Astronomy course

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SUNSPOTS REVEALED IN STRIKING DETAIL BY SUPERCOMPUTERS

In a breakthrough that will help scientists unlock mysteries of the Sun and its impacts on Earth, an international team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research has created the first-ever comprehensive computer model of sunspots. The resulting visuals capture both scientific detail and remarkable beauty. > read more

NEW LIGHT SHED ON 'DARK' GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Gamma-ray bursts are the universe's biggest explosions, capable of producing so much light that ground-based telescopes easily detect it billions of light-years away. Yet, for more than a decade, astronomers have puzzled over the nature of so-called dark bursts, which produce gamma rays and X-rays but little or no visible light. They make up roughly half of the bursts detected by NASA's Swift satellite since its 2004 launch. > read more

HERSCHEL'S DARING TEST: A GLIMPSE OF THINGS TO COME

Herschel opened its 'eyes' on 14 June and the Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer obtained images of M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy for a first test observation. Scientists obtained images in three colors from the observation, which clearly demonstrate the excellence of Herschel, the largest infrared space telescope ever flown. > read more