Astronomy - Page 79

Huge black hole may have turned star into 'spaghetti'

December 14, 2016

Huge black hole may have turned star into 'spaghetti'

A spinning, supermassive black hole may have sucked in a star and “spaghettified” it, creating an incredibly bright light in a far-off galaxy.

Get set for December supermoon, Geminid meteor shower

December 13, 2016

Get set for December supermoon, Geminid meteor shower

Two bright celestial events are going to play out in the heavens on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Slowing of Earth's spin revealed in ancient astronomers' tablets

December 9, 2016

Slowing of Earth's spin revealed in ancient astronomers' tablets

The work of ancient astronomers reveals that the Earth's spin is slowing down — though not as much as scientists believed.

Star of Bethlehem may not have been a star after all, scientist says

December 2, 2016

Star of Bethlehem may not have been a star after all, scientist says

The famous Star of Bethlehem may not have been a star at all, but an extremely rare planetary alignment, according to a University of Notre Dame professor.

Columbia, SC eyes solar eclipse bonanza

November 30, 2016

Columbia, SC eyes solar eclipse bonanza

2 minutes and 36 seconds of complete darkness, that’s what will have millions flocking to Columbia, South Carolina next year to view the once in a lifetime transcontinental solar eclipse.

Scientists discover a new dwarf galaxy in our cosmic neighborhood

November 21, 2016

Scientists discover a new dwarf galaxy in our cosmic neighborhood

Using a roughly 27-foot telescope on the summit of a mountain in Hawaii, astronomers have discovered a new satellite dwarf galaxy near our own, and it could be the faintest one ever found.

Faraway star is roundest natural object ever seen

November 18, 2016

Faraway star is roundest natural object ever seen

A star 5,000 light-years from Earth is the closest thing to a perfect sphere that has ever been observed in nature, a new study reports.

Pluto could harbor a subterranean icy ocean

November 16, 2016

Pluto could harbor a subterranean icy ocean

If you’re planning on visiting Pluto anytime soon, best to bring some warm boots. A frigid, possibly “slushy” subsurface ocean could be lurking under the crust of the dwarf planet.

November 2016 supermoon in pictures

November 14, 2016

November 2016 supermoon in pictures

The November 2016 supermoon delighted stargazers as the full moon reached its closest point to the Earth since 1948. The supermoon was captured in these stunning pictures from around the world.

The best times to see November's big supermoon

November 11, 2016

The best times to see November's big supermoon

The last time the full moon was this close to Earth was 1948, NASA says.