Astro-Challenge:When will T Pyxidis Finally Pop?

 
   Earlier this year, the astronomical community was wowed by the eruption of the star U Scorpii. As reported last year in this space, U Sco is a recurrent nova, a flare star that undergoes outburst at irregular intervals. Less than 10 recurrent novae have been identified. The initial action was caught by two Florida [...]

06.11.09:A New Type of Supernova?

Astronomers at  the University of California at Berkley may have added a new type of supernova to the list. Typical type I supernovae consist of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf accreting matter from a companion star until a runaway reaction occurs, while type II supernovae involve a collapse of a star perhaps nine times as massive [...]

23.10.09:Fermi Pegs Gamma-Ray Pulsars.

NASA’s Large Area Telescope aboard the orbiting Fermi gamma-ray observatory continues to turn out some amazing science, picking up where Compton left off in 2002 as it surveys the gamma-ray sky. Of particular interest are gamma-rays emitted from pulsars. Pulsars are the swiftly rotating remnants of massive stars that have gone supernova, leaving a superdense [...]

Review: Heaven’s Touch by James B. Kaler

Out now from Princeton University Press!
Everyone seems to be in a “Death from Above” mood this year. At the happier end of the cosmic spectrum, I give you Heavens Touch, by professor James B. Kaler and out recently courtesy of Princeton Press. Ever wonder were the elemental boron in your laundry cleaner came from? This [...]

Astro-Event of the Week; 02.06.09: An Antares Occultation.

About 10PM EDT Looking East..(Credit: Stellarium).
An occultation of a bright star is well placed for observers in the Americas this weekend. The waning gibbous Moon will occult (i.e. pass in front of) the bright star Antares, also known as Alpha Scorpii. The action begins around 10:00 PM EDT and the Moon will cover up [...]

May 2009 News & Notes.

Vanth & Orcus. (Artists’ Impression).
And the Winner is: It’s official; after much debating and furious blog commenting, the newly discovered moon of the Plutoid Orcus (remember, the anti-Pluto?) is… drum roll… Vanth! Loyal followers of this space and Astronomy Picture of the Day will remember a few weeks ago, when astronomer Mike Brown put out [...]