SPACE
& SCIENCE NEWS: December 2007
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Galaxy is 'blasted' by black hole
(Dec 17, 2007)
A powerful jet of particles from a supermassive
black hole has been seen blasting a nearby galaxy, according to
findings from the US space agency. Galaxies have been seen colliding
before, but this is the first time this type of galactic violence
has been seen by astronomers. This could have a profound effect on
any planets in the jet's path and could also trigger a burst of star
formation.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
Sodium issue clouds Enceladus
(Dec 17, 2007)
An ocean is not the source of the jets emanating from Saturn's moon
Enceladus, a new
study concludes. The research questions the moon's promise as a target
in the search for life beyond Earth and has stirred controversy among
scientists who dispute its conclusions. A chemical analysis of Enceladus,
led by University of Colorado planetary scientist Nick Schneider,
failed to detect sodium, an element scientists say should be in a
body of water that has had billions of years of contact with rock.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
Antarctic sub to test waters for Jupiter
moon mission
(Dec 15, 2007)
A robotic submarine designed to explore the oceans thought to lie
beneath the icy crust on Jupiter's moon Europa
will prove its mettle in an Antarctic lake in 2008. A previous version
of the vessel has already mapped the balmier waters of a Mexican sinkhole.
Read
more. Source: New Scientist |
Saturn's rings 'may live forever'
(Dec 13, 2007)
Saturn's
rings may be much older than we thought, scientists say. New data
from the Cassini probe
shows these thin bands of orbiting particles were probably there billions
years ago, and are likely to be very long-lived. It means we are not
in some special time – the giant planet has most likely always
provided a stunning view.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
Milky Way's two stellar halos have opposing
spins
(Dec 13, 2007)
We call it home, but the Milky
Way can still surprise us. It does not have just one halo of stars,
as we thought, but two. The finding calls into question our theories
for how our galaxy formed. Daniela Carollo at the Torino Observatory
in Italy and her colleagues were measuring the metal content and motion
of 20,000 stars in the Milky Way, observed by the Sloan Digital Sky
Survey, when they made their discovery.
Read
more. Source: New Scientist |
Great beasts peppered from space
(Dec 12, 2007)
Startling evidence has been found which shows mammoth and other great
beasts from the last ice age were blasted with material that came
from space. Eight tusks dating to some 35,000 years ago all show signs
of having being peppered with meteorite fragments. The ancient remains
come from Alaska, but researchers also have a Siberian bison skull
with the same pockmarks.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
Mars robot unearths microbe clue
(Dec 11, 2007)
NASA says its robot rover Spirit has made one of its most significant
discoveries on the surface of Mars.
Scientists believe a patch of ground disturbed by the vehicle shows
evidence of a past environment that would have been perfect for microbial
life. The deposits were probably produced when hot spring water or
steam came into contact with volcanic rocks.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
'Twilight zones' on scorched planets could
support life
(Dec 11, 2007)
Rocky extrasolar planets thought to be half frozen and half scorched
might instead rock back and forth, creating large swaths of twilight
with temperatures suitable for life. Because of gravitational tugs
with the objects they orbit, rocky bodies often settle into trajectories
in which they always show the same face to their hosts.
Read
more. Source: New Scientist |
Voyager 2 probe reaches solar system boundary
(Dec 10, 2007)
The Voyager 2 spacecraft
has crossed an important space frontier called the termination
shock, and in a few years may become the first object made by
humans to travel outside the solar system. NASA's two Voyager spacecraft
were launched in 1977 to tour the outer solar system. They are now
far beyond the orbits of the outermost planets and heading towards
interstellar space.
Read
more. Source: New Scientist |
Shuttle launch delayed until 2008
(Dec 9, 2007)
NASA has delayed launch of the Atlantis
shuttle until 2008 because of a persistent problem with a sensor on
a fuel tank. Two attempts to launch the shuttle have been cancelled
since Thursday, and only a few days remained for launch in the current
window. The 11-day mission was due to deliver Europe's first permanent
space lab to the International
Space Station.
Read
more. Source: BBC |
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