-
The moon could be perfect for cutting-edge telescopes — but not if we don’t protect it
Space scientists are eager to protect the option of doing astronomy from the moon. There are plans in the works to place astronomical hardware on the lunar landscape such as super-cooled infrared telescopes, a swath of gravitational wave detectors, large Arecibo-like radio telescopes, even peek-a-boo instruments tuned up to seek out evidence for “out there” aliens. …
-
Astronomers make unprecedented discovery in search for water in space
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected water molecules in the atmosphere of a small, blazing-hot exoplanet 97 light-years from Earth. The planet, named GJ 9827d, is about twice Earth’s diameter, and it’s the smallest exoplanet found to have water vapour in its atmosphere, according to a new study. Water is essential for life…
-
SAASST, NASA and the US Mission Discuss Space Exploration Future
Sharjah24: Stemming from its keenness to fostering collaboration with various institutions and companies specializing in space and astronomy, the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST), an affiliate of the University of Sharjah (UoS) conducted a panel discussion titled: “The Future of Space Collaboration: Preparing the Next Generation for Deep Space Exploration”, to…
-
Water vapor found swirling in the atmosphere of a small exoplanet
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN — Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected water molecules in the atmosphere of a small, blazing-hot exoplanet 97 light-years from Earth. The planet, named GJ 9827d, is about twice Earth’s diameter, and it’s…
-
What Do You Call a Galaxy Without Stars?
To dark matter and dark energy, add dark galaxies — collections of stars so sparse and faint that they are all but invisible. What do you call a galaxy without stars? Earlier this month, radio astronomers announced that they had discovered the darkest galaxy ever not quite seen, a cloud of hydrogen gas resembling our…
-
Vampire black hole is a ‘cosmic particle accelerator’ that may solve a longstanding astronomy mystery
Scientists may have found evidence that vampire black holes feeding on their victim stars — so-called microquasars — are the cosmic particle accelerators responsible for mysterious high-energy cosmic rays we see bombarding Earth. These stellar mass black holes exist in binary systems with a supergiant star from which they greedily strip material. Some of that…
-
Japan’s lunar lander falls head over heels for the Moon
Touch down: an image of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon taken by the Lunar Excursion Vehicle-2 shows the craft landed on its nose (Courtesy: JAXA) The Japanese Space Agency, JAXA, has today announced a possible explanation for why its lunar lander is unable to generate power from its solar panels – the craft landed…
-
That Famous Black Hole Gets a Second Look
Repeated studies of the supermassive black hole in the galaxy Messier 87 confirm that it continues to act as Einstein’s theory predicted it would. Hello darkness, our old friend, we’ve come to stare at you again. At the center of Messier 87, a giant galaxy 55 million light-years from Earth, is a darkness 24 billion…
-
Galileo’s Observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and the Sun
3 min read Born in 1564, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei’s observations of our solar system and the Milky Way have revolutionized our understanding of our place in the Universe. Galileo sparked the birth of modern astronomy with his observations of the Moon, phases of Venus, moons around Jupiter, sunspots, and the news that seemingly countless…
-
What is time? An astronomer explains
Quantum entanglement — when the states of two particle are intertwined by the laws of quantum mechanics — has long vexed physicists. But the phenomenon may also hold the key to understanding how time emerged. Credit: J Jurik Peter/Shutterstock (This article was originally published in the May 2022 issue of Astronomy). St. Augustine said of…
