The tiny temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background (shown here as color) trace primordial density fluctuations in the early universe that seed the later growth of galaxies. These fluctuations produce a pattern of polarization in the CMB that has no twisting to it. Gravitational waves from inflation are expected to produce much a fainter …
Astronomers observe first direct evidence of Cosmic Inflation Read More »
In 2014 it will be over twenty years since the first discussions of the SKA and the ambitious call for a radio telescope with a considerable increase in sensitivity (two orders of magnitude) over existing instruments. It will also be ten years since the publication of the rationale for the SKA in ‘Science with …
Transformational Science with the SKA – symposium Stellenbosch Feb 2014 Read More »
J1532 X-ray: NASA/CXC/Stanford/J.Hlavacek-Larrondo et al, Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/M.Postman & CLASH team One of the most powerful things in the universe wears a sparkly purple coat. Well, at least it looks that way in this image combining data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. This is an image of the galaxy cluster RX …
Physicist Stephen Hawking on a Zero-Gravity Flight, 2007 Jim Campbell – Aero-News Network for Zero Gravity Corporation® Stephen Hawking has a big announcement. No, it’s not that aliens exist or that humans won’t survive another 1,000 years on Earth. The physicist claims, in a paper posted online Wednesday, that the idea of an event …
Hubble view of a Cepheid variable star Many stars do not consistently shine with the same magnitude or brightness. Such stars are called variables, their brightness normally changing in cycles which can last from hours to years. Some exhibit irregular non-cyclical variation. Stellar variability can have many causes. These include changes caused by …
Some unusual celestial objects, Part 4 – Cepheid variables Read More »
