Space Exploration News – Latest Headlines

Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star

A study of 'MY Camelopardalis' binary system shows that the most massive stars are made up by merging with other smaller stars, as predicted by theoretical models.

December 5, 2014 Read more

Viewing black holes in a different light

Satellite studies reveal complex processes of x-ray emission from matter falling into the black hole at the center of a galaxy.

December 5, 2014 Read more

Finding infant earths and potential life just got easier

Among the billions and billions of stars in the sky, where should astronomers look for infant Earths where life might develop? New research shows where - and when - infant Earths are most likely to be found.

December 4, 2014 Read more

MASCOT en route to Asteroid 1999 JU3

Philae landed on a comet just three weeks ago; now, another German Aerospace Center lander mission has been launched - the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) is already on its way to Asteroid 1999 JU3.

December 4, 2014 Read more

Observing galactic 'blow out'

For the first time, an international team of astronomers has revealed the dramatic 'blow out' phase of galactic evolution.

December 4, 2014 Read more

Green Light for E-ELT Construction

At a recent meeting ESO's main governing body, the Council gave the green light for the construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) in two phases.

December 4, 2014 Read more

Pulsars with black holes could hold the 'ho ly grail' of gravity

The intermittent light emitted by pulsars, the most precise timekeepers in the universe, allows scientists to verify Einstein's theory of relativity, especially when these objects are paired up with another neutron star or white dwarf that interferes with their gravity. However, this theory could be analysed much more effectively if a pulsar with a black hole were found, except in two particular cases, according to researchers.

December 4, 2014 Read more

'Mirage Earth' exoplanets may have burned away chances for life

Planets orbiting close to low-mass stars are prime targets in the search for extraterrestrial life. But new research indicates some such planets may have long since lost their chance at hosting life because of intense heat during their formative years.

December 3, 2014 Read more

Space travel is a bit safer than expected

Analysis of data from the MATROSHKA experiment, the first comprehensive measurements of long-term exposure of astronauts to cosmic radiation, has now been completed. This experiment, carried out on board and outside of the International Space Station, showed that the cosmos may be less hostile to space travelers than expected.

December 3, 2014 Read more

Observing small animals from space will soon be reality

The ambitious and globally unique ICARUS project receives funding from ROSKOSMOS.

December 3, 2014 Read more

Breakthrough in astroparticle physics

Physicists have developed a novel camera technology which for the first time allows sources of cosmic gamma radiation to be observed without interruption even when the moon is shining brightly.

December 3, 2014 Read more

Strange galaxy perplexes astronomers

With the help of citizen scientists, astronomers have found an important new example of a very rare type of galaxy that may provide valuable insight on galaxy evolution in the early Universe.

December 2, 2014 Read more

Traces of Martian biological activity could be locked inside a meteorite (w/video)

Did Mars ever have life? Does it still? A meteorite from Mars has reignited the old debate. An international team has published a paper, showing that martian life is more probable than previously thought.

December 2, 2014 Read more

Herschel observes Andromeda's past and future stars

Recently, the infrared Herschel Space Observatory, has taken a series of beautiful high-resolution infrared images of Andromeda. It is the first time we can see M31, at these wavelengths, at such a high resolution.

December 1, 2014 Read more

Ground-based detection of super-Earth transit paves way to remote sensing of exoplanets

Astronomers have measured the passing of a super-Earth in front of a bright, nearby Sun-like star using a ground-based telescope for the first time. The transit of the exoplanet 55 Cancri e is the shallowest detected from the ground yet. Since detecting a transit is the first step in analyzing a planet's atmosphere, this success bodes well for characterizing the many small planets that upcoming space missions are expected to discover in the next few years.

December 1, 2014 Read more

NASA's Van Allen Probes spot an impenetrable barrier in space

Two donuts of seething radiation that surround Earth, called the Van Allen radiation belts, have been found to contain a nearly impenetrable barrier that prevents the fastest, most energetic electrons from reaching Earth.

November 26, 2014 Read more

First harvest of research based on the final GOCE gravity model

Just four months after the final data package from the GOCE satellite mission was delivered, researchers are laying out a rich harvest of scientific results, with the promise of more to come.

November 26, 2014 Read more

Exo-Earths and the search for life elsewhere: a brief history

The criteria for life on other planets is the focus of the 4th Australian Exoplanet Workshop, hosted by the University of Southern Queensland this week. The first in this series on exoplanets looks at the story so far in the search for life elsewhere in the universe.

November 25, 2014 Read more