4061–4080 of 6,731 results
Saturn infrared vortex

Solar System

Saturn’s Frankenstorm: The Aftermath

Though Saturn’s Great White Spot faded by the end of 2011, infrared telescopes have revealed the storm's long-lasting impact.

Exoplanets

Fomalhaut b: An Exoplanet Redeemed

New analysis suggests that Fomalhaut b — an exoplanet discovered in 2008 and disputed ever since — really does exist.

Black Holes

The Flares from Milky Way’s Black Hole

Our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole emits regular, mysterious X-ray flares. For the first time, NASA’s newest sharp-eyed telescope has captured a high-energy view of the action.

Black Holes

Beads on a Galaxy-Scale String

A new image from the Australia Telescope Compact Array shows a series of brilliant knots along the jet shooting from a supermassive black hole. While not the first sighting of a string of pearls gracing a galaxy's jet, the new image is a striking look at a mysterious phenomenon.

Stellar Science

Auroras Grace Stellar Skies

Stunning auroras play in Earth's upper atmosphere, and similar cascading curtains grace the skies of giant planets, brown dwarfs — and even small stars.

Solar System

News From Across the Solar System

From new models of the Moon's formation to planets forming around distant stars, nearly 800 planetary scientists had plenty of new results to present this week when they met in Reno, Nevada.

Celestial News & Events

October Meteors Slow and Fast

As Earth wheels through the October portion of its orbit around the Sun, it passes through two reliable annual meteoroid streams: one fast, one slow, both long-lasting.

Milky Way

Revisiting Orion's Stellar Membership

The Orion Nebula hosts a well studied star cluster, the gold standard by which astronomers measure all other clusters. New research suggests that this benchmark might need to be revised.

Space Missions

A Problem with Pluto's Moons

The discovery of two tiny moons circling the most famous "dwarf planet" has raised concerns that the New Horizons spacecraft might be endangered when it flies by in July 2015.

Exoplanets

Planet Found in Alpha Centauri System

Astronomers announced what might be the closest exoplanet to Earth, a roasted Earth-mass world whipping around the Sun-like star Alpha Centauri B.

Celestial News & Events

Set Your Crescent-Moon Record?

A thin young crescent Moon will be visible from North America this evening, Tuesday October 16th, weather and eyesight permitting. It may be a chance to set your young-Moon record.

Tissint meteorite piece

Astrobiology

Freshest Mars Rock has Hints of Water

An international team of scientists has teased apart the secrets hidden inside a meteorite from Mars, including signs that the rock weathered acidic water while on the Red Planet.

Stellar Science

Star Draws Spiral

ALMA observations have revealed a spiral buried inside a shell surrounding the star R Sculptoris. While not the first of its kind discovered, the spiral does show that the star is hiding something.

Orbit of Comet 209P/LINEAR

Celestial News & Events

Meteor Storm Brewing for 2014?

Dynamicists know for certain that on May 24, 2014, Earth will plow through a dense stream of dust particles shed by the periodic comet 209P/LINEAR. The only question is: how intense will the assault be?

Professional Telescopes

World-Class Telescope For Sale

The impending closure of the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope might be averted if the observatory’s director can find a buyer.

Celestial News & Events

Draconid Meteor Outburst: Lots of Radar Meteors, Few Visual

Radar started showing up to 2,200 Draconid meteors per hour as of midday Monday for North America, but by nightfall here it was basically over. Even in darkness in Europe, few were seen by eye.

Celestial News & Events

A Star Count for Everyone

Take part in this year's Great World Wide Star Count, and you'll be joining thousands of other "citizen scientists" in raising dark-sky awareness around the globe.

People, Places, and Events

ESO Celebrates Its History and Future

On October 5th, the European Southern Observatory and the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder will broadcast live webcasts to celebrate years gone by and new beginnings.

Comet Hergenrother flares up

Celestial News & Events

Comet Hergenrother Puts on a Show

Astronomers predicted that Comet 168P/Hergenrother wouldn't get any brighter than 15th magnitude this month. But the comet had other ideas: an ongoing outburst has brightened it to within reach of medium-size backyard telescopes.

stars orbiting black hole

Black Holes

Star Zips around Milky Way's Central Black Hole

Astronomers announced that they've successfully tracked a star that takes less than 12 years to whip around the Milky Way's central black hole. The star isn't so special on its own, but combined with other observations it might help unwrap the region's mysteries.