Universe Today (Page 177)

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.

Astronomers Find One of the Oldest Stars in the Milky Way

By Matthew Williams - February 01, 2018 03:08 PM UTC | Milky Way

Thanks to a new study by a team of Spanish researchers, the oldest star in the Milky Way may have finally been discovered

Curiosity has Lasted More than 2,000 Days on Mars, Triple its Original Mission Plan

By Matthew Williams - February 01, 2018 01:18 PM UTC | Missions

The Curiosity rover recently reached another milestone, having spent over 2000 days on Mars. In this time, it has revealed some amazing things about the history of the Red Planet.

Why Finding Alien Life Would Be Bad. The Great Filter

By Fraser Cain - February 01, 2018 11:45 AM UTC | Astrobiology

Kurzgesagt just released a new video all about the Great Filter. It's great, and it's unsettling.

Here Are Some Amazing Pictures of the January 2018 Lunar Eclipse

By Matthew Williams - January 31, 2018 05:56 PM UTC | Observing

Here are some lovely photographs that were taken of the "Super Blue Moon", which appeared in the early-morning sky today!

Now That NASA's Missing IMAGE Satellite Has Been Found, Talking To It Is Going To Be Difficult

By Evan Gough - January 31, 2018 04:41 PM UTC | Missions

NASA has confirmed that their missing IMAGE satellite was indeed located by an amateur astronomer in Canada. But re-establishing contact with the long-lost satellite will be a demanding technical challenge.

Weekly Space Hangout - Jan 31, 2018: Andrzej Stewart of the Hi-SEAS IV Mars Simulation Mission

By Fraser Cain - January 31, 2018 01:56 PM UTC | Planetary Science

Microbes May Help Astronauts Turn Human Waste Into Food

By Evan Gough - January 30, 2018 07:26 PM UTC | Astrobiology

Researchers at Penn State are developing methods of turning human waste into food. And microbes, not plants, would provide the food.

Watch this Chilling Animation of Capetown's Water Disappearing

By Matthew Williams - January 30, 2018 04:26 PM UTC | Planetary Science

A new animation released by NASA's Earth Observatory illustrates how ongoing drought is diminishing Cape Town's water supply.

Carnival of Space #546

By susie - January 30, 2018 03:11 PM UTC | Site News

What'll It Take to Find Life? Searching the Universe for Biosignatures

By Fraser Cain - January 30, 2018 03:09 PM UTC | Astrobiology

When astronomers scan the atmospheres of other worlds, they'll be looking for gases to confirm that yes, indeed, there's life there. It turns out, this is actually pretty tough.

The Brightest Star in the Sky, Sirius, was Hiding a Cluster of Stars. Found by Gaia

By Matthew Williams - January 30, 2018 02:29 PM UTC | Stars

Thanks to the efforts of an amateur astronomer, the star cluster that was recently revealed by Gaia mission is now visible for all to see!

The Most Detailed Map Ever Made of the Milky Way in Radio Waves

By Evan Gough - January 29, 2018 07:10 PM UTC | Milky Way

A new radio wave map of the Milky Way Galaxy is our most detailed yet and will be the basis for further study of the Milky Way for years to come.

Icy Worlds Like Europa and Enceladus Might Actually be too Soft to Land On

By Matthew Williams - January 29, 2018 05:22 PM UTC | Planetary Science

According to a new study led by the Planetary Science Institute, Europa and Enceladus may have surfaces that are too soft for future missions to land on.

Astronomy Cast Ep. 476: The Overview Effect

By susie - January 29, 2018 03:32 PM UTC | Space Policy

NASA's Insight Lander Spreads Its Solar Wings. It'll Fly To Mars In May, 2018

By Evan Gough - January 26, 2018 03:00 PM UTC | Missions

NASA's InSight lander will launch in May 2018, NASA has announced. InSight will study the interior structure of Mars to learn how it, and other rocky planets, formed and evolved.

Get Set For a "Super Blue Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse"

By David Dickinson - January 26, 2018 10:01 AM UTC | Observing

Can you feel the tremor in the Force? Early next Wednesday morning internet astro-memes collide, in one of the big ticket sky events of the year, with a total lunar eclipse dubbed as – get ready -- a Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse.

The New Earth-Sized Planet Hunting Telescope ExTrA is Now Online

By Matthew Williams - January 25, 2018 05:19 PM UTC | Telescopes

The Exoplanets in Transits and their Atmospheres (ExTrA), just went online and is now searching for exoplanets around red dwarf stars!

Where's the Line Between Massive Planet and Brown Dwarf Star?

By Evan Gough - January 25, 2018 03:08 PM UTC | Exoplanets

Astronomers have debated which objects are gas giants like Jupiter, and which are more correctly called brown dwarfs. A new study aims to end that debate.

Perhaps the Best Part of Electron's Successful Launch was its Payload: the Humanity Star

By Matthew Williams - January 25, 2018 01:55 PM UTC | Space Exploration

Rocket Lab's second successful launch of the Electron rocket carried with it a special piece of cargo - the Humanity Sphere!

This is the Surface of a Giant Star, 350 Times Larger Than the Sun

By Matthew Williams - January 24, 2018 07:17 PM UTC | Stars

Using the ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer, an international team of astronomers has created the first detailed images of another star's surface.

Finally! SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Does its Static Fire Test. Actual Flight Should Be "In A Week Or So"

By Evan Gough - January 24, 2018 04:56 PM UTC | Space Exploration

We've been anticipating this for a long time: SpaceX's Falcon Heavy has completed its first Static Fire Test. Should launch "in a week or so" says Musk.