Ron Cowen

All Stories by Ron Cowen

  1. Astronomy

    X rays trace fierce stellar winds

    A high-resolution X-ray view of the Rosette nebula, a nearby star-forming region, has revealed for the first time that the stellar winds from massive stars heat surrounding gas to a scorching 6 million kelvins.

  2. Astronomy

    Galaxy’s Black Hole: X Rays Mark Spot

    An X-ray outburst from the center of our galaxy is providing compelling new evidence that a monster black hole lurks at the Milky Way's core.

  3. Astronomy

    Astronomers spy familiar planetary system

    Studying a star in the Big Dipper, astronomers have for the first time found a planetary system that reminds them of home.

  4. Astronomy

    Eros: The movie

    Close-up views of the asteroid 433 Eros, showing jagged rocks, fields of boulders, and debris-filled craters, are featured in a minute-long movie.

  5. Astronomy

    Senior star may have comets

    Astronomers have found what could be the first evidence of water-bearing objects that orbit a star other than the sun.

  6. Astronomy

    Light’s Debut: Good Morning, Starshine!

    Astronomers have at last detected signs of one of the earliest and least-understood eras in the universe: the murky time just before the first stars and quasars flooded the cosmos with light.

  7. Astronomy

    Ground-based telescope detects star’s corona

    Astronomers using a ground-based telescope have for the first time observed near-ultraviolet light from the corona of a star other than our sun.

  8. Planetary Science

    Craft tracks giant dust storm on Mars

    The largest dust storm observed on Mars in 25 years is now engulfing the Red Planet.

  9. Astronomy

    A Rocky Bicentennial

    Mounting evidence that many asteroids aren't solid rock but collections of loosely bound fragments could have far-reaching implications for elucidating their internal structure, understanding planet formation, and developing strategies to mitigate the threat of one striking Earth.

  10. Astronomy

    Bow-wowing them with radar

    The sharpest radar image ever of an asteroid shows features on 1999 KW4 as small as 7.5 meters—about the length of a stretch limo.

  11. Astronomy

    Landing data confirm Eros’ primitive nature

    Gamma rays detected by the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft after it landed on asteroid 433 Eros add to evidence that the rock is unaltered since the birth of the solar system.

  12. Astronomy

    A comet continues to crumble

    Ever since astronomers first spied a comet 6 months ago and officially dubbed it C/2001 A2, the icy body has been breaking apart.