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Amateur astronomers capture groundbreaking photos of sun’s corona during partial solar eclipse
In an achievement that defies conventional wisdom among astronomers, a trio of eclipse chasers has captured what experts confirm is the first documented observation of the solar corona during a partial solar eclipse. The remarkable images — taken from Quebec, Canada, during the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse — reveal the sun’s outer atmosphere…
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China space project investigated by Newsweek illegal, Chile says
A planned joint space observatory between China and the Latin American global astronomical hub of Chile was not permitted under Chilean law, the Chilean government has said, in comments that highlighted deepening regional geopolitical tensions over security and technology. The project between a Chinese state astronomical institute and a private Chilean university in Chile’s Atacama…
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Ghostly galaxy without dark matter baffles astronomers
Astronomers have stumbled upon yet another ghostly galaxy that appears to be devoid of dark matter. Dark matter, the invisible substance astronomers believe dominates the universe, provides the gravitational scaffolding for galaxies to assemble and grow. Discovering a galaxy without dark matter is indeed perplexing, like finding a shadow without a source. Yet, over the…
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Coveted awards fuel astronomy, astrophysics research
Third-year undergraduate Isabelle “Izzy” Connor and two Ph.D. candidates at other universities have recently won awards to further their research in astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. Connor (Crown ‘26, astrophysics) is a 2025 Barry Goldwater Scholar, an honor awarded by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program to second- and third-year…
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Scientists detect record-setting explosion outside our galaxy
Groundbreaking observations of a repeating explosion in space, the recurrent nova LMCN 1968-12a, reveal that it’s the hottest burst of its kind ever recorded. Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, LMCN 1968-12a is the first recurrent nova outside our galaxy to have been studied in near-infrared light.…
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Two planets will form a ‘smiley face’ with the moon on April 25. Here’s where to look.
If you look up to the sky in the early hours of April 25 you might just see it smiling back at you, NASA skywatchers have forecast. That’s when a rare celestial spectacle called a triple conjunction will occur. On the morning of Friday, April 25, Venus, Saturn and the crescent moon will appear close…
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Altair Hypercam 26C APS-C Colour TEC astronomy camera review
Altair Hypercam 26C APS-C Colour TEC: Key Specs Sensor: Sony IMX571 (6224 × 4168, 26 MP, 23.4 × 15.7 mm) Pixel size: 3.76 µm ADC: 16-bit Cooling: Thermoelectric Interface: USB 3.0 and 2.0 Attaches via: 42-mm thread, 17.5-mm back focus The Altair Hypercam 26C APS-C Colour TEC Astronomy Camera is a reliable, future-proof camera that’s…
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‘Revolutionary moment’: Astronomers report progress in search for extraterrestrial life
Astronomers reported possible signs of life at K2-18 b, a planet light-years away in the constellation Leo that could have a global ocean. Leer en español Nikku Madhusudhan, a University of Cambridge astrophysicist who leads the team, said his team’s progress was a “revolutionary moment.” “A Hycean world with an ocean that is teeming with…
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NASA’s Space Science Budget: Major Cuts Loom Large
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — which is being developed on schedule and within budget — is on the chopping block, according to a recent draft budget issued by the Office of Management and Budget.NASA The prospect that NASA’s space science budget could face major cuts is prompting worried feedback. Those wake-up alarms are…
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Yes, there really is a black hole on the loose in Sagittarius
For the first time, astronomers have confirmed the existence of a lone black hole — one with no star orbiting it. It’s “the only one so far,” says Kailash Sahu, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. In 2022, Sahu and his colleagues discovered the dark object coursing through the constellation Sagittarius.…