by Colin Stuart | Jan 28, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
Astronomers have used the Very Large Telescope in Chile to image the ethereal gas cloud known as CG4. It is an example of a ‘cometary globule’ – long, stretched out clouds of gas that are reminiscent of comets. They were first discovered in...
by Colin Stuart | Jan 27, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
NASA has released new data from yesterday’s cosmic fly-past when asteroid 2004 BL86 zoomed past the Earth at a slightly greater distance than our Moon. Those observations appear to reveal the asteroid has a moon of its own. The main asteroid is 325 metres across...
by Colin Stuart | Jan 27, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
Back in 2012, astronomers uncovered the first ring system in another solar system. Now they have released details of its dimensions and possible evidence of alien moons nestled within. The rings encircle the planet J1407b. As the planet orbits its star, its set of...
by Colin Stuart | Jan 22, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
It was the hottest news in astronomy in 2014 – the arrival of Rosetta and the landing of Philae on comet 67P stole the show. The scientists behind the amazing mission are busy analysing the data acquired so far. We are now waiting to see if Philae can be roused...
by Colin Stuart | Jan 22, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
In very encouraging news, the Kepler planet-hunting telescope seems to be relishing its new setup – so much so that it has spotted its first exoplanetary system with more than one planet. This comes hot on the heels of the news before Christmas that the mission...
by Colin Stuart | Jan 21, 2015 | Astronomy news, Uncategorised
In the 1990s it adorned mugs, mousemats and bedroom walls. Now the Eagle Nebula has been revisited by the Hubble Space Telescope – the observatory that first brought it to worldwide attention. The original iconic image was taken at visible wavelengths –...