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    Category Astronomy/Space

    Laser Tests reveal New Insights into Key Mineral for Super-Earths

    June 16, 2024, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    View of laser-driven experiments of shock-compressed magnesium oxide (MgO) within the chamber at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. High-power laser beams are used to compress MgO samples to pressures beyond those found in the center of Earth. A secondary source of X-rays is used to probe MgO’s crystal structure. Brighter regions are glowing plasma emission over nanosecond timescales.
    IMAGE CREDIT: JUNE WICKS/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

    Scientists have for the first time observed how atoms in magnesium oxide morph and melt under ultra-harsh conditions, providing new insights into this key mineral within Earth’s mantle that is known to influence planet formation.

    High-energy laser experiments — which subjected tiny crystals of the mineral to the type of heat and pressure found deep ...

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    NASA’s Roman Mission Gets Cosmic ‘Sneak Peek’ From Supercomputers

    June 14, 2024, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    This graphic highlights part of a new simulation of what NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could see when it launches by May 2027. The background spans about 0.11 square degrees (roughly equivalent to half of the area of sky covered by a full Moon), representing less than half the area Roman will see in a single snapshot. The inset zooms in to a region 300 times smaller, showcasing a swath of brilliant synthetic galaxies at Roman’s full resolution. Having such a realistic simulation helps scientists study the physics behind cosmic images –– both synthetic ones like these and future real ones. Researchers will use the observations for many types of science, including testing our understanding of the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe.
    C. Hirata and K...
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    Webb Telescope reveals Asteroid Collision in Neighboring Star System

    June 12, 2024, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Beta Pictoris
    Two different space telescopes took snapshots 20 years apart of the same area around the star called Beta Pictoris. Scientists theorize that the massive amount of dust seen in the 2004–05 image from the Spitzer Space Telescope indicates a collision of asteroids that had largely cleared by the time the James Webb Space Telescope captured its images in 2023.
    IMAGE CREDIT: ROBERTO MOLAR CANDANOSA/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, WITH BETA PICTORIS CONCEPT ART BY LYNETTE COOK/NASA

    Astronomers have captured what appears to be a snapshot of a massive collision of giant asteroids in Beta Pictoris, a neighboring star system known for its early age and tumultuous planet-forming activity.

    The observations spotlight the volatile processes that shape star systems like our own, offering a unique glim...

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    New Method could Allow Multi-Robot Teams to Autonomously and Reliably Explore other Planets

    June 11, 2024, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    A method that could allow multi-robot teams to autonomously and reliably explore other planets
    The rocker bogie runt rover has been selected as it has a small form factor and utilises off the shelf components. Credit: Sarah Swinton

    While roboticists have developed increasingly sophisticated systems over the past decades, ensuring that these systems can autonomously operate in real-world settings without mishaps often proves challenging. This is particularly difficult when these robots are designed to be deployed in complex environments, including space and other planets.

    Researchers at the University of Glasgow recently developed a new methodology that could allow teams of multiple rovers to autonomously and reliably explore other planets...

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