How the Antimatter-Hunting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Works [Infographic]
The following infographic shows how the Antimatter-Hunting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer works. It was sent to the International Space Station in the STS-134 mission by the Space Shuttle Endeavour on May 16th 2011. The shuttle landed back on Earth on June 1st after a mission successfully completed.
Astronomy Picture of the Week – Solar Eruption
This is a fairly old picture of the Sun since it has been taken on September 14, 1997 by the space-based SOHO observatory. It represents a massive solar eruption. Such a phenomenon occurs when magnetic fields arching from the solar surface twist and trap ionized gas, suspending it in huge looping structures, often expelling it into space. Occasionally that huge amount of solar plasma is ejected in the direction of Earth.
A Pulsar With Planets
A pulsar is probably the deadliest object in the Universe. Despite their beauty, you wouldn't want to get close to one of them! They are a type of neutron star that emits a highly focused beam of electromagnetic radiation from both magnetic poles. This radiation, deadly to any form of life, can only be visible when one of the two beams is turned to face towards the observer.