Wednesday, December 18, 2013

ScienceDaily: Astronomy News

ScienceDaily: Astronomy News

Astronomers develop software for the Gaia satellite

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 07:41 AM PST

Scientists have developed highly complex software for the Gaia astrometry satellite. Daily for five years, the software will track in detail the correct functioning of all on-board systems as well as the quality of the raw scientific data. The launch of Gaia will take place on 19 December 2013 at the spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. From a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, the satellite will map the stars of our Milky Way with unprecedented precision.

Hubble watches super star create holiday light show

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 07:40 AM PST

This festive NASA Hubble Space Telescope image resembles a holiday wreath made of sparkling lights. The bright southern hemisphere star RS Puppis, at the center of the image, is swaddled in a gossamer cocoon of reflective dust illuminated by the glittering star. Hubble took a series of photos of light flashes rippling across the nebula in a phenomenon known as a "light echo."

Experts to image event horizon of black hole

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 05:51 AM PST

Was Einstein right? A team of scientists will test the predictions of current theories of gravity, including Einstein's theory of General Relativity. The funding is provided in the form of a 'Synergy Grant', the largest and most competitive type of grant of the ERC.

Massive stars mark out Milky Way's 'missing arms'

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 05:50 AM PST

A 12-year study of massive stars has reaffirmed that our Galaxy has four spiral arms, following years of debate sparked by images taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope that only showed two arms.
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