A new comet discovered by amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov is an outcast from another star system, yet its properties are surprisingly familiar, a new study led by Jagiellonian University researchers shows. The team’s findings are being published in Nature Astronomy on 14 October 2019. Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-10-2iborisov-interstellar-comet-familiar.html…
Tag: Comet
All you need to know: Orionid meteor shower
Details on the annual Orionid meteor shower. How and when to watch. In 2019, the peak morning is probably October 22. But start watching now, before dawn! Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-orionid-meteor-shower…
A Second Interstellar Visitor Has Arrived in Our Solar System. This Time, Astronomers Think They Know Where It Came From
When ‘Oumuamua passed through our solar system in 2017, no one could figure out where the object came from. But astronomers think they’ve worked out how Comet 2I/Borisov got here. Source: https://www.livescience.com/mysterious-comet-interstellar-krueger-borisov.html
South Taurid meteors to peak in October?
The South Taurid meteor shower rarely produces more than 5 meteors per hour, but it’s been known to produce fireballs. The shower is long-running. Watch for these meteors in October and November. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/south-taurid-meteors-to-peak-in-october…
Watch for Draconid meteors in 2019
The Draconid shower will likely produce its greatest number of meteors on the evening – not after midnight – of October 8, 2019. Try the nights of October 7 and 9, too. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/legendary-draconids-boom-or-bust…
We can send a probe to interstellar comet Borisov – but not until 2030
Astronomers are racing to learn about only the second interstellar object ever seen. We now know it contains cyanide gas – and we could send a probe to visit it Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2218908-we-can-send-a-probe-to-interstellar-comet-borisov-but-not-until-2030/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
The Crab Nebula was an exploding star
The Crab Nebula, about 6,500 light-years from Earth, is the scattered fragments of a supernova, or exploding star, observed by earthly skywatchers in the year 1054. Source: https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/crab-nebula-was-an-exploding-star…
All you need to know: Draconids in 2019
October’s Draconid meteor shower – sometimes called the Giacobinids – is expected to peak at nightfall or early evening on October 8, 2019, though under a moon-drenched sky. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-draconid-meteor-shower…
New frontier for science as astronomers detect gas molecules in comet from another star
An international team of astronomers, including Queen’s University Belfast researchers, have made a historic discovery, detecting gas molecules in a comet which has tumbled into our solar system from another star. Source: https://phys.org/news/2019-09-frontier-science-astronomers-gas-molecules.html…
IAU names the 2nd interstellar visitor
The first known interstellar visitor received the official name ‘Oumuamua, meaning ‘scout.’ This one has a less romantic name and one that sets a standard for future discoveries: 2I/Borisov. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/iau-name-2nd-interstellar-visitor-2i-borisov…