Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
A grander canyon on Mars
Hebes Chasma, a huge trough on Mars, reflects the Red Planet’s tumultuous and varied past.
- Astronomy
Quiet maximum
By almost any measure, this solar maximum has been pathetic. No more than 67 sunspots have appeared in a month so far; at the last peak, in 2000, that number was above 120.
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- Astronomy
Most distant galaxy lens discovered
Astronomers have discovered a galaxy about 9.4 billion light-years from Earth that is magnifying the light of an even more distant galaxy. It’s the most distant gravitational lens found to date.
- Astronomy
Galaxy’s gas molecules reveal its structure
Astronomers have tracked carbon monoxide flowing both toward and away from NGC 1433’s central supermassive black hole.
- Astronomy
Galaxy’s petal-like structures came from collision
A cosmic crash of two huge masses of stars, gas and dust probably gave way to a new galactic structure with both young and old star clusters.
- Astronomy
Water seen in rubble around star
Hubble sees debris that was part of an asteroid with the ingredients for habitable planets.
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- Astronomy
Voyager’s view
Though the 1970s-era space probe has finally slipped into an interstellar realm, in some senses it is still very much within the bounds of the solar system.
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- Astronomy
Tiny sphere bends light like a black hole does
Previously seen at the megascale, gravitational lensing goes micro.
