Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 5
Winter's gone, but the Winter Triangle remains (for now). Trace out this gigantic asterism right after dark before it sinks. Jupiter glares inside its top.
The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 5 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 5
Winter's gone, but the Winter Triangle remains (for now). Trace out this gigantic asterism right after dark before it sinks. Jupiter glares inside its top.
The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 5 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 27 – April 5
The Winter Hexagon isn't gone yet. Trace out this huge asterism soon after dark before its bottom sinks away. Jupiter glares inside its top.
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APOD: 2026 March 27 – Hickson 44 in Leo
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/NGC3190-APOD1024.jpg APOD: 2026 March 27 – Hickson 44 in Leo
Scanning the skies for galaxies, Canadian astronomer
Paul Hickson and colleagues identified some 100 compact groups of galaxies,
now appropriately called Hickson Compact Groups.
The four prominent galaxies seen in this intriguing telescopic skyscape
are one such group, Hickson 44.
The Hickson 44 galaxy group is about 100 million light-years distant,
far beyond the foreground Milky Way stars,
toward the northern springtime constellation Leo.
The two spiral galaxies
in the center of the image are edge-on NGC 3190 with distinctive,
warped dust lanes, and S-shaped NGC 3187.
Along with the bright elliptical, NGC 3193 (left)
they are also known as Arp 316.
The spiral toward the lower right corner is NGC 3185,
the 4th member of the Hickson group.
Like other galaxies in Hickson groups,
these show signs of distortion and enhanced star formation,
evidence of a gravitational tug of war that will eventually result in
galaxy mergers on a cosmic timescale.
The merger process is
now understood to be a normal part of the evolution of
galaxies, including our own Milky Way.
For scale, NGC 3190
is about 75,000 light-years across at the estimated
distance of Hickson 44.
APOD: 2026 March 27 – Hickson 44 in Leo
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/NGC3190-APOD1024.jpg APOD: 2026 March 27 – Hickson 44 in Leo
Scanning the skies for galaxies, Canadian astronomer
Paul Hickson and colleagues identified some 100 compact groups of galaxies,
now appropriately called Hickson Compact Groups.
The four prominent galaxies seen in this intriguing telescopic skyscape
are one such group, Hickson 44.
The Hickson 44 galaxy group is about 100 million light-years distant,
far beyond the foreground Milky Way stars,
toward the northern springtime constellation Leo.
The two spiral galaxies
in the center of the image are edge-on NGC 3190 with distinctive,
warped dust lanes, and S-shaped NGC 3187.
Along with the bright elliptical, NGC 3193 (left)
they are also known as Arp 316.
The spiral toward the lower right corner is NGC 3185,
the 4th member of the Hickson group.
Like other galaxies in Hickson groups,
these show signs of distortion and enhanced star formation,
evidence of a gravitational tug of war that will eventually result in
galaxy mergers on a cosmic timescale.
The merger process is
now understood to be a normal part of the evolution of
galaxies, including our own Milky Way.
For scale, NGC 3190
is about 75,000 light-years across at the estimated
distance of Hickson 44.
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APOD: 2026 March 28 – Robert Goddard and Nell
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/goddardphotop9-1_800.jpg APOD: 2026 March 28 – Robert Goddard and Nell Robert H. Goddard,
considered the father of modern rocketry, was born in
Worcester Massachusetts in 1882.
As a 16 year old, Goddard read H.G. Wells' science fiction classic "War Of The Worlds"
and dreamed of space flight. By 1926
he had designed, built, and flown the world's first liquid fuel rocket. Launched 100 years ago,
on March 16, 1926 from his aunt Effie's farm in Auburn Massachusetts,
the rocket dubbed "Nell", rose to an
altitude of 41 feet in a flight that lasted about 2 1/2 seconds. In this posed photo
Goddard stands next to the 10 foot tall rocket, holding
the launch stand frame.
To achieve a stable flight without the need for fins, the rocket's heavy
motor was located at the top, fed by lines from
liquid oxygen and gasoline fuel tanks at the bottom.
Widely recognized as a gifted experimenter
and engineering genius,
his rockets were many years ahead
of their time.
Goddard was awarded over 200 patents in rocket technology,
most of them after his death in 1945.
A liquid fuel rocket constructed on principles developed by Goddard landed humans on the Moon in 1969.
APOD: 2026 March 28 – Robert Goddard and Nell
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/goddardphotop9-1_800.jpg APOD: 2026 March 28 – Robert Goddard and Nell Robert H. Goddard,
considered the father of modern rocketry, was born in
Worcester Massachusetts in 1882.
As a 16 year old, Goddard read H.G. Wells' science fiction classic "War Of The Worlds"
and dreamed of space flight. By 1926
he had designed, built, and flown the world's first liquid fuel rocket. Launched 100 years ago,
on March 16, 1926 from his aunt Effie's farm in Auburn Massachusetts,
the rocket dubbed "Nell", rose to an
altitude of 41 feet in a flight that lasted about 2 1/2 seconds. In this posed photo
Goddard stands next to the 10 foot tall rocket, holding
the launch stand frame.
To achieve a stable flight without the need for fins, the rocket's heavy
motor was located at the top, fed by lines from
liquid oxygen and gasoline fuel tanks at the bottom.
Widely recognized as a gifted experimenter
and engineering genius,
his rockets were many years ahead
of their time.
Goddard was awarded over 200 patents in rocket technology,
most of them after his death in 1945.
A liquid fuel rocket constructed on principles developed by Goddard landed humans on the Moon in 1969.
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Astronomy Picture of the Day RSS Feed
APOD: 2026 March 29 – A Message from Earth
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/Message_Arecibo_960.jpg APOD: 2026 March 29 – A Message from Earth What are these Earthlings trying to tell us?
The featured message was broadcast from Earth
towards the globular star cluster M13 in 1974.
During the dedication of an upgrade to the Arecibo Observatory -
then the largest single radio telescope in the world -
a string of 1's and 0's representing the diagram was sent. This attempt at extraterrestrial communication
was mostly ceremonial - humanity regularly
broadcasts radio and television signals out into space accidentally.
Even were this message
received, M13 is so far away we would have to wait almost 50,000 years to hear an answer.
The featured message gives a few simple facts about humanity and its knowledge:
from left to right are numbers from one to ten, atoms including hydrogen and carbon,
some interesting molecules, DNA, a human with description, basics of our Solar System,
and basics of the sending telescope.
Several searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are currently underway.
APOD: 2026 March 29 – A Message from Earth
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/Message_Arecibo_960.jpg APOD: 2026 March 29 – A Message from Earth What are these Earthlings trying to tell us?
The featured message was broadcast from Earth
towards the globular star cluster M13 in 1974.
During the dedication of an upgrade to the Arecibo Observatory -
then the largest single radio telescope in the world -
a string of 1's and 0's representing the diagram was sent. This attempt at extraterrestrial communication
was mostly ceremonial - humanity regularly
broadcasts radio and television signals out into space accidentally.
Even were this message
received, M13 is so far away we would have to wait almost 50,000 years to hear an answer.
The featured message gives a few simple facts about humanity and its knowledge:
from left to right are numbers from one to ten, atoms including hydrogen and carbon,
some interesting molecules, DNA, a human with description, basics of our Solar System,
and basics of the sending telescope.
Several searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are currently underway.
APOD: 2026 March 29 – A Message from Earth
What are these Earthlings trying to tell us?
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260329.html
What are these Earthlings trying to tell us?
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260329.html
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Astronomy Picture of the Day RSS Feed
APOD: 2026 March 30 – Peculiar Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/CenA_SADR_1080.jpg APOD: 2026 March 30 – Peculiar Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A What's happened to the center of this galaxy?
Dramatic dust lanes run across the center of unusual elliptical galaxy Centaurus A.
These dust lanes are so thick they almost completely obscure the galaxy's center in visible light.
This is particularly unusual as Cen A's
older stars and oval shape are characteristic of a giant elliptical galaxy, a galaxy type typically low in dark dust.
Pictured in this deep image
is a complex network of foreground gas and dust, as well as shells of dim stars and a jet projecting to the upper right.
Also known as NGC 5128, Cen A is surely the result of a galactic collision where many young dust-creating stars were formed.
However, details of the creation of Cen A's unusually active center and iconic central dust lanes are still being researched.
Cen A lies only 13 million light years away, making it the closest active galaxy.
APOD: 2026 March 30 – Peculiar Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/CenA_SADR_1080.jpg APOD: 2026 March 30 – Peculiar Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A What's happened to the center of this galaxy?
Dramatic dust lanes run across the center of unusual elliptical galaxy Centaurus A.
These dust lanes are so thick they almost completely obscure the galaxy's center in visible light.
This is particularly unusual as Cen A's
older stars and oval shape are characteristic of a giant elliptical galaxy, a galaxy type typically low in dark dust.
Pictured in this deep image
is a complex network of foreground gas and dust, as well as shells of dim stars and a jet projecting to the upper right.
Also known as NGC 5128, Cen A is surely the result of a galactic collision where many young dust-creating stars were formed.
However, details of the creation of Cen A's unusually active center and iconic central dust lanes are still being researched.
Cen A lies only 13 million light years away, making it the closest active galaxy.
Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeia
Powerful X-rays from the nearby naked-eye star Gamma Cas mystified astronomers for decades. Now, a new observatory reveals that they come from its white dwarf companion.
The post White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeia appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeia
Powerful X-rays from the nearby naked-eye star Gamma Cas mystified astronomers for decades. Now, a new observatory reveals that they come from its white dwarf companion.
The post White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeia appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
White Dwarf Discovered Gobbling Material from Gamma Cassiopeia
Gamma Cassiopeiae emits copious X-rays, though it shouldn't. Now, a new observatory reveals that they're coming from a white dwarf companion.
APOD: 2026 March 30 – Peculiar Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A
What's happened to the center of this galaxy?
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260330.html
What's happened to the center of this galaxy?
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260330.html
Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet
Striking images from Hubble, Webb, and the Very Large Telescope dive into Saturn's atmosphere, capture the Crab Nebula's expansion, and reveal a newborn planet.
The post New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet
Striking images from Hubble, Webb, and the Very Large Telescope dive into Saturn's atmosphere, capture the Crab Nebula's expansion, and reveal a newborn planet.
The post New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
New Astro Images: Saturn, the Crab Nebula, and a Newborn Planet
Striking images from Hubble, Webb, and the Very Large Telescope dive into Saturn's atmosphere, capture the Crab Nebula's expansion, and reveal a newborn planet.
APOD: 2026 March 31 – Uranus Largest Moon: Titania
Titania's tortured terrain is a mix of canyons, cliffs, and craters.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260331.html
Titania's tortured terrain is a mix of canyons, cliffs, and craters.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260331.html
Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
Have We Found the Black Hole Desert?
Astronomers disagree on whether they’ve found evidence that stars don’t make certain sizes of black hole.
The post Have We Found the Black Hole Desert? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Have We Found the Black Hole Desert?
Astronomers disagree on whether they’ve found evidence that stars don’t make certain sizes of black hole.
The post Have We Found the Black Hole Desert? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
Have We Found the Black Hole Desert?
Astronomers disagree on whether they’ve found evidence that stars don’t make certain sizes of black hole.
Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
Astronomers Play April Fool’s
From pizza "flavor zones" around stars to therapy sessions for black holes, astronomers are in fine form on this April 1st.
The post Astronomers Play April Fool’s appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Astronomers Play April Fool’s
From pizza "flavor zones" around stars to therapy sessions for black holes, astronomers are in fine form on this April 1st.
The post Astronomers Play April Fool’s appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
Astronomers Play April Fool’s
From pizza "flavor zones" around stars to therapy sessions for black holes, astronomers are in fine form on this April 1st.
Astronomy & Observing News – Sky & Telescope
Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission has departed Earth, as humans return to cis-lunar space after more than 50 years.
The post Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission has departed Earth, as humans return to cis-lunar space after more than 50 years.
The post Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Sky & Telescope
Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon
NASA’s Artemis II mission has launched successfully, marking NASA's return to cis-lunar space after more than 50 years.