All articles tagged with #space and astronomy
NASA and AeroVironment tested two Mars-bound rotor systems in JPL’s Mars simulator, reaching rotor tip speeds up to Mach 1.08 (about 3,750 rpm) under simulated Martian conditions—surpassing Mars’ speed of sound and signaling feasibility for larger SkyFall rotorcraft that could carry bigger instruments and longer missions, building on Ingenuity’s historic Mars flights.
Texas A&M researchers report a lab demonstration of micron-scale metajets with metasurfaces that can be steered in three dimensions by laser light; they say the concept could be scaled to propel larger spacecraft, potentially enabling a 20-year journey to Alpha Centauri, though real-world feasibility and space testing remain to be proven.
Astronomers say the star WOH G64 in the Large Magellanic Cloud has transformed from a red supergiant into a yellow hypergiant (a change tied to observations starting in 2014), is shedding its outer layers, and is heating up—signs that it may be nearing its explosive end. At about 1,500 solar radii, it remains one of the universe’s largest stars, is younger than 5 million years, and new research in Nature Astronomy argues the star could be heading toward a supernova in its relatively short life arc.
NASA's Artemis II crew captured dramatic images from the Moon's far side, including an Earthset and a total solar eclipse, during a flyby that extended more than 4,000 miles beyond the Moon; two new craters were named Integrity and Carroll, and Orion is set to splash down near San Diego on April 10 as the mission continues.
Astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope produced the most detailed map yet of dark matter, revealing how its gravity pulled ordinary matter into dense regions that formed galaxies and, eventually, planets. The map deepens understanding of the invisible structure shaping the cosmos and will guide future surveys (e.g., Euclid, Roman) to refine dark-matter properties and evolution.
NASA will hold a rare press conference to address the Hubble Space Telescope entering safe mode due to a malfunctioning gyroscope. The telescope, which requires at least three gyroscopes to operate fully, has faced multiple gyro failures since its last refurbishment in 2009. While a private mission led by Jared Isaacman has been proposed to service Hubble, it carries significant risks. The press conference will provide updates on Hubble's operational status and future plans.
For the first time, astronomers have detected magnetic fields in massive stars outside the Milky Way, specifically in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. This discovery offers a unique opportunity to study star formation and evolution in environments similar to the early universe, as these stars are metal-poor like the first stars. Using the FORS2 instrument on the Very Large Telescope, researchers successfully measured magnetic fields in several massive stars, suggesting that low metallicity has little impact on magnetic field strength in these stars. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Researchers analyzing unpublished photos of Mars's moon Phobos have found that its properties resemble those of comets, suggesting it might be a bilobated or binary comet. This challenges existing theories about its origin, which include formation from a debris disk or capture of an asteroid. The upcoming JAXA Martian Moons eXploration mission aims to return samples from Phobos, potentially providing more definitive answers.
This week in space news highlights include the discovery of a colossal black hole collision in the early universe, the Negev Space Accelerator's selection of five startups for lunar projects, SpaceX's unveiling of new space suits for private astronaut spacewalks, NASA's lunar training expeditions for the Artemis program, and the identification of some of the oldest known stars on the outskirts of the Milky Way.
Scientists have found evidence that some massive stars may collapse into black holes without a supernova explosion, as observed in the binary system VFTS 243. This challenges the traditional understanding of stellar evolution and has implications for the creation and distribution of elements in the universe.
A nova explosion of the binary star system T Coronae Borealis, first potentially recorded in 1217, is expected to occur soon. This rare event, caused by a thermonuclear reaction on a white dwarf star, happens approximately every 80 years. Historical observations in 1866 and 1946, along with a recent pre-eruption dip, suggest the next eruption could happen between now and September 2024.
Astronomers have observed supermassive black holes changing the direction of their powerful particle jets, akin to the Death Star in Star Wars. Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Long Baseline Array, scientists found that these jets can reorient by up to 90 degrees over millions of years, potentially impacting star formation in galaxies. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, suggests that material falling into black holes at different angles may cause these shifts.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is expected to become visible to the naked eye by late summer or early autumn, potentially reaching a brightness comparable to Venus. It will make its closest approach to the Sun on September 27 and to Earth on October 12, offering a spectacular view if it brightens as predicted.
A British satellite orbiting Earth has captured stunning 4K images and videos of the total solar eclipse on April 8, showcasing the moon's shadow and the sun's corona. Sen's ETV-A1 satellite, in low-Earth orbit, plans to provide live-streaming views of Earth from the International Space Station with its 4K camera, and is expected to launch more satellites in the future. The next total solar eclipse is set for August 12, 2026, in Europe.
The Delta family of rockets is concluding its 60-year legacy, while a new spacecraft from a legacy space company prepares for its astronaut debut. Millions are still enjoying the recent total solar eclipse, and a new military weather satellite is set to enter service. The hour-long live show "News from the Press Site" will feature discussions on these topics, including the eclipse and the final Delta 4 Heavy launch.