Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Betelgeuse – As reported here over the last two months, the star Betelgeuse dimmed to its lowest recorded level in early February. New observations made in late February showed it creeping back up in brightness.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
New Target For Lucy – The Trojan asteroids are found in two groups along Jupiter’s orbit, one group at a 60 degree angle ahead of the giant planet, and the other 60 degrees behind.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Betelgeuse, although long known to vary somewhat in brightness, is the dimmest it’s been in at least a century. Before these recent variations, it had been brighter than Rigel at its peak, but recently dimmed to the level of Bellatrix, dimmer than first magnitude.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Milky Way Disk – Astronomers have known for more than 20 years that the disk of our Milky Way galaxy consists of two distinct populations of stars, differing in age and composition with the “Thin Disk” embedded within the “Thick Disk.”… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Physics Nobel Prize – Because the Nobel Prizes do not have a category strictly for astronomy, astronomers whose work merits the honor are awarded the Physics Nobel. Three astronomers received the 2019 Physics award.… Continue reading.
by Don Lynn
Asteroid SampledHayabusa2 (a Japanese spacecraft) has touched down on its target, the asteroid Ryugu, and completed a procedure to fire a projectile into it and collect the debris blown off. Another sample will be taken from inside a fresh impact crater to find out what the inside of the asteroid is made of.… Continue reading.
More data has been received from the New Horizons spacecraft since its recent flyby of the Kuiper Belt object informally named Ultima Thule. One new result is that the larger of the object’s two lobes is not so much spherical, as thick-pancake-shaped.… Continue reading.
by Don Lynn
Kuiper Belt Object FlybyOn December 31st, New Horizons (Pluto spacecraft) flew by the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69, since unofficially named Ultima Thule, at a distance of only 2200 miles, fervently taking images and other data.… Continue reading.
by Don Lynn
Phobos Grooves ExplainedSince the first close-up images were taken of the Martian moon Phobos decades ago, scientists have argued about why there are long grooves on its surface. Leading theories were that the moon cracked from an impact or from tidal forces.… Continue reading.