Get to Know a Scientist: Astrophysicist Dr. Melinda Soares-Furtado
An astrophysicist studies stars, planets, and other things in space. Introducing Dr. Melinda Soares-Furtado, who tells us about her career.
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The Moon is Rusting, and Earth is Responsible
Rust in the form of hematite has been found on the Moon, and new research suggests it could be caused by the Earth’s atmosphere.
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What Does a Black Hole Look Like?
In 2019, humanity was treated to a “photograph” of a black hole. Technically, it wasn’t a photo, but it was the first image of a black hole.
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Green Bank Telescope: Two Weeks as a Visiting Astronomer in the Quiet Zone
Pictured in the image above is the Jansky Laboratory, where scientific research is conducted at the Green Bank Observatory, with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in the background. The Jansky Lab is named for physicist and telephone engineer Karl Guthe Jansky, who in the 1930s first detected radio waves coming from the center of the Milky Way. By Olivia Wilkins Green Bank, West Virginia is known as “America’s Quietest Town”: there is no cell-phone service, and the use of wireless Internet, digital cameras, and even microwaves is heavily restricted. It…
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Oumuamua: Asteroid from Another Star System
In October 2017, astrobiologist Karen J. Meech got the call every astronomer waits for: NASA had spotted the very first visitor from another star system. The interstellar comet — a half-mile-long object eventually named `Oumuamua, from the Hawaiian for “scout” or “messenger” — raised intriguing questions: Was it a chunk of rocky debris from a new star system, shredded material from a supernova explosion, evidence of alien technology or something else altogether? In this riveting talk, Meech tells the story of how her team raced against the clock to find…
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Juno: What’s Jupiter Hiding?
The Juno spacecraft currently orbiting Jupiter is appropriately named. In Roman mythology, Jupiter created a veil of clouds to hide his escapades with Io from his wife, Juno, but Juno was able to peer through the clouds and foil his plan. By Steven Spence Juno: Aptly named The Juno spacecraft, currently on its 11th science orbit[1] of Jupiter, is designed to see through Jupiter’s clouds, revealing secrets of the planet’s atmosphere and interior. Boldly going on a five-year mission Juno launched on August 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral aboard a…
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Book: See it with a Small Telescope
Take an adventure through the universe through the lens of your telescope! Author Will Kalif tells us about his book, See it with a Small Telescope. Title: See It With a Small Telescope: 101 Cosmic Wonders, Including Planets, Moons, Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters, and More Author: Will Kalif Publisher: Ulysses Press Best for: Astronomy buffs, telescope owners, and readers interested in popular science and space. The night sky is a deep, rich field of stars. Under normal dark sky conditions, when there is a new moon, there are approximately…
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Book Review: The Planet Factory
The Planet Factory is a guide to real-life Tatooines, planets made of diamonds, and possible Earth twins. It’s a story 3,439 stardust babies! Title: The Planet FactoryAuthor: Elizabeth TaskerPublisher: Bloomsbury SigmaOn sale: Sept. 7, 2017 in UK; Nov. 7, 2017 in USABest for: Enthusiastic 17-plus-year-olds, readers interested in popular science and space Exo is the new black The Planet Factory is a guide to real-life Tatooines, planets made of diamonds, and possible Earth twins. Since the 1995 discovery of the first planet outside the solar system, exoplanetology has become one…
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Telescope Accessories: What Do You Really Need?
The right telescope accessories can help you photograph the sky, the moon, the stars, and more. Learn how to choose the right ones for you.
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Discovered: Nearby Planets that Could Host Life
MIT researchers found three potentially habitable planets orbiting an ultra-cool dwarf star. Three planets, just 40 light years away from Earth, could support life. And we will be able to explore them within the next ten years. The study, released today in Nature, located the planets just 40 light years away from Earth. While scientists continue to explore the potential of life on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, the newly-discovered planets represent the most likely so far to host life outside our solar system. The study’s lead author, Julien de Wit, tells us why the…
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