Prospecting for interstellar oil
We have developed a new method to look for carbon compounds in space, akin to prospecting for oil on Earth. Our method is published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society......»»
Evidence of the amino acid tryptophan found in space
Using data from the Spitzer space observatory, Dr. Susana Iglesias-Groth, a researcher from The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has found evidence for the existence of the amino acid tryptophan in the interstellar material in a nearby st.....»»
Unveiling the hidden stars: ALMA shines a light on dust attenuation
Interstellar dust is a key component in galaxies. It favors star formation and drives the chemistry and physics of the interstellar medium. However, it hides the majority of stars in a way that it is impossible to observe them. Astrophysicists use du.....»»
Scientists Make Best-Yet Map of Solar System"s Interstellar Boundaries
Researchers have gained a new view of the journey ahead for the twin Voyager spacecraft and other probes bound on one-way trips into interstellar space.....»»
Simulations suggest interstellar objects could be captured by Earth"s gravity
A quartet of space scientists, two from Carnegie Mellon University and two from Harvard University, has found via simulations that it should be possible for interstellar objects to be captured by Earth's gravity. The team, made up of Diptajyoti Mukhe.....»»
The Physics of ‘Sniping’ for Gold
Before you go prospecting in the nearest river, here’s the science of what separates the rocks from the good stuff......»»
Radiant protostars and shadowy clouds clash in stellar nursery
The massive, star-forming interstellar cloud Lupus 3 is captured with the 570-megapixel US Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera at NSF's NOIRLab's Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The dazzling central region of this spr.....»»
Fatty acids might exist in space
A team of physicists have discovered that the environment of a molecular cloud in interstellar space can support the existence of fatty acids, a key component of life on Earth......»»
New power plan will keep Voyager 2 running even longer
Voyager 2 has been exploring interstellar space — the region of space beyond our Sun’s heliopause — since 2018. As it reaches further from our … The post New power plan will keep Voyager 2 running even longer appeared first on BGR......»»
NASA"s Voyager will do more science with new power strategy
The plan will keep Voyager 2's science instruments turned on a few years longer than previously anticipated, enabling yet more revelations from interstellar space......»»
How were amino acids, one of the key building blocks of life, formed before the origin of life on Earth?
Our solar system formed from a molecular cloud, which was composed of gas and dust that was emitted into the interstellar medium (ISM), a vast space between stars. On collapse of the molecular cloud, the early sun was formed, with a large disk of gas.....»»
Scientists offer "non-alien explanation" for interstellar visitor
When the first object ever known to have visited the Earth's Solar System from outer space zoomed past in 2017, it was so strange that at least one leading astronomer was convinced it was an alien vessel......»»
We now know what caused comet ‘Oumuamua’s strange orbit
It wasn't aliens that sent an interstellar comet to visit our solar system. The explanation is a phenomenon called outgassing......»»
There’s a simpler answer to ‘Oumuamua’s weird orbit: Outgassing hydrogen
‘Oumuamua is "a standard interstellar comet that just experienced heavy processing." Enlarge / Artist's depiction of the interstellar comet 'Oumuamua, as it warmed up in its approach to the Sun and outgassed hydrogen. (credit:.....»»
Tracing the history of water in planet formation back to the interstellar medium
Scientists studying a nearby protostar have detected the presence of water in its circumstellar disk. The new observations made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) mark the first detection of water being inherited into a prot.....»»
James Webb Telescope is getting closer to finding what ionized the universe
Astronomers have determined that so-called "leaky" galaxies may have responsible for triggering the last great transformational epoch in our universe, one which ionized the neutral interstellar gas......»»
Prospecting for copper with machine learning and zircons
Zircons are common, hardy minerals that can be found in rocks up to 4 billion years old. Their structure and texture can reflect the conditions in which they formed, earning them a reputation as nature's time capsules. And according to new research,.....»»
Researchers measure boron flux in high-energy cosmic rays with the CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET)
Cosmic rays (CR) constitute high-energy particles that mainly originate outside our solar system. These primary CR interact with interstellar matter to produce secondary CR. The secondary nature of their origin is reflected in the higher abundance of.....»»
Spacecraft design expert discusses the viability of interstellar travel
Researchers at NASA recently announced the discovery of another planet about 95% the size of Earth that is 100 light-years away and could potentially sustain life......»»
The world in grains of interstellar dust
Understanding how dust grains form in interstellar gas could offer significant insights to astronomers and help materials scientists develop useful nanoparticles......»»
The chaotic cores of Perseus protostars
The formation of a star has a simple tale. A region of interstellar gas collapses under its own weight, eventually forming a dense protostar surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. The protostar and the disk rotate in the same plane, and often jets of.....»»