Tag Archive | "ESA"
What Lies at the Center of the Milky Way?
NASA closes out the Year of Astronomy 2009 with stunning images of the galactic center. For the first time, we can 'see' who lives in the heart of the Milky Way, objects that emit almost no visible light by comparison to their powerful images in the infrared, gamma-ray and x-ray regions of the spectrum. Dazzling images of the center of our galaxy follow.
Continue reading...Gazing into the Center of the Milky Way
Friday, December 4, 2009
Not too many years ago, astronomers despaired over whether they would ever get a clear, sharp, informative picture of the galactic center. The giant clouds of dense gas that dominate the center of the Milky Way seemed to be an impenetrable barrier. Nonetheless, persistence paid off and a few years ago, three of the most extraordinary telescopes ever built began to acquire new data. Awe-inspiring pictures of the Universe accompany their story.
Continue reading...Earth’s Cousins Orbiting a Distant Star
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The CoRoT space mission has recently confirmed two Super Earth Planets. Much smaller than the usual exoplanets which are gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, these planets likely have rocky surfaces with large bodies of water. Environmental Graffiti gives the lowdown on these incredible new cosmic discoveries. Could life exist elsewhere in the galaxy?
Continue reading...The Hubble Telescope’s Final Mission
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Hubble's last Service Mission was an astounding success. Instruments and insulation blanket were repaired and upgraded, and new capability was added to this truly exceptional orbiting observatory. Hubble Space Telescope, whose importance rivals that of the first optical telescope made by Galileo, will continue to probe the mysteries of the universe through 2013. Strap yourself in for a blow-by-blow account of what Service Mission 4 and what it achieved.
Continue reading...The Moons of the Ringed Gas Giant: Saturn
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
On February 24, 2009, four of Saturn's moons transited the planet. A fortuitous line of sight allowed the Cassini spacecraft to capture Dione, Enceladus, Mimas and Titan in a single, extraordinary photograph. Remarkable space probe data allow us to better understand this dynamic and complex planet.
Continue reading...Peering into the Beginnings of the Universe
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Scheduled to launch in April 2009, the Herschel and Planck space telescopes bring capabilities never before available to study the origins of stars, galaxies and the universe. The expected data might revolutionize both astrophysics and philosophy.
Continue reading...The Densest Planet
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Space telescopes have catalogued a universe of previously unknown wonders and mysteries. The list still grows monthly and certainly far away planets orbiting other stars are hypnotically fascinating. Will any of these prove up as 'Earth-like' with an environment that could support DNA, cellular tissue, life-as-we-know-it?
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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