Astronomy news Archives - Colin Stuart https://www.colinstuart.net/category/astronews/ Astronomy author and speaker Wed, 01 Dec 2021 10:37:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.5 https://www.colinstuart.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-Saturn1-32x32.png Astronomy news Archives - Colin Stuart https://www.colinstuart.net/category/astronews/ 32 32 166732936 Ten Starter Items for the Astronomy Beginner https://www.colinstuart.net/ten-starter-items-for-the-astronomy-beginner/ Mon, 28 Nov 2016 11:36:35 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=2284 The post Ten Starter Items for the Astronomy Beginner appeared first on Colin Stuart.

]]> 2284 Planet Nine (and a reminder of what is and isn’t a planet) https://www.colinstuart.net/planet-nine-and-a-reminder-of-what-is-and-isnt-a-planet/ https://www.colinstuart.net/planet-nine-and-a-reminder-of-what-is-and-isnt-a-planet/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:39:23 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=2000 The internet and news media are awash with news of “Planet Nine”. For the last few years astronomers have known that some of the objects orbiting the Sun beyond Pluto appear to be mysteriously aligned. One possible explanation for this is that there is a large body even further out and the gravity of that […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/planet-nine-and-a-reminder-of-what-is-and-isnt-a-planet/feed/ 2 2000 Mars Orbiter spies Phobos in front of Red Planet https://www.colinstuart.net/mars-orbiter-spies-phobos-in-front-of-red-planet/ https://www.colinstuart.net/mars-orbiter-spies-phobos-in-front-of-red-planet/#respond Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:57:18 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1835 Unlike our Moon, which is about one quarter the size of Earth, Phobos, the largest of Mars’s two moons is tiny – just 25 kilometres across. That makes it smaller than London. In this new image, released from The Mars Orbiter, Phobos is seen passing in front of Mars back in October. The gorgeous views […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/mars-orbiter-spies-phobos-in-front-of-red-planet/feed/ 0 1835 Astronaut posts immense picture of London from space https://www.colinstuart.net/astronaut-posts-immense-picture-of-london-from-space/ https://www.colinstuart.net/astronaut-posts-immense-picture-of-london-from-space/#respond Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:36:30 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1832 Italian astronaut Sam Cristoforetti has one of the best views of anyone at the moment. Orbiting above our heads at 17,500 mph on the International Space Station, she can see up to 16 sunsets and sunrises in a single day. She also gets a unique view on the rest of us as we scurry around through […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/astronaut-posts-immense-picture-of-london-from-space/feed/ 0 1832 Cassini spies tiny moon Epimetheus next to Saturn’s rings https://www.colinstuart.net/cassini-spies-tiny-moon-epimetheus-next-to-saturns-rings/ https://www.colinstuart.net/cassini-spies-tiny-moon-epimetheus-next-to-saturns-rings/#respond Mon, 02 Feb 2015 16:55:32 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1825 Saturn is a lot of people’s favourite planet due to its resplendent rings. Some of those rings – made of house-sized chunks of ice – have recently been snapped by the Cassini space probe alongside the planet’s diminutive moon Epimetheus (just 113 kilometres across). Released today, but taken on December 5, 2014, Cassini was 2 million kilometres […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/cassini-spies-tiny-moon-epimetheus-next-to-saturns-rings/feed/ 0 1825 Beautiful new Hubble image of NGC 7714 https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-hubble-image-of-ngc-7714/ https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-hubble-image-of-ngc-7714/#respond Thu, 29 Jan 2015 15:30:58 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1816 The Hubble Space Telescope is the gift that keeps on giving. For more than 20 years now it has been churning out spectacular views of the cosmos. And this latest image of the galaxy NGC 7714 is no exception.   It beautifully illustrates how, over time, gravity can sculpt wondrous sights out of galaxies. A […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-hubble-image-of-ngc-7714/feed/ 0 1816 Jawdropping new image of mystery gas cloud https://www.colinstuart.net/jawdropping-new-image-of-mystery-gas-cloud/ https://www.colinstuart.net/jawdropping-new-image-of-mystery-gas-cloud/#respond Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:00:40 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1804 Astronomers have used the Very Large Telescope in Chile to image the ethereal gas cloud known as CG4.   It is an example of a ‘cometary globule’ – long, stretched out clouds of gas that are reminiscent of comets. They were first discovered in 1976 and their exact nature remains elusive. The new image shows […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/jawdropping-new-image-of-mystery-gas-cloud/feed/ 0 1804 Moon revealed around asteroid that recently buzzed past Earth https://www.colinstuart.net/moon-revealed-around-asteroid-that-recently-buzzed-past-earth/ https://www.colinstuart.net/moon-revealed-around-asteroid-that-recently-buzzed-past-earth/#respond Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:43:29 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1809 NASA has released new data from yesterday’s cosmic fly-past when asteroid 2004 BL86 zoomed past the Earth at a slightly greater distance than our Moon. Those observations appear to reveal the asteroid has a moon of its own. The main asteroid is 325 metres across and its companion measures 70 metres. Click the image below to see an […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/moon-revealed-around-asteroid-that-recently-buzzed-past-earth/feed/ 0 1809 First ring system found beyond solar system may hide exomoons https://www.colinstuart.net/first-ring-system-found-beyond-solar-system-may-hide-exomoons/ https://www.colinstuart.net/first-ring-system-found-beyond-solar-system-may-hide-exomoons/#respond Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:14:13 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1800 Back in 2012, astronomers uncovered the first ring system in another solar system. Now they have released details of its dimensions and possible evidence of alien moons nestled within. The rings encircle the planet J1407b. As the planet orbits its star, its set of more than 30 rings periodically blocks out some of the star’s light. Such […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/first-ring-system-found-beyond-solar-system-may-hide-exomoons/feed/ 0 1800 Beautiful new Rosetta image of comet 67P https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-rosetta-image-of-comet-67p/ https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-rosetta-image-of-comet-67p/#respond Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:21:22 +0000 http://www.colinstuart.net/?p=1790 It was the hottest news in astronomy in 2014 – the arrival of Rosetta and the landing of Philae on comet 67P stole the show. The scientists behind the amazing mission are busy analysing the data acquired so far. We are now waiting to see if Philae can be roused from its slumber as the […]

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]]> https://www.colinstuart.net/beautiful-new-rosetta-image-of-comet-67p/feed/ 0 1790