Sky Watching | The Daily Space

Galaxy Used as Cosmic Telescope to Peer Back in Time

May 20, 2022 | Daily Space, Earth, Galaxies, Moon, Sky Watching, Spacecraft, Star Forming Region, Stars, Supernovae, The Sun

With a groundbreaking technique, astronomers have used a galaxy as a gravitational lens to backlight two hydrogen clouds, peering back 11 billion light-years at our early universe. Plus, volcano water on the Moon, a quadruple star system, and this week’s What’s Up takes a careful look at the Sun.

Event Horizon Telescope Releases First Image of Sgr A*

May 13, 2022 | Daily Space, Milky Way, Observatories, Sky Watching, Supermassive Black Holes

In an early morning announcement, the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration finally revealed their first image of Sgr A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. We have a special episode entirely about this amazing new image and the science behind it. And this week’s What’s Up is a total lunar eclipse.

Newly Found ‘Black Widow’ Binary Has Third Companion

May 6, 2022 | Daily Space, Neutron Stars / Pulsars, Science, Sky Watching, Supermassive Black Holes, The Sun

The flash of a pulsar about 3,000 light-years from our solar system was caused by a ‘black widow’ binary consuming a smaller star. Intriguingly, a third companion star is orbiting the pair, which may have originated near the Milky Way’s center. Plus, the Sun is ramping up, Chandra releases more sonification videos, and this week’s What’s Up is all about occultations.

Martian Volcanoes Once Chose Violence

Apr 29, 2022 | Daily Space, Earth, Galaxies, Mars, Perseverance, Science, Sky Watching, Supernovae

An analysis of images taken by the Spirit rover of olivine-rich rocks in Gusev crater has revealed a much more violent volcanic origin than originally thought and one that likely occurred early in Mars’s history. Plus, balloon science, more Mars, more volcanoes, pretty Hubble images, and What’s Up (a supernova!).

Early Bacterial Life May Have Formed Far Earlier Than Thought

Apr 15, 2022 | Asteroids, Astrobiology, Comets, Crewed Space, Daily Space, Earth, Galaxies, JWST, Lucy, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Neptune, Saturn, Sky Watching, Stars, Supermassive Black Holes, Venus

An analysis of microscopic features in rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt in Quebec, Canada, which date back between 3.75 and 4.28 billion years, finds evidence of possible microbial life. Plus, a supermassive black hole precursor, temperatures on Neptune, check-ins with various spacecraft, and our weekly What’s Up segment.

Ice Mounds Abound in Martian Craters

Apr 1, 2022 | Astrobiology, Daily Space, Earth, Galaxies, Jupiter, Mars, Sky Watching, Stars

An analysis of the thickness and the shapes of the ice mounds in Martian craters found that the patterns matched Mars’ axial tilt and precession over the last 4 to 5 million years. Plus, Europa, faint galaxies, What’s Up, and a review of an entire camera.