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Astronomy & Space news
JWST observations shed more light on the nature of a distant galaxy cluster
Astronomers from the Nanjing University in China and elsewhere have performed high-resolution observations of a distant galaxy cluster known as CL J1001+0220 using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The observational ...
Largest-ever map of universe's active supermassive black holes released
Astronomers have charted the largest-ever volume of the universe with a new map of active supermassive black holes living at the centers of galaxies. Called quasars, the gas-gobbling black holes are, ironically, some of the ...
Astronomy
20 hours ago
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NASA volunteers find 15 rare 'active asteroids'
Some extraordinary asteroids have "activity"—comet-like tails or envelopes of gas and dust. NASA's Active Asteroids project announced the discovery of activity on 15 asteroids, challenging conventional wisdom about the ...
Astronomy
20 hours ago
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A holistic look at Earth's chemical cycling sheds light on how the planet stays habitable
We all know Earth is special, but we may not fully appreciate how good we have it on this planet. Unlike its planetary neighbors, Earth has remained habitable for billions of years thanks to a complicated, ever-changing dance ...
Planetary Sciences
21 hours ago
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Unlocking clearer views of our world's water: A Landsat legacy
Satellite remote sensing is vital for monitoring marine and freshwater ecosystems, leveraging missions like SeaWiFS, MODIS, MERIS, Landsat, and Sentinel to track water parameters such as chlorophyll, sediment, and temperature. ...
Planetary Sciences
15 hours ago
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Astronaut Thomas Stafford, commander of Apollo 10, has died at age 93
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, who commanded a dress rehearsal flight for the 1969 moon landing and the first U.S.-Soviet space linkup, died Monday. He was 93.
Space Exploration
16 hours ago
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The cosmic neutrino background would tell us plenty about the universe, says researcher
Readers of Universe Today are probably already familiar with the concept of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Its serendipitous discovery by a pair of radio astronomers at Bell Labs is the stuff of astronomical legend. ...
Astronomy
19 hours ago
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Could Earth life survive on a red dwarf planet?
Even though exoplanet science has advanced significantly in the last decade or two, we're still in an unfortunate situation. Scientists can only make educated guesses about which exoplanets may be habitable. Even the closest ...
Astrobiology
19 hours ago
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Hubble views dwarf galaxy LEDA 4216
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows LEDA 42160, a galaxy about 52 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. The dwarf galaxy is one of many forcing its way through the comparatively dense gas ...
Astronomy
19 hours ago
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As Voyager 1's mission draws to a close, one planetary scientist reflects on its legacy
For nearly 50 years, NASA's Voyager 1 mission has competed for the title of deep space's little engine that could. Launched in 1977 along with its twin, Voyager 2, the spacecraft is now soaring more than 15 billion miles ...
Space Exploration
15 hours ago
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SpaceX is building a spy satellite network for US, news agency says
Elon Musk's SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, Reuters reported, citing five people familiar with the program.
Space Exploration
21 hours ago
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SpaceX finally manages Kennedy Space Center launch with record-tying booster
After two days of scrubs, SpaceX pulled out some Friday night lights sending up another batch of Starlink satellites from Florida's Space Coast using a first-stage booster for a record-tying 19th time.
Space Exploration
22 hours ago
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The spring equinox is here. What does that mean?
Spring is almost here—officially, at least. The vernal equinox arrives on Tuesday, marking the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere.
Planetary Sciences
Mar 18, 2024
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Dune: What the climate of Arrakis can tell us about the hunt for habitable exoplanets
Frank Herbert's Dune is epic sci-fi storytelling with an environmental message at its heart. The novels and movies are set on the desert planet of Arrakis, which various characters dream of transforming into a greener world—much ...
Space Exploration
Mar 16, 2024
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Our survey of the sky is uncovering the secrets of how planets are born
When we look out to the stars, it is typically not a yearning for the distant depths of outer space that drives us. When we are looking out there, we are truly looking back at ourselves. We try to understand our place in ...
Planetary Sciences
Mar 16, 2024
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New research suggests that our universe has no dark matter
The current theoretical model for the composition of the universe is that it's made of normal matter, dark energy and dark matter. A new University of Ottawa study challenges this.
Astronomy
Mar 15, 2024
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GALILEO: Scientists propose a new method to search for light dark matter
New research in Physical Review Letters (PRL) has proposed a novel method to detect light dark matter candidates using laser interferometry to measure the oscillatory electric fields generated by these candidates.
Einasto Supercluster: The new heavyweight contender in the universe
An international team of scientists led by astronomers from Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu has discovered many superclusters in the universe, with the most prominent among them named the 'Einasto Supercluster' ...
Astronomy
Mar 15, 2024
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The 'baritone' of red giants refines cosmic distance measurements
A fresh look at red giant stars offers key insights into cosmic distance measurements and a way to measure the universe's expansion with the highest accuracy.
Astronomy
Mar 15, 2024
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Protein fragments ID two new 'extremophile' microbes—and may help find alien life
Perfectly adapted microorganisms live in extreme environments, from deep-sea trenches to mountaintops. Learning more about how these extremophiles survive in hostile conditions could inform scientists about life on Earth ...
Astrobiology
Mar 15, 2024
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