Science | Astronomy.com

Mars Express captures the beauty of a martian frostscape

Samantha Hill — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Although these frosty fields look like a picturesque winter wonderland blanketed in snow, this ice is actually composed of frozen carbon dioxide over the southern Australe Scopuli region of Mars. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express spotted this scene using its High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) during its 23,324th orbit of the Red Planet.Continue reading "Mars Express captures the beauty of a martian frostscape"

The post Mars Express captures the beauty of a martian frostscape appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

How do spacecraft avoid collisions in the asteroid belt?

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000

How do spacecraft avoid collisions when passing through the asteroid belt? Val-David SmithsonPleasant Grove, Utah Let’s begin by reviewing some astronomical “history”: Han Solo and his rebel cohorts Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and C-3PO are nestled uncomfortably together in the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit while their ship is pursued by a battalion of Imperial fighters. Unable toContinue reading "How do spacecraft avoid collisions in the asteroid belt?"

The post How do spacecraft avoid collisions in the asteroid belt? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected found hiding in JWST data

Samantha Hill — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Over the past 200 years, astronomers have cataloged over a million asteroids in the solar system’s main belt, down to the size of around a kilometer in diameter. But smaller asteroids were elusive — until recently, when a team of scientists utilized data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to spot some tiny asteroidsContinue reading "Smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected found hiding in JWST data"

The post Smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected found hiding in JWST data appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Want to find a black hole? Pick up a rock

Korey Haynes — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

While black holes are perplexing at any size, some of the most mysterious are hypothetical primordial black holes, those that sprung into existence in the first second after the Big Bang and some of which are featherweights on the black hole scale. Because black holes collapse matter down to nothing, a black hole with theContinue reading "Want to find a black hole? Pick up a rock"

The post Want to find a black hole? Pick up a rock appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

You’re almost certainly not being visited by aliens

David J. Eicher — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 21:36:10 +0000

The recent furor over drones, planes, helicopters, aliens, or whatever centered on aerial sightings in New Jersey is causing a flap. Given the huge number of sightings and the tenor of alarm from many, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued 22 temporary flight restrictions along the approach paths to Newark International Airport and a fewContinue reading "You’re almost certainly not being visited by aliens"

The post You’re almost certainly not being visited by aliens appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Io’s magma ocean may not exist after all

shill — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 12:11:50 +0000

Plenty of worlds in our solar system have oceans — and not all of them are made of water. Io, Jupiter’s innermost moon, was purported to have one made of basalt and bits of sulfur just under its surface, powering its volcanic eruptions. But according to a study published in Nature last week, a globalContinue reading "Io’s magma ocean may not exist after all"

The post Io’s magma ocean may not exist after all appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

‘Blue straggler’ likely born from a collision of stars

Alison Klesman — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Meet HD 65907, an imposter. It’s a star that appears far too young for its age. Astronomers have finally cracked the case of this mysterious object, which has not led a normal life. Instead, the star appears to be the result of the merger of two much older stars. Astronomers have a name for starsContinue reading "‘Blue straggler’ likely born from a collision of stars"

The post ‘Blue straggler’ likely born from a collision of stars appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Earth’s gravity gave the Moon an early facelift

Robert Reeves — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 17:32:58 +0000

Earth and the Moon are forever locked in a gravitational embrace that has played a critical role in determining the fate of both worlds. Although they have grown more distant since their formative years, new research published today in Nature shows just how powerful their attraction was in their youth: According to the study, Earth’sContinue reading "Earth’s gravity gave the Moon an early facelift"

The post Earth’s gravity gave the Moon an early facelift appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Why the winter solstice is the longest night every year, and when it happens in 2024

Richard Talcott — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:40:09 +0000

Winter does not officially arrive until the solstice. The 2024 winter solstice — the precise moment when the Sun appears farthest south in the sky — is at 4:21 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Saturday, Dec. 21, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the day ofContinue reading "Why the winter solstice is the longest night every year, and when it happens in 2024"

The post Why the winter solstice is the longest night every year, and when it happens in 2024 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Binary star system finally discovered near Milky Way center

Randall Hyman — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:05:57 +0000

Veiled in gas and clouds, the Milky Way’s center does not easily give up secrets. The initial detection of its supermassive black hole (SMBH) decades ago posed as many riddles as it solved, including the puzzling absence of binary stars around it. The hot, massive stars that populate the region are almost always found asContinue reading "Binary star system finally discovered near Milky Way center"

The post Binary star system finally discovered near Milky Way center appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.