Universe Today (Page 527)

This is a photograph of Saturn's icy moon Mimas, perched in front of the ringed planet. Mimas is only 397 kilometers (247 miles) across, so it's absolutely dwarfed by Saturn in the background. NASA's Cassini spacecraft took this photograph on January 20, when it was approximately 1.4 million kilometers (900,000 miles) from Mimas.

Block Starlight to See Planets

By Fraser Cain - February 28, 2006 04:09 AM UTC | Exoplanets

University of Arizona researchers have developed an "optical vortex mask" that will block the starlight from a bright star, so that dim objects nearby the star can be observed. This mask could theoretically be attached to a powerful observatory, to completely mask the light from the star, and allow astronomers to see planets 10 billion times less bright. Future space missions, like the Terrestrial Planet Finder might use a similar technique as well.

CryoSat-2 Will be Constructed

By Fraser Cain - February 28, 2006 03:47 AM UTC | Missions

Officials at the European Space Agency have approved a plan to build and launch a replacement spacecraft for destroyed CryoSat satellite. CryoSat 1 was lost when its Rockot launcher malfunctioned on October 8, 2005. CryoSat-2 will have the same mission objectives as its predecessor, to monitor the thickness of land and sea ice, and to help scientists predict future climates as this ice melts and the planet warms up. It will probably be launched in March, 2009.

What's Inside a Gas Giant?

By Fraser Cain - February 28, 2006 03:38 AM UTC | Planetary Science

If you could strip away all the gas from Jupiter and Saturn, what would you find inside? Inside gas giant planets, the pressures and temperatures are enormous, and not much can survive those conditions. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have calculated that crystals would dissolve, and would actually work like metals, facilitating the flow of electrons. This could help to explain the tremendous magnetic fields detected around gas giant planets.

FUSE Satellite is Working Again

By Fraser Cain - February 28, 2006 03:18 AM UTC | Missions

NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) astronomy satellite has returned to service after being offline for about 10 months. 3 of the spacecraft's 4 reaction wheels had failed; these allow it to point at precise locations in the sky. Even though it only has a single reaction wheel, engineers were able to create a technique which allows it to orient itself. FUSE has already had its original 3-year mission extended twice, so any further science it can gather is a bonus.

Astrophoto: A New Star in Ophiucus by John Chumack

By Fraser Cain - February 27, 2006 10:15 AM UTC | Stars

A pair of stars with about the same mass will evolve in about the same manner. But if one of the pair is more massive than the other, the more massive star will use its nuclear fuel faster, enter the red giant stage sooner and become a white dwarf earlier while its partner is still red and bloated. This scenario is actually quite common throughout the universe and leads to spectacular results.

What's Up This Week - February 27 - March 5, 2006

By Fraser Cain - February 27, 2006 05:32 AM UTC | Observing

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Start your week out "hot" as we take a look at AE Aurigae - The Flaming Star. If you still carry a torch for an old "Flame" then come along as we have a look at NGC 2024. We'll round up the horses, head out for Abell 426, lasso some wild star clusters and ride off into the moonrise as the week ends. All you have to do is turn an eye to the sky, because...

Here's what's up!