What seemed a lucky break — the discovery of a gamma-ray burst in the most distant known galaxy — might instead be the flash of passing space debris. As satellites fill low-Earth orbit, such events might become common. The post Did Astronomers See a Distant, Dying Star? Or an Earth-bound Satellite? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreCategory: Telescopes
Things pointed at space
BepiColombo to Fly By Mercury Tonight
BepiColombo is set to make the first of several flybys past Mercury on Friday, October 1st. The post BepiColombo to Fly By Mercury Tonight appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreOctober: Three Planets at Dusk
Take advantage of October’s crisp, clear evenings and early-arriving dawns to explore the nighttime sky with our audio guided tour. The post October: Three Planets at Dusk appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, October 1 – 9
Venus shines in twilight; watch Antares and the head of Scorpius slide toward it. Check out Jupiter, and hop from Saturn to two binocular double stars. The evenings are dark for deep-sky observing; the waning Moon crosses Leo before dawn. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 1 – 9 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreComet 29P Undergoes Brightest Outburst in Recent Years
Catch one of the most active small bodies in the solar system during a rare superoutburst. The post Comet 29P Undergoes Brightest Outburst in Recent Years appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreCassiopeia Cornucopia — Pretty Little Clusters All in a Row
See nine unique open clusters in Cassiopeia while barely moving your telescope. The post Cassiopeia Cornucopia — Pretty Little Clusters All in a Row appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreWhat Is a Quasar?
A quasar is a supermassive black hole gorging on gas in the heart of a distant galaxy. The post What Is a Quasar? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreAddressing a Gap in Our Knowledge of Black Holes
Gravitational waves offer a test of whether supernovae can produce black holes between 55 and 120 times the Sun’s mass. The post Addressing a Gap in Our Knowledge of Black Holes appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read More60-second Astro News: Magnified Galaxies Provide Window to Early Universe
Astronomers use cosmic magnifying lenses to peer into the universe’s distant past. The post 60-second Astro News: Magnified Galaxies Provide Window to Early Universe appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, Sept. 24 – Oct. 2
Jupiter and Saturn shine in the south-southeast at dusk, Venus low in the southwest. They’re all close to the ecliptic, so a straight line from Jupiter through Saturn points almost exactly to Venus. Don’t believe it? Stretch a string tightly between your hands wide apart, hold it up to the three planets, and see for yourself! The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, Sept. 24 – Oct. 2 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read More