Recent Comments

    Category Astronomy/Space

    Laser-ranged Satellite measurement now accurately reflects Earth’s Tidal perturbations

    February 21, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Laser-ranged satellite measurement now accurately reflects Earth's tidal perturbations

    The Lustbühel Satellite Laser Tacking. Credit: Jörg Weingrill (CC BY 2.0 [5])

    The most precise ever laser satellite measurement method provides new clues to relativity. Tides on Earth have a far-reaching influence, including disturbing satellites’ measurements by affecting their motion. This disturbance can be studied using a model for the gravitational potential of Earth, taking into account the fact that Earth’s shape is not spherical. The LAser RElativity Satellite (LARES), is the best ever relevant test particle to move in Earth’s gravitational field.

    In a new study published in EPJ Plus, LARES proves its efficiency for high-precision probing of General Relativity and fundamental physics...

    Read More

    Magnetic field traces Gas and Dust Swirling around Supermassive Black Hole

    February 21, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    The colour scale in the image shows the amount of infrared (heat) radiation coming from warm dust particles in the filaments and luminous stars within a light year of the Galactic centre. The position of the black hole is indicated by an asterisk. The lines trace the magnetic field directions and reveal the complex interactions between the stars and the dusty filaments, and the impact that they and the gravitational force has on them. Credit: E. Lopez-Rodriguez / NASA Ames / University of Texas at San Antonio. Click for a larger image

    The colour scale in the image shows the amount of infrared (heat) radiation coming from warm dust particles in the filaments and luminous stars within a light year of the Galactic centre. The position of the black hole is indicated by an asterisk. The lines trace the magnetic field directions and reveal the complex interactions between the stars and the dusty filaments, and the impact that they and the gravitational force has on them. Credit: E. Lopez-Rodriguez / NASA Ames / University of Texas at San Antonio. Click for a larger image

    Astronomers reveal a new high resolution map of the magnetic field lines in gas and dust swirling around the supermassive black hole at the centre of our Galaxy, published in a new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society...

    Read More

    NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to reveal secrets of the Red Planet

    February 21, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Hubble took this photo of Mars when the planet was 50 million miles from Earth, during its last opposition in 2016. The photo reveals details as small as 20 to 30 miles across. Credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), J. Bell (ASU), and M. Wolff (Space Science Institute)

    Hubble took this photo of Mars when the planet was 50 million miles from Earth, during its last opposition in 2016. The photo reveals details as small as 20 to 30 miles across. Credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), J. Bell (ASU), and M. Wolff (Space Science Institute)

    Webb will investigate how Mars went from wet to dry. Mars rovers and orbiters have found signs that Mars once hosted liquid water on its surface. Much of that water escaped over time. How much water was lost, and how does the water that’s left move from ice to atmosphere to soil? During its first year of operations, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will seek answers. Webb also will study mysterious methane plumes that hint at possible geological or even biological activity.

    Mars will be targeted as pa...

    Read More

    Astronomers Reveal Secrets of Most Distant Supernova ever Detected

    February 20, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Top: Area of sky before the supernova was detected. Bottom: The supernova is detected. Credit: M Smith and DES collaboration

    Top: Area of sky before the supernova was detected. Bottom: The supernova is detected.
    Credit: M Smith and DES collaboration

    An international team led by the University of Southampton has confirmed the discovery of the most distant supernova ever detected – a huge cosmic explosion that took place 10.5 billion years ago, or 3/4 the age of the Universe itself. The exploding star, DES16C2nm, was detected by the Dark Energy Survey (DES), an international collaboration to map several hundred million galaxies in order to find out more about dark energy – the mysterious force believed to be causing the accelerated expansion of the Universe.

    As detailed in a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, light from the event has taken 10...

    Read More