A unique theory about how life arose on Earth may reveal clues to whether and where else it might have arisen in the Universe. This artist’s conception shows a young, hypothetical planet around a cool star. Image Credit: NASA Does life exist elsewhere or is our planet unique, making us truly alone in the Universe? Much [continue reading]
July 31, 2013 NGC 6217, a spiral galaxy in Ursa Minor Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team NGC 6217 (also known as Arp 185) is a barred spiral galaxy of only about a third the diameter of our Milky Way galaxy, located about 67.2 million light-years away from Earth in the [continue reading]
It might be easier than previously thought for a planet to overheat into the scorchingly uninhabitable “runaway greenhouse” stage, according to new research by astronomers at the University of Washington and the University of Victoria published July 28 in the journal Nature Geoscience. Illustration of the overheated surface of Venus. Image Credit: ESA/AOES In the [continue reading]
July 30, 2013 The Fetus Nebula, a planetary nebula in Cygnus Image Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman, Astrodon Imaging (http://www.astrodonimaging.com) in collaboration with Dietmar Hagar (http://www.stargazer-observatory.com) and Paul Mortfield (http://www.backyardastronomer.com) The Fetus Nebula (NGC 7008) is a planetary nebula of about 1.3 light-year across, located some 2,800 light-years away from Earth in the northern constellation [continue reading]
July 29, 2013 NGC 3953, a spiral galaxy in Ursa Major Image Credit: Tom and Gail Haynes/Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona (http://skycenter.arizona.edu/gallery) NGC 3953 is a barred spiral galaxy of about 111,400 light-years across, located some 56 million light-years away from Earth in the northern constellation of Ursa Major (the Great Bear), while it [continue reading]
July 28, 2013 The Cocoon Nebula, a stellar nursery in Cygnus Image Credit: ESA/Herschel/SPIRE/PACS/Gould Belt Survey/D. Arzoumanian (CEA Saclay) The Cocoon Nebula (blue in this image, and designated IC 5146 or Sh2-125) is a reflection/emission nebula of about 15 light-years across, located some 4,000 light-years away in the northern constellation of Cygnus (the Swan), while it [continue reading]