space

Mystery over monster star’s vanishing act 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 2, 2020
Astronomers have been baffled by the disappearance of a massive star they had been observing.

By David Aragorn
Calculate the number of alien civilizations in the Milky Way for yourself 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 2, 2020
In recent years, the explosive nature of exoplanet discovery (over 4,164 confirmed so far) has led to renewed interest in the timeless question: “Are we alone in the universe?” Or, as famed Italian physicist Enrico Fermi put it, “Where is everybody?” With so many planets to choose from and the rate at which our instruments and methods are improving, the search for life beyond Earth is really kicking into high gear.

By David Aragorn
Ten years of the sun in one hour – Nasa releases mesmerising space film 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 1, 2020
The space agency gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the sun, which have now been stitched together to form the video

By David Aragorn
Space Force more receptive to reusable rockets as it continues to review SpaceX missions 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 1, 2020
SpaceX on June 30 is scheduled to make its first attempt to recover the Falcon 9 booster after launching a military satellite.

By David Aragorn
Scientists spot flash of light from colliding black holes. But how?0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 1, 2020
Black holes aren’t supposed to make flashes of light. It’s right there in the name: black holes.

By David Aragorn
Giant star spots likely cause of Betelgeuse dimming 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- July 1, 2020
Betelgeuse, the bright star in the constellation of Orion, has been fascinating astronomers in the recent months because of its unusually strong decline in brightness. Scientists have been discussing a number of scenarios trying to explain its behavior. Now a team led by Thavisha Dharmawardena of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy have shown that most likely unusually large star spots on the surface of Betelgeuse have caused the dimming. Their results rule out the previous conjecture that it was dust, recently ejected by Betelgeuse, which obscured the star.

By David Aragorn
Beyond Pluto: the hunt for our solar system’s new ninth planet 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- June 30, 2020
Scientists think a planet larger than Earth lurks in the far reaches of the solar system. Now a new telescope could confirm their belief and change solar system science

By David Aragorn
Monster black hole found in the early universe 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- June 30, 2020
The second-most distant quasar ever discovered now has a Hawaiian name

By David Aragorn
NASA Is About To Send A ‘Helicopter’ To Mars. Here’s Everything You Need To Know 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- June 30, 2020
NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance is scheduled to launch in the coming weeks, the agency’s latest effort to search for life on the Red Planet.

By David Aragorn
Extinction events: The man helping protect earth 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- June 30, 2020
Perched on top of a remote, wind-swept hill in rural mid-Wales sits a series of structures designed to protect us against “one of the most significant risks to human civilisation”.

By David Aragorn