Can an Asteroid's Movements Reveal a New Force in the Universe?

By Brian Koberlein - October 14, 2024 11:29 AM UTC | Physics
When NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission arrived at asteroid Bennu, its primary mission was to grab a sample and bring it home to Earth. But researchers also tracked its movements carefully throughout the encounter, and this data could help physicists probe for additional forces in the Universe. Although additional forces haven't been found, the observations help set constraints on what's possible. The spacecraft's upcoming encounter with Apophis will continue the experiment.
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A Black Hole has Destroyed a Star, and Used the Wreckage to Pummel Another Star

By Brian Koberlein - October 11, 2024 09:05 AM UTC | Black Holes
Astronomers have discovered the telltale signature of a supermassive black hole that recently tore a star apart that came too close. This is known as a tidal disruption event, and it causes a flash of X-ray radiation that's detectable from our space telescopes. The expanding debris cloud from the shredded star has drifted into the path of another star, which is now repeatedly crashing through the cloud every 48 hours, sending out additional flares.
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Most Mars Meteorites Came From Five Craters

By Brian Koberlein - October 10, 2024 08:28 AM UTC | Planetary Science
We've learned a tremendous amount about Mars because samples from the Red Planet have already been delivered to Earth: meteorites. Scientists have studied the composition of Martian meteorites and tracked down the specific craters on Mars where many of them came from. It's believed that Mars has been struck hard enough to produce meteorites about ten times in recent history. Some of these craters have yet to be matched with meteorites, but the rocks could be out there.
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The Sun Unleashes its Strongest Flare This Cycle

By Brian Koberlein - October 04, 2024 08:52 AM UTC | Solar Astronomy
As we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25, we can expect more and more activity on the Sun. And on October 3rd, the Sun released its most powerful Earth-directed flare of the current cycle, registering as an X9.0. Of course, this means an increase in aurora activity here on the planet, with visibility at lower latitudes. So, if you're hoping to see auroras this cycle, the next couple of days could be your best chance. Good luck!
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Gravitational Lens Confirms the Hubble Tension

By Brian Koberlein - October 03, 2024 01:00 PM UTC | Cosmology
Astronomers want new ways to measure distance in the Universe, working to calculate its rate of expansion. A new image from JWST contains a gravitational lens of a background galaxy. And in that galaxy are three versions of the same Type 1a supernova, one of the most distant ever seen. With this supernova, astronomers are able to extend their distance ladder out by billions of years, and yet, it doesn't resolve the famous Hubble Tension; it only confirms it.
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Bernard's Star Has a Planet (Again)!

By Brian Koberlein - October 02, 2024 10:49 AM UTC | Exoplanets
The red dwarf Barnard's Star is the closest single star to the Sun, only six light-years away. Astronomers have announced the discovery of a planet with half the mass of Venus, orbiting the star every three days. This puts it too close to be in the habitable zone, with a surface temperature of 125 °C. The team also found a hint of three additional planets in the system but will require further observations to pin down their sizes and orbits.
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