⇑
18.4°N 226°E // Pretelos
Posts tagged "unvierse"
the-star-stuff: New Ultradense Planet Found; Astronomers Baffled CoRoT-20b is so compact it defies planet-formation theory, study says. A newly discovered planet 4,000 light-years away is just too dense. Dubbed CoRoT-20b, the planet is thought to be a gas giant about four-fifths the size of Jupiter and orbits close to a sunlike star. Despite the new planet’s relatively diminutive size, this world has four times Jupiter’s mass, making CoRoT-20b one of the densest known planets, a new study says. (Related: “‘Backward’ Planet Has Density of Foam Coffee Cups.”) That poses a problem for astronomers: If CoRoT-20b is structured like a traditional gas giant, with a solid core surrounded by a gassy atmosphere, the planet’s core would have to make up 50 to 77 percent of the world’s total mass. By contrast, Jupiter’s core is thought to represent just 15 percent of that planet’s mass. [continue reading…]

the-star-stuff:

New Ultradense Planet Found; Astronomers Baffled

CoRoT-20b is so compact it defies planet-formation theory, study says.

A newly discovered planet 4,000 light-years away is just too dense.

Dubbed CoRoT-20b, the planet is thought to be a gas giant about four-fifths the size of Jupiter and orbits close to a sunlike star.

Despite the new planet’s relatively diminutive size, this world has four times Jupiter’s mass, making CoRoT-20b one of the densest known planets, a new study says. (Related: “‘Backward’ Planet Has Density of Foam Coffee Cups.”)

That poses a problem for astronomers: If CoRoT-20b is structured like a traditional gas giant, with a solid core surrounded by a gassy atmosphere, the planet’s core would have to make up 50 to 77 percent of the world’s total mass.

By contrast, Jupiter’s core is thought to represent just 15 percent of that planet’s mass. [continue reading…]

the-star-stuff:

Sexiest Images From Saturn

#1. On the night side of Saturn, the planet casts a dark shadow over its rings. The moon Tethys can be seen in the upper right of the image, and the moon Enceladus is visible in the lower right. This image was taken May 30, 2010.

#2. Cassini did a flyby of the 50-mile-wide Pandora moon on June 3, 2010.

#3. In the rings on the left, the moon Daphnis (5 miles across) affects ring material as it orbits. The material on the inner edge of Daphnis orbits faster than the moon, and the material on the outer edge orbits more slowly, which causes the waves. On the right, Pan (17 miles across) also causes waves. Image taken June 3, 2010.

#4. The larger Rhea looms over its sibling moon Epimetheus with Saturn and its rings in the background. The two moons are actually about 250,000 miles apart. Rhea is Saturn’s second largest moon at 946 miles across and Epimetheus is only 70 miles across. This image was taken in visible green light on March 24, 2010.

#5. Enceladus tiger stripes are active geologic regions that spew out jets of ice and other gases. It is one of only four bodies in the solar system where active eruptions have been seen. Under the outer layer of ice there might be a liquid ocean, which could make the moon capable of supporting life. This image was taken May 28, 2010.

#6. Dione is overshadowed by Titan, the largest of Saturn’s moons at 3200 miles across — twice the diameter of our moon, and larger than the planet Mercury.  It is also the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere and surface liquid. This image was taken April 20, 2010.

#7. Moons Tethys and Rhea are visible beyond Saturn’s southern hemisphere. They orbit in the plane of the planet’s rings, but from this vantage point appear to be below the planet. Tethys is near the center of the image, and Rhea is on the lower right. Image taken June 29,2010.

#8. The moon Tethys makes its way around Saturn. Tethys is an icy moon, thought to be composed almost entirely of liquid ice all the way through because its density is almost exactly that of water. This image was taken June 9, 2010.

Images: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

the-star-stuff: NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula  It’s the bubble versus the cloud. NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula, is being pushed out by the stellar wind of massive central star BD+602522. Next door, though, lives a giant molecular cloud, visible to the right. At this place in space, an irresistible force meets an immovable object in an interesting way. The cloud is able to contain the expansion of the bubble gas, but gets blasted by the hot radiation from the bubble’s central star. The radiation heats up dense regions of the molecular cloud causing it to glow. The Bubble Nebula, pictured above in scientifically mapped colors to bring up contrast, is about 10 light-years across and part of a much larger complex of stars and shells.  Image Credit & Copyright: Larry Van Vleet

the-star-stuff:

NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula 

It’s the bubble versus the cloud. NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula, is being pushed out by the stellar wind of massive central star BD+602522. Next door, though, lives a giant molecular cloud, visible to the right. At this place in space, an irresistible force meets an immovable object in an interesting way. The cloud is able to contain the expansion of the bubble gas, but gets blasted by the hot radiation from the bubble’s central star. The radiation heats up dense regions of the molecular cloud causing it to glow. The Bubble Nebula, pictured above in scientifically mapped colors to bring up contrast, is about 10 light-years across and part of a much larger complex of stars and shells. 

Image Credit & Copyright: Larry Van Vleet

the-star-stuff: Mars Express radar gives strong evidence for former Mars ocean This work provides further proof of the role of liquid water in the martian geological history. By ESA, Noordwijk, Netherlands — Published: February 7, 2012 New results from the MARSIS radar on Mars Express give strong evidence for a former ocean of Mars. The radar detected sediments reminiscent of an ocean floor inside previously identified ancient shorelines on the red planet. The ocean would have covered the northern plains billions of years ago.   Credit: ESA, C. Carreau

the-star-stuff:

Mars Express radar gives strong evidence for former Mars ocean

This work provides further proof of the role of liquid water in the martian geological history.

By ESA, Noordwijk, Netherlands — Published: February 7, 2012

New results from the MARSIS radar on Mars Express give strong evidence for a former ocean of Mars. The radar detected sediments reminiscent of an ocean floor inside previously identified ancient shorelines on the red planet. The ocean would have covered the northern plains billions of years ago. 

 Credit: ESA, C. Carreau