Uncovering the Veil Nebula

Uncovering the Veil Nebula

Stars don’t shine forever. How long a star lives depends on how big and heavy it is. The bigger the star, the shorter its life. When a star significantly heavier than our sun runs out of fuel, it…
Killer Electrons In Space - Now With Less Mystery!

Killer Electrons In Space - Now With Less Mystery!

‘Killer’ electrons are highly energetic, negatively charged particles found in near-Earth space. They can critically, and even permanently, damage satellites in orbit, including telecommunication…
What's Waiting In The Martian Ice?

What's Waiting In The Martian Ice?

In just over a week's time NASA's Phoenix Lander is due to launch for Mars where it will probe the arctic landscape searching for conditions favourable for past or present life. UK scientists from…
'Piranha' Black Holes

'Piranha' Black Holes

Supermassive black holes have been discovered to grow more rapidly in young galaxy clusters, according to new results from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. These "fast-track" supermassive black…
Charon - Galactic Ice Maker

Charon - Galactic Ice Maker

Frigid geysers spewing material up through cracks in the crust of Pluto’s companion Charon and recoating parts of its surface in ice crystals could be making this distant world into the equivalent of…
Visions Of Venus

Visions Of Venus

ESA’s Venus Express and NASA’s MESSENGER looked at Venus in tandem for a few hours in June. Here is the first set of images. The orbital geometry of Venus Express when MESSENGER skimmed past Venus on…
The Gobbling Dwarf That Exploded

The Gobbling Dwarf That Exploded

A unique set of observations, obtained with ESO's VLT, has allowed astronomers to find direct evidence for the material that surrounded a star before it exploded as a Type Ia supernova. This strongly…