As the winter Milky Way rides high, open star clusters near and far, and from compact to sparse, await your binoculars or telescope, At dawn catch the Venus-Mars pair, and try for the closer Mercury-Saturn pair lower down. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 25 – March 5 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreCategory: Telescopes
Things pointed at space
Black Hole Spins Crookedly
Astronomers have found a black hole leaning decidedly askew in its orbit with a star. The post Black Hole Spins Crookedly appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreFast Radio Burst’s Unlikely Home Puzzles Astronomers
Astronomers have found a fast radio burst — presumably a flash from a young stellar remnant — amongst the ancient stars of a globular cluster, challenging ideas about what produces these enigmatic flashes. The post Fast Radio Burst's Unlikely Home Puzzles Astronomers appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThe Parker Solar Probe Captures Surprising Images of Venus Nightside
A visible glow from our sister planet’s nightside sheds new light on a 300-year-old observing enigma dubbed the “ashen light.” The post The Parker Solar Probe Captures Surprising Images of Venus Nightside appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreProtostar Companions in Orion
How are stars born? One of the best places to test ideas about stellar birth is in Orion. The post Protostar Companions in Orion appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, February 18 – 26
With the Moon gone from the evening sky, trace out Monoceros the Unicorn walking behind Orion. Spot the famous binocular star clusters at his eye and horn-tip, and don’t miss M41 under Sirius. Meanwhile, the waning Moon, passes Venus, Mars and Mercury at dawn. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 18 – 26 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreReveling in the Winter Milky Way
With the Moon departing the evening sky, now’s a good time for a closer look at the northern winter Milky Way and its southern summer counterpart, too. No equipment required! The post Reveling in the Winter Milky Way appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreSupermassive Black Hole Hides Behind a Ring of Dust
A high-resolution infrared image has revealed a dust screen obscuring a gas-devouring supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy NGC 1068, confirming 30-year-old predictions. The post Supermassive Black Hole Hides Behind a Ring of Dust appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreBooster Set to Hit the Moon Turns Out to be Chinese Rocket — Not SpaceX
The booster previously identified as SpaceX hardware turns out to be from the Chang’e 5-T1 mission. The timing and site of the impact remain the same. The post Booster Set to Hit the Moon Turns Out to be Chinese Rocket — Not SpaceX appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreHow Galaxies Lose Their Dark Matter
A careful study of cosmological simulations shows that dark matter–less galaxies aren’t impossible — just really rare. The post How Galaxies Lose Their Dark Matter appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
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