This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More

Whether you're here for eye candy or a more cosmic perspective, these astronomy pictures released this week will do the trick. The post This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth

The existence of a quasar when the universe was only 670 million years old is helping astronomers understand how black holes are born. The post What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 15 – 23

Bright Capella high overhead, and equally bright Rigel in Orion's foot, have almost the same right ascension. This means they cross your sky’s meridian at almost exactly the same time. So whenever Capella passes the zenith, Rigel marks true south, and vice versa. That happens around 9 or 10 p.m. now. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 15...

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Masquerading Magnetars Make Short Brilliant Bursts

Giant flares emitted from the surface of highly magnetized neutron stars could explain some gamma-ray flashes astronomers have caught over the past few decades. The post Masquerading Magnetars Make Short Brilliant Bursts appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Black Hole Feasts on Star, Bite by Bite

Like a cosmic blinker, a distant supermassive black hole is flaring every 114 days. Astronomers believe the eerily regular signal betrays the piecemeal devouring of a star. The post Black Hole Feasts on Star, Bite by Bite appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Rocky Planet Found Around 10 Billion-Year-Old Star

Astronomers have found an Earth-size (but not at all Earth-like) planet around an ancient star that has a nice high view of our galaxy. The post Rocky Planet Found Around 10 Billion-Year-Old Star appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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China Opens World's Largest Radio Telescope to International Scientists

Scientists outside China will be allocated around 10% of observation time on its gigantic radio telescope following the collapse of Arecibo. The post China Opens World's Largest Radio Telescope to International Scientists appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Pulsars Show Hint of Gravitational-wave Background

Duos of supermassive black holes tangoing throughout the universe make their own music, and astronomers may have picked up a hint of the tune. The post Pulsars Show Hint of Gravitational-wave Background appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Amateur Astronomer Finds “Lost” Moons of Jupiter

An amateur astronomer has recovered four of five "lost" Jovian moons. The post Amateur Astronomer Finds “Lost” Moons of Jupiter appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 8 – 16

Twilight challenge: the planet-conjunction finale! Jupiter and Saturn are becoming ever harder to pick up low in bright twilight, but bring those binoculars on Saturday Jan. 9th. Because then they'll be three! Mercury is emerging to join them. It will pass by them for a couple more days. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 8 – 16 appeared...

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