astronomy

Hubble finds universe may be expanding faster than expected

Blog, Slider / By / 6 June, 2016

This illustration shows the three steps astronomers used to measure the universe’s expansion rate to an unprecedented accuracy, reducing the total uncertainty to 2.4 percent. Astronomers made the measurements by streamlining and strengthening the construction of the cosmic distance ladder, which is used to measure accurate distances to galaxies near and far from Earth. Beginning …

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Dozens of new variable stars found in a dense globular cluster

Blog / By / 2 June, 2016

Messier 54 as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA June 1, 2016 by Tomasz Nowakowski (Phys.org)—Located some 87,000 light years away, a dense globular cluster named Messier 54 (also known as NGC 6715) is a real gold mine for astronomers. Recently, an international team has discovered dozens of new variable stars …

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Blowing bubbles in the Milky Way’s magnetic field

General Articles / By / 2 June, 2016

June 1, 2016 An international team of astronomers has discovered a possible connection between the magnetic fields of supernova remnants and that of our own Milky Way Galaxy. The study, recently published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, found that the orientation of supernova remnants can help astronomers understand the nature and shape of the …

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One year after comet touchdown, what’s next for Philae?

General Articles / By / 11 November, 2015

An artist’s impression of Philae on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, released by the European Space Agency November 10, 2015 by Mariëtte Le Roux, Pascale Mollard-Chenebenoi A year ago on Thursday, the world held its collective breath as a European spacecraft dropped a tiny robot lab onto the surface of a comet hurtling towards the …

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Close-up view of galaxies prompts re-think on star formation

Blog / By / 11 November, 2015

This is the “South Pillar” region of the star-forming region called the Carina Nebula. Like cracking open a watermelon and finding its seeds, the infrared telescope “busted open” this murky cloud to reveal star embryos tucked inside finger-like pillars of thick dust. Credit: NASA November 10, 2015 Astronomers have identified for the first time one …

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