caption]Although dark matter is inherently difficult to observe, an understanding of its properties (even if not its nature) allows astronomers…
Herschel Provides Gravitational Lens Bonanza
[/caption]One of the predictions of Einstein's predictions from general relativity was that gravity could distort space itself and potentially, act…
Where’s M31’s Thick Disc?
Within our own galaxy, the thick disc is a distinct population of stars that resides above and below the main…
HAWK-I Hunts Down Spiral Galaxies in Stunning Detail
[/caption] Just like its ornithological namesake, the HAWK-I imager on the Very Large Telescope uses its piercing eyesight to hunt…