Image Credits X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/K. Getman et al.; IRL NASA/JPL-Caltech/CfA/J. Wang et al.
This fantastic image of Cepheus B is a composite of data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope. It shows a molecular cloud within our galaxy which is about 2,400 light years from Earth. Within this region there is cool interstellar gas and dust which was left over from the formation of the galaxy and mostly contains molecular hydrogen.
The data from Chandra has enabled astronomers to find young stars near and within Cepheus B as they were able to identified them by their strong x-ray emissions. The data gleaned from Spitzer further enabled the astronomers to ascertain if any of the young stars had proto-planetary disks around them. Such disks only exist in very young systems where planets are still forming, therefore there presence can be used as an indication of the age of a star system.
The current thinking is that star formation in Cepheus B is triggered by radiation for one bright massive star (HD217086), which is outside the molecular cloud. For further information visit Chandra
I have to admit to being a huge fan of Twitter. I’ve found it a great way to connect with individuals from around the globe who have the same hobby (ok, obsession would be a better word) as me. Twitter has enabled me to renew my love of astronomy, share my frustration of the British weather and also communicate with other people who appreciate a beautiful star filled night. One of those people is Adrian West (@AdrianWest) who belongs to Newbury Astronomy Society (@NewburyAS) and often can be found tweeting as both, though sometimes Nic Fleet (@nicfleet) takes over tweet duty. By using Twitter many amateur and some professional observers shared their images and views of the Perseid Meteor Shower during August and by using Twitter information was shared quickly with a whole host of people, some who had never seen a meteor shower before.
Well they are doing it again, this time we get a #moonwatch and a #meteorwatch. The Moonwatch is taking place on the 26 and 27 October and they will be joined by the Faulkes Telescope, so there should be some pretty amazing images shared over Twitter. Check out the trailer below, lovingly created by my friend Adrian West and get yourself on Twitter, we’re an amazingly friendly bunch with a love of all things astronomical and there’s always someone to chat to about life, the universe and everything.
Image Credit: NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP)
A fantastic image of M31 in Andromeda taken by NASA’s Swift satellite. The image consists of 330 individual images combined to create this spectacular view taken in ultraviolet.
NEWS FLASH - A giant ring has been discovered around Saturn and is thought to be the largest of it’s rings.
Phoebe, one of Saturn’s furthest moons is within the newfound ring and is thought to be the source of it’s material. The new ring is also very thick, it’s approximately 20 times the diameter of Saturn and would take one billion Earths to fill the ring. The ring is composed of ice and dust particles which was spotted by NASAs Spitzer telescope which views objects in the infrared spectrum.
The discovery may help solve an age-old riddle of one of Saturn’s moons. Iapetus has a strange appearance, one side is bright and the other is really dark, in a pattern that resembles the yin-yang symbol. The astronomer Giovanni Cassini first spotted the moon in 1671, and years later figured out it has a dark side, now named Cassini Regio in his honor.
Saturn’s newest addition could explain how Cassini Regio came to be. The ring is circling in the same direction as Phoebe, while Iapetus, the other rings and most of Saturn’s moons are all going the opposite way. According to the scientists, some of the dark and dusty material from the outer ring moves inward toward Iapetus, slamming into the icy moon.
The astronomers had a idea that Phoebe might be circling around in a belt of dust kicked up from its minor collisions with , a process similar to that around stars with dusty disks of planetary debris. When the scientists took a first look at their Spitzer data, a band of dust jumped out.
The ring would be difficult to see with visible-light telescopes. Its particles are diffuse and may even extend beyond the bulk of the ring material all the way in to Saturn and all the way out to interplanetary space. The relatively small numbers of particles in the ring wouldn’t reflect much visible light, especially out at Saturn where sunlight is weak.
Spitzer was able to sense the glow of the cool dust, which is only about 80 Kelvin (minus 316 degrees Fahrenheit). Cool objects shine with infrared, or thermal radiation; for example, even a cup of ice cream is blazing with infrared light.
These observations were made before Spitzer ran out of coolant in May and began its “warm” mission.
NASA has chosen the final destination for LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) after a journey of almost 5.6 million miles which took in several orbits around Earth and moon. It’s target is the crater Cabeus (proper) and the impact will take place on 9 October 2009 at 7.30am EDT (12.30 BST,11.30am GMT). By smashing into the lunar surface LCROSS should be able to evaluate whether water ice exists at the moon’s south pole.
LCROSS will send its spent upper stage Centaur rocket to impact the lunar surface and will then fly into the plume of dust and measure the properties. LCROSS itself will then collide with the moons surface.
Dozens of professional astronomers based at international observatories will be aiming telescopes at the moon to maximise the scientific return of the LCROSS impacts. Hubble will also be training it’s refurbished eyes on the moon to image the impact
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