Skip to main content

Featured

Star Betelgeuse - A red supergiant in the constellation Orion

One fascinating star is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant located in the constellation Orion. Here are some intriguing facts about it: 1. Size and Volume: Betelgeuse is immense—if placed at the center of our solar system, it would extend past the orbit of Mars. 2. Variability: It is a pulsating variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time; it has been observed to vary in brightness over several months. 3. Life Cycle: Betelgeuse is nearing the end of its life cycle and is expected to explode as a supernova within the next million years, a relatively short time in astrophysical terms. 4. Distance: It is located approximately 640 light-years away from Earth. 5. Cultural Significance: Betelgeuse has been significant in many cultures and is commonly referred to as the “Shoulder of the Hunter” in the constellation Orion. 6. Color Indicator: Its reddish hue signifies a cooler surface temperature compared to other stars, which gives it a distinctive appearance. Betelgeuse con...

Near-Earth asteroid pairs offer clues to composition, dynamics and environmental conditions of early solar system

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are small solar system bodies whose orbits sometimes bring them close to the Earth, making them potential collision threats. NEOs also offer clues to the composition, dynamics and environmental conditions of the early solar system and its evolution, and because they are relatively close to the Earth they lend themselves to astronomical measurements. Most NEOs are discovered in optical searches, but one crucial NEO parameter, its size, usually cannot be determined from optical detections alone. This is because an NEO's optical light is reflected sunlight, and an object can be bright either because it is large or because it has a high reflectivity. A CfA team has been using the IRAC infrared camera on Spitzer to measure NEO infrared emission signals which provide an independent measure of its size.

from Space Exploration News - Space News, Space Exploration, Space Science, Earth Sciences https://ift.tt/2X0Yr8f

Comments