Friday, May 9, 2014

ScienceDaily: Astronomy News

ScienceDaily: Astronomy News

New insight into star cluster formation: Stars on the outskirts actually are the oldest

Posted: 08 May 2014 10:29 AM PDT

Using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and infrared telescopes, astronomers have made an important advance in the understanding of how clusters of stars come into being. Researchers studied two clusters where sun-like stars currently are forming -- NGC 2024, located in the center of the Flame Nebula, and the Orion Nebula Cluster. From this study, they discovered the stars on the outskirts of the clusters actually are the oldest.

NASA telescopes coordinate best-ever flare observations

Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT

On March 29, 2014, an X-class flare erupted from the right side of the sun ... and vaulted into history as the best-observed flare of all time. The flare was witnessed by four different NASA spacecraft and one ground-based observatory -- three of which had been fortuitously focused in on the correct spot as programmed into their viewing schedule a full day in advance.

Rosetta space probe: Landing on a comet to observe nucleus and environment

Posted: 07 May 2014 06:53 AM PDT

In March 2004, the Rosetta orbiter was launched into space to analyse and observe the nucleus and environment of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Little research has been done on comets and they still hold many secrets. One theory is that comets brought water (and thus possibly even life) to Earth. Although space probes have been able to carry out isolated investigations, this has only been while the comets were flying past. At least until now. This will be the first probe not only to collect measurement data "en passant" as it were, but to accompany the comet -- and even to land on it.
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