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January 31, 2008
Show 143: Origins Unknown
Cosmic rays consist of high-energy particles that streak through space, crashing into the Earth’s atmosphere and leaving a tell-tale trail. But where do these rays come from? Experiments have turned up different results. One shows the rays originate from somewhere in the nearby universe, while another suggests the rays are left over from the Big Bang. A new experiment may help answer the question.
January 30, 2007
Show 142: HubbleWatch for January 2008
Hubble has found stars clusters where no star clusters should be— cast adrift in the open space between galaxies. The clusters may give hints about the nature of the early universe.
Scientists hit the jackpot with a remarkably lucky find – a double Einstein ring. A rare alignment of a trio of galaxies distorts light, forming a duo of rings that could reveal information about a host of galactic mysteries.
A new book opens the universe of modern telescope images to the blind. “Touch the Invisible Sky” combines Braille with embossed pictures to show visually impaired students what astronomical objects look like in different types of radiation, or the “invisible” light referred to in the title.
January 24, 2008
Show 141: A Small Problem
In 1908, a tremendous explosion rocked a sparsely populated region of Siberia, destroying hundreds of square miles of forest. The destruction was likely caused by an asteroid colliding with Earth. Now new computer simulations point toward a smaller asteroid than was previously thought. That smaller asteroids could cause such devastation is an eye-opener for astronomers who look to protect Earth from inevitable future collisions.
January 17, 2008
Show 140: Mammoth Headache
What a headache! New findings from examination of mammoth tusks and bison skull remains suggest that 30,000 to 40,000 years ago a meteorite shower peppered the Alaska region with pellets. Amazingly some of the animals may have survived this event, although they were probably severely injured.
The individual who found these tusks, Allen West, later searched through over 15,000 artifacts to find the micrometeorites imbedded in some of the tusks and bones. With help from Lawrence Berkeley Lab, they were able to determine when the event happened. Is this one of the explanation for other large animal extinctions?
January 10, 2008
Show 139: Mars Attacked
An asteroid 164 feet wide could be on a collision course with Mars. The asteroid is expected to cross Mars’ orbit later this month and may come as close as 30,000 miles to Mars. Astronomers calculate a one-in-20 chance of the asteroid actually striking the red planet.
January 3, 2008
Show 138: Orion Nebula Closer Than Thought
The Orion Nebula is 300 light-years closer to Earth than previously thought. Radio telescopes have obtained the most precise measure ever of distance to this giant star-forming region. Because the distance to the Nebula is shorter than expected, the stars in the nebula must also be less bright than we believed, and thus older.
December 31, 2007
Show 137: HubbleWatch for December 2007
Dying red giant stars may zoom out of position as they expire. The stars may eject their mass mainly in one direction, causing the star to move in the opposite direction. Comet Holmes continues to defy understanding, shielding its secrets with a cloud of bright dust. And we bring you a special report on dark energy from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
December 27, 2007
Show 136: Galactic Coverup
Sometimes those serene, rounded elliptical galaxies harbor much deeper and more interesting structures. In Hubble Space Telescope observations, one elliptical galaxy shows shells-shaped groups of stars that probably originated in a violent collision between galaxies. The material from the merger is feeding a supermassive black hole in the galaxy’s center, creating a quasar that emits enough energy to be seen across the universe.
