Tag Archives: gravity

Black hole mysteries

By Stephen Ornes / May 29, 2013

Nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole. Though black holes are invisible, they can create brilliant light shows. This illustration shows a black hole devouring a star. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Scientists are just getting to know the black holes that help anchor our cosmos

Posted in Physics, Space | Tagged astronomy, astrophysics, Big Bang, black holes, Cambridge, Chandra, clusters, cosmology, cosmos, event horizon, feature, galaxies, galaxy, gravity, Harvard University, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, HST, Hubble Space Telescope, Jonelle Walsh, Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo, mass, NGC 1277, radiation, Ryan Chornock, Sagittarius A*, space telescope, spaghettification, Stanford University, stars, supernova, topstories, universe, University of Texas, X-rays

Home on the moon

By Stephen Ornes / February 1, 2013

Life on the moon — but not ours. This illustration shows two large moons orbiting a giant, gassy planet (in orange). Astronomers say the right type of moon could harbor alien life. Credit: R. Heller, AIP

Astronomers say rocky moons orbiting distant planets might support alien life

Posted in Space | Tagged aliens, astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, exomoons, exoplanet, forces, Germany, getinvolved, gravitation, gravity, hot Jupiter, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics, moon, Orbit, Potsdam, René Heller, Rory Barnes, solar system, stars, telescopes, topstories, University of Washington

An invisible cosmic bridge

By Stephen Ornes / July 23, 2012

It’s impossible to see with the naked eye, but astronomers say a bridge made of dark matter connects two galaxy clusters. This picture shows hot gas around and between the two clusters, Abell 222 (blob at top) and Abell 223 (bottom blob). The yellow is the hottest part of the gas, where the galaxies reside, and the red is cooler.

Credit: ESA/ XMM-Newton/ EPIC/ ESO (J. Dietrich)/ SRON (N. Werner)/ MPE (A. Finoguenov)

Astronomers find strange stuff in the space between two clusters of galaxies

Posted in Space | Tagged Abell 222, Abell 223, dark matter, galaxy cluster, getinvolved, gravity, Jörg Dietrich, University Observatory Munich

Black hole’s big gulp

By Stephen Ornes / May 25, 2012

This computer simulation gives some idea of what might happen when a star gets too close to a black hole. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/JHU/UCS

Astronomers say a bright flare in space shows where a black hole tore apart a star

Posted in Space | Tagged astronomers, black hole, elliptical, getinvolved, gravity, light year, mass

Dark matter search turns up empty

By Stephen Ornes / May 8, 2012

A blue cloud of dark, or invisible, matter surrounds the swirl of the Milky Way galaxy in this illustration. A new study suggests our galaxy’s dark matter may have a shape other than a sphere. Credit: L. Calçada/ESO

Star study suggests our cosmic neighborhood may be lacking invisible matter

Posted in Space | Tagged astronomy, Chile, dark matter, galaxy, getinvolved, gravity, Milky Way

‘Ruler’ to measure space

By Stephen Ornes / April 16, 2012

Scientists study the energetic echoes of the Big Bang to learn more about the size and shape of the universe. Credit: E.M. Huff; SDSS-III; South Pole Telescope. Graphic by Zosia Rostomian.

Study of energy waves formed during the Big Bang supports Einstein’s prediction that a strange, invisible force is pushing the universe apart

Posted in Space | Tagged Albert Einstein, astronomy, BOSS, cosmological constant, dark energy, getinvolved, gravity, physics, space

Planetary paparazzo

By Stephen Ornes / April 20, 2011

Flying circles around Mercury MESSENGER, shown in an artist’s drawing, will spend 12 months in orbit around Mercury. . Credit: NASA

NASA satellite snaps historic photographs of Mercury

Posted in Physics | Tagged forces, getinvolved, gravitation, gravitation/circular motion, gravity, photography, physics

Gravity Tractor as Asteroid Mover

By Emily Sohn / November 10, 2005

A huge spacecraft could use its gravity to keep an asteroid from hitting Earth.

Posted in Space | Tagged force and motion, gravity

How a Gecko Defies Gravity

By Emily Sohn / November 18, 2003

A gecko’s tight grip on walls and ceilings suggests new types of sticky materials.

Posted in Chemistry | Tagged Adhesion, forces, forensic science, Gecko, gravity, hair, physics

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