París, July 18, 2021.- A team of astronomers has released new observations of nearby galaxies that resemble colourful cosmic fireworks. The images, obtained with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), show different components of the galaxies in distinct colours, allowing astronomers to pinpoint the locations of youngContinuar Leyendo
Palomar 5 is a unique star cluster. This is firstly because it is one of the «fluffiest» clusters in the halo of our Galaxy, with the average distance between the stars being a few light-years, comparable to the distance from the Sun to the nearest star. Secondly, it has aContinuar Leyendo
A new study disputes the prevailing hypothesis on why Mercury has a big core relative to its mantle (the layer between a planet’s core and crust). For decades, scientists argued that hit-and-run collisions with other bodies during the formation of our solar system blew away much of Mercury’s rocky mantleContinuar Leyendo
París, July 02, 2021.- After several weeks of bad weather and strong winds, the latest pair of high-altitude drop tests of the ExoMars parachutes took place in Kiruna, Sweden. The 15 m-wide first stage main parachute performed flawlessly at supersonic speeds, while the 35 m-wide second stage parachute experienced oneContinuar Leyendo
While exploring two exoplanets in a bright nearby star system, ESA’s exoplanet-hunting Cheops satellite has unexpectedly spotted the system’s third known planet crossing the face of the star. This transit reveals exciting details about a rare planet “with no known equivalent”, say the researchers. París, June 29, 2021.- The discoveryContinuar Leyendo
Scientists from the University of Michigan have developed an innovative way to use NASA satellite data to track the movement of tiny pieces of plastic in the ocean. Greenbelt, MS, June 27, 2021.- Microplastics form when plastic trash in the ocean breaks down from the sun’s rays and the motionContinuar Leyendo
A research team led by the University of Arizona has reconstructed in unprecedented detail the history of a dust grain that formed during the birth of the solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. The findings provide insights into the fundamental processes underlying the formation of planetary systems, manyContinuar Leyendo
The spin of the Milky Way’s galactic bar, which is made up of billions of clustered stars, has slowed by about a quarter since its formation, according to a new study by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Oxford. London, June 15, 2021.- For 30 years,Continuar Leyendo
París, June 11, 2021.- This artist’s impression depicts aspects of the early Universe that can be investigated using probes such as gravitational waves, or high-precision spectroscopy to study the relic radiation from the Big Bang. ‘New Physical Probes of the Early Universe’ is one of the science themes for theContinuar Leyendo
EnVision will be ESA’s next Venus orbiter, providing a holistic view of the planet from its inner core to upper atmosphere to determine how and why Venus and Earth evolved so differently. París, June 10, 2021.- The mission was selected by ESA’s Science Programme Committee on 10 June as theContinuar Leyendo
