Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner, have revealed an extremely distant and therefore very young galaxy that looks surprisingly like our Milky Way. The galaxy is so far away its light has taken more than 12 billion years to reach us: we see it as it was when the…
Tag: eso
A surprising spiral around a planet factory
A new image of the planet-forming disk around the young star RU Lup reveals a beautiful and unexpected massive spiral of gas, reminiscent of a spiral galaxy. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/ru-lup-spiral-shaped-protoplanetary-disk…
1st direct image of 2 giant exoplanets orbiting a sunlike star
For the 1st time ever, astronomers have photographed more than one giant exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star. The planetary system is similar to our solar system, but younger. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/1st-photos-gas-giant-exoplanets-tyc-8998-760-1…
First image of a multi-planet system around a sun-like star
The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) has taken the first ever image of a young, sun-like star accompanied by two giant exoplanets. Images of systems with multiple exoplanets are extremely rare, and—until now—astronomers had never directly observed more than one planet orbiting a star similar to the sun. The observations can help astronomers understand how planets formed and…
When is the next Great Comet?
There’s a nice binocular comet – Comet NEOWISE – in the early morning sky now. Some experienced observers are catching it with the eye alone. It’s nice … but not great. When will we see our next Great Comet? Source: https://earthsky.org/space/northern-hemisphere-overdue-for-a-great-comet…
Giant Flywheel Project In Scotland Could Prevent UK Blackouts
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: A giant flywheel in north-east Scotland could soon help to prevent blackouts across Britain by mimicking the effect of a power station but without using fossil fuels. The trailblazing project near Keith in Moray, thought to cost about 25 million British pounds, will not generate electricity or produce carbon emissions — but…
At least 2 super-Earths orbit this red dwarf star
Astronomers from the University of Göttingen in Germany have discovered two, and possibly three, super-Earth exoplanets orbiting the nearby red dwarf star Gliese-887. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-super-earths-gliese-887-red-dwarf-star…
Moon and Antares in early July
These next few evenings – July 1 and 2, 2020 – let the moon be your guide to Antares, a red supergiant star whose humongous size is truly difficult to fathom! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-and-antares-in-early-july…
A 2nd exoplanet confirmed for Proxima Centauri
Astronomers at McDonald Observatory have confirmed a second planet – 7 times more massive than Earth – orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/2nd-exoplanet-confirmed-proxima-centauri…
New ‘climate decoder’ to study potentially habitable exoplanets
What is the climate like on some potentially habitable exoplanets? Scientists have developed a new “decoder” to find out. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-climate-environmental-color-decoder…