Astronomy

It’s a truism to point out that modern humans have only been around for the blink of an eye, relative to the age of the Universe. But the Universe was an active place long before we were around to observe all of that activity. And about 3.5 million years ago, it’s possible—if only remotely—that our …

Continue reading "About 3.5 Million Years Ago, a Stream of Gas Outside the Milky Way Would Have Lit Up the Night Sky"

The post About 3.5 Million Years Ago, a Stream of Gas Outside the Milky Way Would Have Lit Up the Night Sky appeared first on Universe Today.

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic

Everyone loves this cosmic donut. Like Saturn, the Ring Nebula is a must-see for beginners and seasoned amateurs alike. Whether you're just cutting your deep-sky teeth or attempting to see its central star — one of visual astronomy's Holy Grails — the Ring has it all.

The post Evenings with the Ring Nebula appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

A new study by Prof. Kipping of Columbia University indicates that extraterrestrial life should be statistically significant, even if intelligent life is rare.

The post What are the Odds of Life Emerging on Another Planet? appeared first on Universe Today.

Many biologists suspect that the first life on Earth was based on RNA, but a new study suggests DNA could have been in the mix right from the start

The 3000-year-old site of Aguada Fénix is the oldest and largest Mayan monument to be discovered and dates from a time before the society had a powerful ruling class

Double-sided solar panels that track the sun as it moves in the sky would produce 35 per cent more energy and reduce the average cost of electricity by 16 per cent

A new study finds evidence that the universe as a whole is rotating, and that could have big implications for cosmology.

The post Study of 200,000 Galaxies Reveals the Entire Universe Might Have Been Spinning in One Direction Early On appeared first on Universe Today.

NGC 3895 is a barred spiral galaxy in the Ursa Major constellation. It’s about 145 million light years away from our home, the Milky Way, and its diameter is about 45,000 light years. William Herschel discovered it way back in 1790. Now the Hubble Space Telescope has given us another gorgeous image of it. Thanks …

Continue reading "Barred Spiral NGC 3895 Captured by Hubble"

The post Barred Spiral NGC 3895 Captured by Hubble appeared first on Universe Today.

The interstellar visitor ‘Oumuamua, discovered in 2017, may represent an entirely new type of astrophysical object, two astronomers say

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

How the UK’s handling of testing, contact tracing, protective equipment and lockdown led to one of the highest covid-19 death tolls in the world

Ten experimental vaccines for covid-19 are already being trialled in people but we don’t know yet if it’s possible to induce long-lasting immunity with a vaccine

About a third of the black carbon created when plants are partially burned ends up in oceans via rivers, a finding that helps us model carbon storage and climate change

About a third of the black carbon created when plants are partially burnt ends up in oceans via rivers, a finding that helps us model carbon storage and climate change

Nobel prizewinner Jim Peebles introduced dark matter and dark energy into our standard model of the cosmos – but that is only an approximation to a deeper truth, he says.

Nobel prizewinner Jim Peebles introduced dark matter and dark energy into our standard model of the cosmos – but that is only an approximation to a deeper truth, he says.

The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a

It was bright and green and stretched across the sky.

Green Flashes: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury

Mercury Meets Crescent Venus