Category Astronomy/Space

Based on a culmination of ten years of research work, the new method to estimate more accurate distances between planetary nebulae and the Earth developed by HKU astronomers promises a new era in scientists’ ability to study and understand the fascinating if brief period in the final stages of the lives of low- and mid-mass stars. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

A way of estimating more accurate distances to the thousands of “planetary nebulae” has just been announced by 3 astronomers at Uni of Hong Kong (HKU): Dr David Frew, Professor Quentin Parker and Dr Ivan Bojicic, based on 10 yrs of research work. With this technique, “planetary nebulae” finally get a more meaningful physical presence.

Ghostly and beautiful planetary nebulae” have nothing to do with planets but acquired this nam...

The High Resolution Channel of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys captured this view of HD 44179 and the surrounding Red Rectangle nebula — the sharpest view so far. Red light from glowing Hydrogen was captured through the F658N filter and colored red. Orange-red light over a wider range of wavelengths through a F625W filter was colored blue. The field of view is about 25 by 20 arcseconds. Text credit: European Space Agency Image credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA

The star HD 44179 is surrounded by an extraordinary structure known as the Red Rectangle. It acquired its moniker because of its shape and its apparent color when seen in early images from Earth...

This image shows a planet being stripped by host star’s heat. Credit: Peter Devine

Astrophysicists at the Uni of Birmingham have used data from the NASA Kepler space telescope to discover a class of extrasolar planets whose atmospheres have been stripped away by their host stars. Planets with gaseous atmospheres that lie close to their host stars are bombarded by a torrent of high-energy radiation. Due to their proximity to the star the ‘envelopes’ have been blown away by intense radiation. This violent ‘stripping’ occurs in planets that are made up of a rocky core with a gaseous outer layer.

The scientists used asteroseismology to characterize the stars and their planets to levels of accuracy not achieved before for these systems...

In this frame taken from video from NASA TV, the SpaceX Dragon cargo ship is captured by a robot arm from the International Space Station, Sunday April 10, 2016. A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday, two days after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Station astronauts used a big robot arm to capture the Dragon, orbiting 260 miles above Earth. (NASA TV via AP)

A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at ISS on Sunday, 2 days after launching from Cape Canaveral. Station astronauts used a robot arm to capture the Dragon, orbiting 250 miles above Earth. The Dragon holds 7,000 pounds of freight, including the soft-sided compartment built by Bigelow Aerospace...