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Monthly and Breaking News from around the Galaxy ... and Beyond ...
headlines
Moon phases can be found at Looking-Glass Astronomy Site
"DAWN OF TIME" STAR DISCOVERED A multi-national team of astronomers say that they have discovered star that could date back to the beginning of the Universe. Scientists have told the magazine Nature that they believe the star was created during the Big Bang, HE 0107-5240 is virtualy free of metals and could contain "pristine" gas. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
ATMOSPHERE DETECTED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A PLANET OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM In what has been called a landmark in scientific achievement, a chemical and atmospheric analysis of a planet outside our own solar system has been accomplished for the first time. The unnamed exoplanet, (a term now used for planet outside our own solar system) which is 220 bigger than our Earth, orbits a Sun-like star called HD 209458. It is 150 light-years away in the constellation of Pegasus. The observations were conducted using the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the first of many exoplanets likely to be analysed in the years to come using this new technique, whereby the gases of planet can be probed when it passes in front of its parent star. Astronomers can then observe the light from a star filtered through an exoplanet's gases. The type of light filtered through the gases indicates the kind of atmosphere of the planet. It is considered likely that planets with atmospheres similar to our Earth may well be discovered using this method. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
The two lights - the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis - have been captured simultaneously for the first time on camera. The amazing dancing light phenomena was taken by Nasa's Polar probe and shows the two - north and south Borealis - to be a mirror image of each other. The idea that the auroras are related in some way has long been suspected. Auroras happen when electrons and protons within the magnetic field around the Earth collide with the gases of the upper atmosphere. During magnetic storms the particles are grounded around both polar regions to create the spectacle. October to December are good times to catch the beautiful wispy curtains of coloured lights 4,023 km (2,500 mile) around each pole. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
PARALLEL SOLAR SYSTEM DISCOVERED IN URSA MAJOR. Astronomers
at the University of Berkeley recently detected two Jupiter size planets
orbiting a star remarkably similar to our own sun. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
NEW MASSIVE ASTEROID FOUND IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM The largest asteroid yet to be discovered in our own Solar System has been confirmed by European Astronomers. Circling our sun
at an orbit close to Pluto, it is estimated to be more than 1200 kilometres
across, which is around half the size of Pluto. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
SETI EXTEND METHODS IN THE SEARCH FOR E.T. Seti (The Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) are extending their methods in the search for life in the universe. For many years Seti have used multi-million channel radio receivers to scan space. Now they are experimenting with latest optical methods to look for unusual light signals. This has only recently been made possible since the introduction of highly sensitive light detectors capable of picking out laser emissions from single astral bodies, with an error rate of about only one per year. This method works by detecting a signal deliberately targeted at Earth. So far they have examined about 300 individual star systems, as well as a few star clusters. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
WATER ON MARS LOOKS MORE LIKELY THAN EVER In 2001 the Mars Global Surveyor returned image data that provided "observation evidence for near-surface water ice. This finding, along with other evidence of recently flowing water on Mars could potentially make life on Mars more likely, providing a life sustaining resource for future colonists. It is estimated that there could be as much as 40,000 cubic km (almost 10,000 cubic miles) of frozen water at mid-latitudes in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Theoretically enough to cover the entire planet to a depth of about 25 centimetres (10 inches). Vote for the GGL on planetary claims at veggieglobal.com Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
In the sci-fi
series Star Trek, transporter technology on Deep Space Nine now
allows travel between an alternate universe. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
WAS
LIFE ON EARTH SEEDED BY COMETS? A theory that the raw materials of life came from space has been given creedence by a group of scientists testing the effects of a comet's impact on Earth. They have shown that organic molecules (the ancestors of proteins and DNA) hitchhiking aboard a comet could have survived such an impact and seeded life. The results give rise to speculation that we may share a biological ancestry with life on other planets within our galaxy. More Comet News In 2001 the comet probe Deep Space One sent back the most detailed pictures yet of the nucleus of the 10-kilometre wide Comet Borrelly. The pictures show that comet nuclei are far more complex than ever imagined. They have rugged terrain, smooth rolling plains, deep fractures and dark material. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
EVEN CLOSER EARTH LIKE PLANETS FOUND... UPDATE We previously reported on an international team of astronomers who announced the discovery of 11 planets orbiting other stars, including two solar systems. All the planets found then were gas giants, up to ten times the mass of Jupiter. One these has a very Earth-like orbit and any large moons that orbit the planet could have the right amount of solar radiation to support Earth-like conditions. Eight more
planets orbiting distant stars were discovered over the last months
of 2001, three of which were described as "cousin" like to planets in
our own solar system. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
SUPER MASSIVE BLACK HOLE IN CENTER OF OUR GALAXY In 2000 a huge black hole was discovered in the center of our own galaxy, The Milky Way. It is the first
time that astronomers have been able to witness stars accelerating around
a black hole of this magnitude. They are so far reporting three stars
which have accelerated in excess of 250 thousand miles per hour per
year as they orbit this huge phenomena the size of our own solar system.
It was originally thought that only a few of the 125 billion known galaxy's
contained super massive black holes. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
STARS CHEMISTRY EVOLVES IN RELATION TO GALAXY TIMELINES Ancient stars in our Galaxy show that elemental structures are different than in younger stars. Through each generation
various Co-author Catherine Pilachowski explains that Certain chemical elements don't form until the stars that make them have had time to evolve. Therefore, we can read the history of star formation in the compositions of the oldest stars." "We probably would not have found these trends if we did not have such a large sample" The research team have also developed an evocative timeline in relation to metal abudance and densities to explain their observations. Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
CHANDRA X RAY OBSERVATORY STUDIES SIRIUS SYSTEM Sirius is
one of this solar systems closest neighbours at 8.6 light years away.
In the northern hemisphere it is one the brightest stars photo: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory studies shows the bright Sirius B, a white dwarf star, and the dimmer Sirius A
Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
The first wide-field images taken by the University of Arizona/Smithsonian 6.5-meter MMTO telescope on Mount Hopkins, showed NGC 7479 in the constellation of Pegasus. It revealed spiraling arms of glowing gas containing newly forming stars
Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
TWO CONFLICTING STORIES ON "DARK MATTER" 1. The first look at 'dark matter' (R)* First indirect looks at the ''dark matter'' that fills much of the universe has been observed by Astrophysicists. To peer at dark matter, researchers have measured distortions in light from about 145,000 distant galaxies. A new survey Large Synoptic Survey telescope (LSST) has been endorsed for construction which will scan the sky for dark matter. 2. Controvertial Theory Rejects the 'dark matter' hypothesis A controversial theory has been published that rejects the cold dark matter hypothesis central to what most scientists believe about the composition of the Universe. University of Maryland astronomer Stacy McGaugh points to a universe that consists entirely of "ordinary" matter. His predictions lie in a little known alternative theory to dark matter called MOND, short for Modified Newtonian dynamics. Looking-Glass comments: Such conflicting theories confirm that humankind should remain infinately open minded, and unbiased towards any far reaching scientific calculations. Our knowledge of the Universe will always be limited by our earthbound viewpoint and bound by the infinitesimally small time frame within which all humankind exists - and therefore our understanding of it. On a universal scale our cosmic projections are insignificant.... but pushing the bounderies of human percieved knowledge is what makes us, well ... human! Back to Astroharmonics (Looking-Glass Astronomy)
Moon phases can be found at Looking-Glass Astronomy Site This article last updated or added to in: May2003
Visit the Looking-Glass Astronomy site by clicking here For more "Looking-Glass News" articles please go to the LGVN front page and choose from there. For telescopes, astronomy books and software visit the Looking-Glass Astronomy shop For discussion on space colonization issues see GGL's at VeggieGlobal.com
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cosmos
chemical
differences effect the stars behavior and gives us major clues about
the conditions and populations of stars that existed early in the Milky
Way's history. Debra Burris of Oklahoma City Community College is the
leading author of the paper says results tell us that the history of
the galaxy is tied very closely to the ways that stars change from generation
to generation. Co author of the paper Taft Armadroff of the National
Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson, AZ says that since it's
extremely difficult to accurately age-date a star, the chemical signatures
give an effective chronometer that we can use to probe the earliest
epochs.
observable
with the naked eye.
The Sirius system consists of two stars. Sirius B is the white dwarf
and can be seen clearly from Earth. But the dimmer Sirius A is more
than twice as massive as our own sun.
