Month: September 2017
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Discovery alert! A nearby super Earth
Cool! A nearby “Super Earth” – only 21 light-years away in the inner habitable zone of its small, red ‘M dwarf’ star. Almost 3 times more massive than Earth, this exoplanet is 21 light-years away. It takes only two weeks to orbit its star, closer than Mercury is to the Sun. But since M dwarf stars…
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New gravitational wave detection shows shape of ripples from black hole collision
Picked up from twin instruments, Ligo and Vigo. New gravitational wave detection shows shape of ripples from black hole collision For the first time, astronomers have detail on the 3D pattern of warping that occurs when black holes with masses of 31 and 25 times that of the sun collide Source: www.theguardian.com/science/2017/sep/27/new-gravitational-wave-detection-shows-shape-of-ripples-from-black-hole-collision-ligo-virgo
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Next-generation U.S. Radio Telescope Development Begins – National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Planning has started on the next generation of The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). NRAO and AUI are launching development of a new radio-telescope system with the advanced capabilities to answer critical scientific questions of the coming decades. Source: public.nrao.edu/news/next-generation-radio-telescope/
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Possible explanation for the galaxy’s cosmic radiation
Discovery of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant as a natural particle accelerator of up to PeV energies (1 PeV = 1.000 TeV and implications of galactic radiation. Very interesting article. https://phys.org/news/2017-09-explanation-galaxy-cosmic.html 400 Bad request 400 Bad request
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CMOS vs CCD in the field of spectrography
Very detailed article about the differences between CMOS and CCD cameras. Comparison of CMOS and CCD in the field of spectrography For spectrographic applications in particular, I compare the performance of Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) sensor with the latest generation of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensors available to amateurs at the date (August 2017).…
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Earth’s carbon points to planetary smashup
Further evidence about the Earth being struck by a large, Mercury size object in the early life of the Solar System Research by Rice University Earth scientists suggests that virtually all of Earth’s life-giving carbon could have come from a collision about 4.4 billion years ago between Earth and an embryonic planet similar to Mercury.…
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Pluto’s Methane Snowcaps on the Edge of Darkness
Pluto’s Methane Snowcaps on the Edge of Darkness The southernmost part of Pluto that NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft could “see” during closest approach in July 2015 contains a range of fascinating geological features, and offers clues into what might lurk in the regions shrouded in darkness during the flyby. Source: www.nasa.gov/feature/pluto-s-methane-snowcaps-on-the-edge-of-darkness
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MAVEN Reveals Speed of Solar Wind Stripping Martian Atmosphere
The MAVEN mission has identified the process that appears to have played a key role in the transition of the Martian climate from an early, warm and wet environment that might have supported surface life to the cold, arid planet Mars is today. MAVEN » MAVEN Reveals Speed of Solar Wind Stripping Martian Atmosphere …