The TESS space telescope was launched on April 18, 2018, sitting atop a Space X Falcon 9 rocket. This telescope, which is short for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, is designed to scan the night sky in search of one … Continue reading
This week I recommend to follow @NiteSkyGirl for news from an amateur astronomer who still observes the night sky with her backyard telescopes. For more Twitter follow suggestions see our astronomy list @TheAstroBlog/astronomy Weekly Stumbles: NASA’s Spitzer Sees the Light … Continue reading
A group of European astronomers has discovered an ancient planetary system that is likely to be a survivor from one of the earliest cosmic eras, 13 billion years ago. The system consists of the star HIP 11952 and two planets, which have orbital periods of 290 and 7 days, respectively. Continue reading
The powerful jets of radio waves that can explode from monster black holes at the center of galaxies may erupt from much closer to these giants than previously thought, scientists say. Although black holes entrap anything that falls onto them, a vast amount of energy can radiate outward from matter rushing into the black holes. Continue reading
The following infographic is a comparison of three alien star systems with our own solar system. It shows the distance at which all the known planets orbit around their stars. As of August 10, 2011, 573 extra-solar planets have been identified, but so far the three systems illustrated below are the record holders for having the most planets. Continue reading
Rocky planets a few times heavier than Earth that were thought might be life-friendly may lack a protective magnetic field that originates from an iron core that is at least partly molten. A simulation of super-Earths between a few times and 10 times Earth’s mass suggests that high pressures will keep the core solid… Continue reading