astronomy

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>

Scientists' Understanding of Black Holes Is Rattled

2 black holes merged into never-before-seen size

(Newser) - Black holes are getting stranger—even to astronomers, who've now detected the signal from a long-ago violent collision of two black holes that created a new one of a size that had never been seen before. "It's the biggest bang since the Big Bang observed by humanity,...

This Is Actually a Map &mdash;the Biggest One Ever
This Is Actually a Map
—the Biggest One Ever
new study
Jul 22, 2020 3:14 PM CDT

This Is Actually a Map —the Biggest One Ever

This view of the universe also looks incredible

(Newser) - Want to get away? Now you can see how far "away" really is. Drawing on 20 years of research, scientists have created a 3D map of the universe that spans 11 billion years and covers more than 2 million quasars and galaxies—while shedding light on a couple of...

&#39;Eye of Sauron&#39; Glares at Us From Across the Universe
Astronomers
Spot 'a Very
Curious Object'
in case you missed it
May 30, 2020 1:45 PM CDT

Astronomers Spot 'a Very Curious Object'

They say it's about 11B light-years away

(Newser) - Media outlets are calling it the "Eye of Sauron" or "Ring of Fire"—scientists, "R5519." Whatever the name, it's an odd-looking galaxy that might just alter how science views the early formation of galaxies in the universe, LiveScience reports. Scientists say they spotted the...

First-Ever Radio Signal Hits Earth From Inside Our Galaxy

And scientists think they've found the source

(Newser) - Intrigued by radio signals from outer space? Scientists have spotted a fast radio burst from inside the Milky Way—the first ever from our own galaxy—and say it might solve the riddle of other such bursts from the cosmos, Science Alert reports. This signal was discovered Tuesday and reported...

Hubble Telescope Gives Itself 'Stunning' Anniversary Gift

To celebrate 30 years in space, a jaw-dropping photo of 'Cosmic Reef' nebulae

(Newser) - On April 24, 1990, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, with a very special item on board: the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched into Earth's orbit a day later. Now, to celebrate the telescope's 30th anniversary observing the cosmos, NASA has...

Here, It&#39;s Cloudy With a Chance of Iron Rain
Megaplanet
Has a Bizarre
Weather Forecast
new study
Mar 14, 2020 12:35 PM CDT

Megaplanet Has a Bizarre Weather Forecast

Just be glad you're not on Wasp-76b

(Newser) - At one hot, faraway world, it's always cloudy with a chance of iron rain. That's the otherworldly forecast from Swiss and other European astronomers who have detected clouds full of iron droplets at a hot Jupiterlike planet 390 light-years away, the AP reports. This mega planet is so...

Earth's Gravity Catches 'Another Moon'

Scientists call it a 'minimoon'

(Newser) - Take a gander at the stars, and you might spot ... no, you won't. It's way too small. But scientists say Earth likely has another moon—at least for now—that's no bigger than a car, New Scientist reports. Astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona noticed...

Star Is Seen Dragging Space-Time With It
Star Is Seen Dragging
Space-Time With It
new study
Feb 2, 2020 3:30 PM CST

Star Is Seen Dragging Space-Time With It

Looks like Albert Einstein nailed this one

(Newser) - Rack up another one for Albert Einstein. New research on a pair of stars confirms a prediction from Einstein's general theory of relativity—that a spinning object will drag space-time right along with it, Science Alert reports. Astrophysicists have spotted the effect, known as "frame dragging," in...

Our Galaxy Might See a 'Spectacular Death'

The 'supergiant' star Betelgeuse is getting dimmer

(Newser) - Keep your telescope handy: Betelgeuse might be about to blow. Astronomers say the "supergiant" star, which sits 650 light-years away, is at its dimmest in about a century—meaning we could witness our galaxy's first supernova in the telescopic era, Science Alert reports. "It kept getting fainter,...

On Sacred Hawaii Peak, Science Wins a Clash With Religion

Thirty Meter Telescope project gets go-ahead after years of legal battles

(Newser) - After years of protests and legal battles, a massive telescope that will allow scientists to peer into the most distant reaches of our early universe will be built on Mauna Kea, a Hawaiian volcano that some consider sacred. The state announced a "notice to proceed" for the Thirty Meter...

Jupiter Is Putting On a Show for You

It will be most clearly visible Monday night but should be big and bright all month

(Newser) - Casual sky-watchers interested in getting a nice look at Jupiter have pretty simple advice to follow this month: Go outside at night and look up. Monday night in particular, about midnight local time, should provide the clearest view, reports USA Today . The planet should be visible with the naked eye,...

There's a Weirdly Huge Hole Out There

And one scientist thinks she knows what happened

(Newser) - There's a massive hole in the outskirts of the Milky Way, and no one knows what caused it—but one scientist has an idea. "The on-sky morphology suggests a recent, close encounter with a massive and dense perturber," says Harvard scientist Ana Bonaca in a new presentation...

Alien Presence Found in Our Galaxy
Alien Presence 
Found in Our Galaxy
May 13, 2019 12:54 PM CDT

Alien Presence Found in Our Galaxy

It's tucked away in the Big Dipper

(Newser) - Believe in alien life? Try an alien star. There's one in the Big Dipper with a chemical composition unlike any other known star in our galaxy, Space.com reports. Located roughly 60,000 light-years away , the star lacks metals like magnesium but is high in Europium, meaning its chemical...

Smaller Galaxy on Track to Smash Into Milky Way
Our Milky Way
Is Headed Toward
a Violent 'Merger'
NEW STUDY
Jan 4, 2019 10:39 AM CST

Our Milky Way Is Headed Toward a Violent 'Merger'

But we've got about 2 billion years to prepare

(Newser) - It'll be a fireworks show for the ages, but you won't be around to see it. Consider that a blessing in disguise: The display expected by astrophysicists at Durham University in the UK will only come as a nearby galaxy smashes into our own in about 2 billion...

Saturn&#39;s &#39;Rain&#39; Is Quickly Killing Its Rings


Saturn's Rings
Just Got a
Death Date
NEW STUDY
Dec 19, 2018 10:30 AM CST

Saturn's Rings Just Got a Death Date

NASA study predicts they'll be gone in 100M years

(Newser) - NASA's Voyager spacecrafts recorded data suggesting Saturn's rings were disappearing when they whipped past the planet decades ago. Now, confirmation: The rings have likely existed for only a fraction of the planet's 4.5 billion years and will be gone in an astrological flash, reads a new...

Farthest Observed Object in Solar System Is 'Farout'

Dwarf planet is 11 billion miles away

(Newser) - Astronomers have spotted the farthest object ever observed in our solar system—and they've nicknamed the pink cosmic body "Farout." The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center announced the discovery Monday. "Farout" (pronounced far-out) is a dwarf planet about 120 astronomical units away—that's...

What May Be Best Meteor Show of Year Starts Tonight

The Geminid meteor shower peaks at 7:30am EST

(Newser) - The “best meteor shower of 2018” will be on display overnight, Space.com reports. The Geminid meteor shower will be visible above North America before sunrise Friday, CNN reports, and it will peak at 7:30am EST (find the best viewing time for your location here ). Checking out...

DeGrasse Tyson Accused of Sexual Assault, Rape

Fox, National Geographic are investigating

(Newser) - Next up, Neil deGrasse Tyson? The world-famous astrophysicist is under investigation after two women claimed he behaved inappropriately with them—and an old rape claim re-emerged online, Deadline reports. Fox and National Geographic, the networks behind his show Cosmos, have joined the show's producers in investigating the two more...

Get Ready, Night Owls: Leonids Return This Weekend

Peak viewing time is before dawn on Sunday

(Newser) - It's time again for the Leonids, the meteor shower repeated annually in mid-November. It comes as Earth passes through a trail of debris left by the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 33 years. Earth will pass through the thickest part of debris at 7pm EST Saturday,...

Astronomers Discover 'Super-Earth' 6 Light Years Away

Barnard's Star b is bigger than Earth and very cold

(Newser) - Barnard’s Star, a red dwarf star located in a solar system about six light-years away from Earth, may have some company. Researchers of the “exoplanet-hunting” group Red Dots have detected a planet—some 3.2 times the Earth’s mass and very cold—orbiting the star, Smithsonian reports....

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>