Astrophysics Topics
Leftover Instruments Will Pave Way for New Propulsion Test
1999 — April 6, 2011
Well understood and well used scientific insturments will help verify a new instrument as they all fly on JAWSAT.
Countdown to Discovery
1999 — April 6, 2011
Martin Weisskopf, Project Scientist for NASA's newest Great Observatory - the Chandra X-ray Observatory- talks about the upcoming July 20 launch, astronomy, cosmology, and our beautiful and surprising universe.
Peering into the violent universe
1999 — April 6, 2011
Tests prove approach for a new gamma-ray telescope. The design will compete against others in Washington today.
Happy birthday, Magnetars
1999 — April 6, 2011
20 years ago today, the first blast of gamma-rays from these enigmatic objects was first observed. Ever since, scientists have been unraveling what happened - and discovering radical new members of the cosmos.
The End of Days
1999 — April 6, 2011
Alerted by a supernova patrol, scientists have used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatoryto capture a rare glimpse of X-radiation from the early phases of a supernova. Although more than a thousand supernovae have been observed by optical astronomers, the early X-ray glow from the explosions has been detected in less than a dozen cases.
Stellar nurseries for baby planets
1999 — April 6, 2011
Dramatic new Hubble images show vast stellar disks where planets are born.
GOTCHA! The Big One That Didn't Get Away
1999 — April 6, 2011
For the first time, images of visible light from a cosmic explosion are captured by a robotic telescope while spectacular gamma-ray data are captured by orbiting satellites.
April's Lyrid Meteor Shower
1999 — April 6, 2011
The oldest known meteor shower peaks this week on Thursday morning, breaking a 3 month lull in meteor activity.
The Sagan Criteria for Life Revisited
1999 — April 6, 2011
Would we know life if we saw it? What is essential to life, and what is just characteristic of life as we know it? Organic compounds seem to be a key, and they are turning out to be more common than was once expected.
Answer to Gamma-ray Burstsremains elusive
1999 — April 6, 2011
Eight years ago today NASA launched the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. While the CGRO has revolutionized our understanding of cosmic gamma ray bursts, these distant explosions remain one of the biggest mysteries of modern astrophysics.