Science and Technology Facilities Council Astronomy Latest http://www.stfc.ac.uk Astronomy-related articles from the Science and Technology Facilities Council en-gb © Science and Technology Facilities Council 2009. All rights reserved. webmaster@stfc.ac.uk Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:02:19 GMT Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:02:19 GMT Sleipnir v2 1 2 3 4 5 6 http://www.stfc.ac.uk/images/logo144.jpg Science and Technology Facilities Council Astronomy Latest http://www.stfc.ac.uk 144 36 New planets found around Sun-like stars An international team of planet hunters has today announced the discovery of four new planets orbiting nearby stars like our Sun. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/newplanets.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/newplanets.aspx Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:33:00 GMT XMM-Newton - Mission's decade of success peering into the final frontier XMM-Newton, the most powerful X-ray observatory ever built and launched into space, marks its 10th anniversary today (December 10th) http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/xmmann.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/xmmann.aspx Wed, 9 Dec 2009 08:55:00 GMT Dome repairs at the Royal Observatory The Science and Technology Facilities Council is about to start work on a major programme of repairs to the two historic copper domes that top the 1894 Observatory building at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/domerepairs.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/domerepairs.aspx Thu, 3 Dec 2009 16:16:00 GMT Herschel takes a peek at the ingredients of the galaxies The European Space Agency has today (25th Nov) released spectacular new observations from the Herschel Space Observatory, including the UK-led SPIRE instrument. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/herschelspectrom.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/herschelspectrom.aspx Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:51:00 GMT Herschel space observatory at number seven in Time magazine's list of greatest inventions of 2009 Alongside teleportation and the AIDS vaccine, the Herschel Space Observatory has been voted one of the greatest inventions of 2009 by Time magazine http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/Prel/STFC/herschelnews.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/Prel/STFC/herschelnews.aspx Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:49:00 GMT STFC welcomes new forest of stars The new Dark Sky Park in Galloway Forest marks a new high in the growing interest in the UK's dark skies. It follows three years of STFC-led UK Dark Sky events which have been have been rekindling curiosity in the night sky and switching people on to the wonders of the universe http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/DarkSkyPark.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/DarkSkyPark.aspx Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:38:00 GMT Ticking stellar time bomb identified - astronomers find prime suspect for a type Ia supernova Using ESO's Very Large Telescope and its ability to obtain images as sharp as if taken from space, astronomers have made the first time-lapse movie of an unusual shell of matter ejected by a "vampire star" http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/TickingBomb.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/TickingBomb.aspx Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:26:00 GMT Explorers of the Universe - new photography exhibition turns the lens on UK astronomers Some of the UK's finest astronomers have taken a break from their star gazing to become stars themselves of an exciting new photography exhibition by acclaimed photographer Max Alexander. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/explorers.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/explorers.aspx Tue, 6 Oct 2009 13:12:00 GMT Sunday Times 4th October 2009 The Sunday Times article of 4 October on UK involvement in the European particle physics laboratory CERN and high profile global astronomy projects, such as ALMA, is incorrect. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/STOct09.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/STOct09.aspx Sun, 4 Oct 2009 13:49:00 GMT ALMA telescope reaches new heights The ALMA astronomical observatory has taken another step forward - and upwards. One of its state-of-the-art antennas was carried for the first time to the 5000m plateau of Chajnantor, in the Chilean Andes, on the back of a custom-built giant transporter http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/ALMANewHeights.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/ALMANewHeights.aspx Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:51:00 GMT Call for nominations for position of Chair of STFC's Aurora Advisory Committee The position of Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Councils Aurora Advisory Committee will become vacant at the end of 2009 http://www.stfc.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/AdCom/oth/AurACChairCall.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/AdCom/oth/AurACChairCall.aspx Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:06:01 GMT STFC scientist champions role of women in astronomy An astronomer from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is leading a world-wide push to encourage organisations to do more to support and encourage female astronomers. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/sheisanastronomer.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/sheisanastronomer.aspx Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:12:00 GMT Huge new planet tells of game of planetary billiards A team of scientists has found a new planet which orbits the wrong way around its host star. The planet, named WASP-17, and orbiting a star 1000 light years away, was found by the UK's WASP project http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/wasp17.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/wasp17.aspx Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:32:00 GMT Herschel's UK-led SPIRE instrument returns first images The UK-led SPIRE instrument on board the Herschel Space Observatory has made its first astronomical observations, with spectacular results. http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/spire.aspx http://www.stfc.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/spire.aspx Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:12:00 GMT