spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Astronomers resolve mystery of ancient supernova
Posted: Tue, Oct 25, 2011, 7:24 AM ET (1124 GMT)
Supernova remnant RCW 86 (NASA) Astronomers announced Monday they now understand why a supernova witnessed nearly two millennia ago expanded faster than expected. The supernova, designated RCW 86, was witnessed by Chinese observers in 185 AD, making it the oldest recorded observation of a supernova. More recent studies of the supernova remnant showed that it is two to three times bigger than expected. Astronomers used a combination of space-based infrared and x-ray observations to study the supernova remnant, and found that the supernova was caused by material from a nearby star falling onto a white dwarf. That white dwarf, prior to the supernova, had created a cavity relatively free of gas and dust surrounding it, allowing the remnants to expand at a faster rate, and hence the larger size.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Senate hearing raises doubts of Artemis
Posted: Sat, Sep 6 8:50 AM ET (1250 GMT)

NASA names new associate administrator
Posted: Sat, Sep 6 8:46 AM ET (1246 GMT)

President Trump moves Space Command HQ to Alabama
Posted: Sat, Sep 6 8:44 AM ET (1244 GMT)

news links
Saturday, September 13
Celebrating 10 Years of Gravitational-Wave Discoveries
Sky & Telescope — 4:44 am ET (0844 GMT)
New Comet SWAN25B Pops Out from Behind the Sun
Sky & Telescope — 4:44 am ET (0844 GMT)
Hubble Surveys Cloudy Cluster
NASA/GSFC — 4:34 am ET (0834 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list