New Earth-sized planet discovered, and it may be able to support life

A new, Earth-sized planet has been discovered only 90 light-years away from us. In astronomical terms, that’s right next door. What’s more, it might be capable of supporting life.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Exoplanet, TESS, Spitzer, v… Continue reading New Earth-sized planet discovered, and it may be able to support life

Most distant object ever seen is a mysteriously bright, ancient galaxy

Astronomers have discovered the most distant object ever seen – a strange galaxy some 13.5 billion light-years away. Known as HD1, the galaxy may house a never-before-seen population of stars, or a supermassive black hole mysteriously ahead of its time… Continue reading Most distant object ever seen is a mysteriously bright, ancient galaxy

New instrument begins measuring total light ever emitted in the universe

A new instrument made a short jaunt to space on the weekend, as part of a mission to measure the total light ever emitted over the universe’s history. The CIBER-2 project will search for stray stars hiding between galaxies by monitoring the cosmic back… Continue reading New instrument begins measuring total light ever emitted in the universe

Powerful protostars may not be responsible for ending their own growth

Fresh research has cast doubt on the theory that energetic outbursts from young stars blows away the cocoon of gas from which they formed, which in turn prevents them from growing any further. The Milky Way plays host to over 200 billion stars, the ear… Continue reading Powerful protostars may not be responsible for ending their own growth

NASA “Sonification” project lets us hear the cosmos

We’re used to seeing the output of telescopes as images, but what if we could translate that data into sound? A new “Sonification” project from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Center has done just that, letting us hear the center of the Milky Way, the supernova r… Continue reading NASA “Sonification” project lets us hear the cosmos

Celebrating Spitzer: 16 years of incredible infrared space photography

NASA finally retired the Spitzer Space Telescope on January 30 this year, after 16 years of scanning the skies in infrared. In that time the observatory has been responsible for some of the most stunning space photos ever taken, so to celebrate its lif… Continue reading Celebrating Spitzer: 16 years of incredible infrared space photography

NASA farewells Spitzer Space Telescope with final mosaic image

The Spitzer Space Telescope was finally decommissioned on January 30 this year, after more than 16 years in operation. Now NASA has released the infrared observatory’s last-ever mosaic image, giving us a glimpse into how Spitzer’s vision works and reve… Continue reading NASA farewells Spitzer Space Telescope with final mosaic image

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope sheds light on Moon-like exoplanet

Artist's concept of the exoplanet LHS 3844b, which is 1.3 times the mass of Earth and ...

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has provided new insights into a rocky exoplanet that may be very similar to the planet Mercury or Earth’s Moon. Orbiting an M-type dwarf star 48.6 light years from Earth in the constellation of Indus, LHS 3844b is 1.3 times the mass of our planet, probably airless, and covered with lava plains resembling the lunar maria.

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Continue reading NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope sheds light on Moon-like exoplanet

Astronomers analyze atmosphere of exoplanet unlike any in our solar system

So far we’ve spotted more than 4,000 planets orbiting stars other than our Sun, but we know very little about their atmospheres. Now, NASA astronomers have managed to probe the atmosphere of GJ 3470 b, a planet unlike any in our solar system…. Continue reading Astronomers analyze atmosphere of exoplanet unlike any in our solar system