ScienceDaily: Space & Time News

Fast-moving unbound star has broken the galactic speed record Posted: 10 Mar 2015 05:56 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered the fastest ever unbound star in our galaxy. The unbound star, named US708, is traveling at 1,200 kilometers per second -- the fastest speed ever recorded for such an object in our galaxy -- meaning it is not held back by gravity and will eventually leave the Milky Way.

UK skies set to dim in decade's deepest solar eclipse Posted: 10 Mar 2015 10:19 AM PDT On 20 March a total eclipse of the Sun will take place, visible from the North Atlantic Ocean. Observers in the UK and Ireland will see a partial solar eclipse, with up to 97% of the Sun blocked out. This will be the deepest eclipse in the UK since 1999 and until 2026.

Mysterious phenomena in a gigantic galaxy-cluster collision Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:15 AM PDT Using new capabilities of the Very Large Array, astronomers have made a fascinating image revealing details of the interactions between a pair of galaxy clusters.

Welcome to the neighborhood: New dwarf galaxies discovered in orbit around the Milky Way Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered a 'treasure trove' of rare dwarf satellite galaxies orbiting our own Milky Way. The discoveries could hold the key to understanding dark matter, the mysterious substance which holds our galaxy together.

Cosmic dust discs withstand hellfire beside massive young stars in center of Milky Way Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered an unusual phenomenon in the center of the Milky Way: They detected about 20 rotating dust and gas discs in each cluster hosting exceptionally large and hot stars. The existence of these discs in the presence of the destructive UV radiation field of their massive neighbors came as a surprise. The science team is pondering how these rotating discs are able to withstand evaporation under these extreme conditions.

Solving the riddle of neutron stars Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT It has not yet been possible to measure the gravitational waves predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity. They are so weak that they get lost in the noise of the measurements. But thanks to the latest simulations of the merging of binary neutron star systems, the structure of the sought-after signals is now known. As theoretical astrophysicists report, gravitational waves have a characteristic spectrum that is similar to the spectral lines of atoms.

Rover examining odd Mars rocks at valley overlook Posted: 06 Mar 2015 08:27 AM PST NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity climbed last month to an overlook for surveying "Marathon Valley," a science destination chosen because spectrometer observations from orbit indicate exposures of clay minerals.