The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), set to be operational by 2028, will significantly enhance our ability to study exoplanetary atmospheres. With a 39-meter primary mirror, it will provide images 16 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope. Simulations indicate that the ELT could detect signs of life on an Earth-like planet around Proxima Centauri in just 10 hours. It will also distinguish between different planetary atmospheres, reducing the risk of false positives or negatives in detecting life.
The binary star system T Corona Borealis (TCrB) is expected to explode and become visible to the naked eye around March 27, 2025.
The SPHEREx mission will observe the entire sky multiple times over its planned two-year mission. It employs Linear-Variable Filter (LVF) technology to capture spectra across 100 spectral bands in the near-infrared spectrum. The mission focuses on exploring the origins of the universe, galaxies, water, and pre-biotic molecules, with a deep survey near the ecliptic poles and an all-sky survey during its mission. SPHEREx aims to achieve deeper sensitivities than 2MASS and meet scientific requirements with margins over instrument performance.
NASA's SPHEREx mission aims to study the origins of the universe, the history of galaxies, and the presence of water and pre-biotic molecules in planetary systems. It will conduct an all-sky spectral survey to gather data on over 100 million stars and galaxies, providing insights into large-scale cosmic structures and the history of galaxy formation.
The Hubble Space Telescope has conducted a comprehensive survey of the Andromeda galaxy, revealing over 200 million stars, though the galaxy's total population is estimated at 1 trillion stars. This survey, combining data from the PHAT and PHAST programs, covers the entire disk of Andromeda and provides insights into its evolutionary history, which differs significantly from the Milky Way. Andromeda appears to have undergone recent star formation and interactions, possibly due to a past collision with another galaxy. These findings will aid future observations by the James Webb and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescopes.
A compact, easy-to-assemble 114mm aperture Newtonian reflector telescope, suitable for both beginner astronomers and travel.
From meteor showers to the potential return of the northern lights, here are the celestial spectacles to watch for in 2025 visible from Silicon Valley. The article discusses various astronomical events, including planetary movements, lunar eclipses, meteor showers, and the possibility of seeing the northern lights.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 13 | Moon passing in front of Mars (Occultation) |
| February 25 - March 1 | Best time to spot Mercury in the sky |
| March 13 | Full lunar eclipse |
| Various dates | Meteor showers (Quadrantids, Lyrids, Eta Aquariids, Draconids, Leonids, Geminids) |
The article discusses the various methods and histories behind naming stars, from ancient Arabic origins to modern astronomical catalogs, and addresses the issue of star naming scams.
The paper presents near-infrared interferometric imaging of the dust-enshrouded red supergiant WOH G64 located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, revealing elongated compact emission and a significant change in the near-infrared spectrum suggesting the formation of hot new dust close to the star.
Dark matter detectors designed to spot hypothetical dark matter particles have instead detected a signal from neutrinos produced by the sun. This 'neutrino fog' is both a milestone and a sign that these detectors may soon be overwhelmed by neutrinos, hindering their ability to detect dark matter.
