Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Mass Gap Breached – The largest known neutron star is about 2.2 times the mass of the Sun, which aligns with theoretical projections that predict a neutron star should collapse into a black hole at about this mass.… Continue reading.
By Dena McClung
The Denver Astronomical Society donated a new telescope to the West Custer County Library in Westcliffe, Colorado for the public to use.
After finding out the library had no telescope to loan, the DAS Executive Board voted several months ago to purchase and deliver a good quality, beginner telescope to the library.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Relativity Test – One of the principles of Einstein’s theory of general relativity is that all different objects will fall at the same rate of acceleration at any given strength of gravity.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
General Relativity – While Newton’s formula for gravity yields elliptical shapes for orbits, Einstein’s theory of general relativity dictates that orbiting bodies follow an ellipse that moves. Each time around an orbit, the perihelion of the ellipse advances a little bit, rotating about the main mass.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Earth-like Planet Found – An exoplanet has been found that is the closest yet to being the size and temperature of Earth. It was found by NASA scientists in archived Kepler data, and has been dubbed Kepler-1649c.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Betelgeuse – As reported here over the last two months, the star Betelgeuse dimmed to its lowest recorded level in early February. New observations made in late February showed it creeping back up in brightness.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
New Target For Lucy – The Trojan asteroids are found in two groups along Jupiter’s orbit, one group at a 60 degree angle ahead of the giant planet, and the other 60 degrees behind.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Betelgeuse, although long known to vary somewhat in brightness, is the dimmest it’s been in at least a century. Before these recent variations, it had been brighter than Rigel at its peak, but recently dimmed to the level of Bellatrix, dimmer than first magnitude.… Continue reading.
Astronomy and space news summarized by Don Lynn from NASA and other sources
Milky Way Disk – Astronomers have known for more than 20 years that the disk of our Milky Way galaxy consists of two distinct populations of stars, differing in age and composition with the “Thin Disk” embedded within the “Thick Disk.”… Continue reading.