Part of CSIRO’s ASKAP antennas at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia.
Australian SKA Office/WA Department of Commerce
It’s almost impossible for any human to spot something unknown or unusual in the massive amount of data collected by our telescopes. So we’re teaching an intelligent machine to search the data for us.
Light from the universe’s first galaxies destroyed the hydrogen atoms that formed during the Big Bang.
NASA, ESA, R. Ellis (Caltech), and the UDF 2012 Team
What’s particularly exciting about “first light” images from South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope is that they prove Africa is a rising star in the world of astronomy.
Jupiter and its moon Io really do look like they do in this latest image by NASA’s Juno probe.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS
Astronomers have detected clumpy gas clouds on the verge of being swallowed by a supermassive black hole, rushing towards it at over 537,000 miles an hour.
Stargazing seems such a quiet, calm activity. But whether our eyes can see or not, those stars out there are in constant flux. Time-domain astronomy studies how cosmic objects change with time.
An artist’s impression of the ASTRO-H telescope.
JAXA/Akihiro Ikeshita
The universe looks very different with X-ray vision, revealing some of the most energetic interactions in our galaxy. Japan’s new Hitomi telescope will help us see these wonders.
Artist’s impression of the Square Kilometre Array.
SKA Project Development Office and Swinburne Astronomy Productions/wikimedia
The laws of physics dictate that to pick out ever fainter objects from space and see them more sharply, we’re going to need a bigger telescope. And that means we need massive mirrors.
Artist’s depiction of the newly discovered Jupiter-like planet orbiting the star HD 32963.
Stefano Meschiari
Jupiter had a big influence on how our solar system’s planets formed. New research – led by a high school student – tried to nail down how rare Jupiter analogs really are in other planetary systems.
A telescope can open up on the wonders of the heavens.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr
Stargazing in your back yard or on a camping trip can amaze and inspire. If you’re thinking of buying a telescope, here are a few key things you should look out for.
Images of galaxies far away may be forever blurred – no matter how big the telescope.
NASA/Hubble
Telescopes are getting larger and larger as astronomers are hoping to get a good view of the most distant objects in space. But, it turns out, bigger isn’t always better.
People throughout Africa can play a part in the work of the Square Kilometre Array even if they are not scientists.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Citizen science will ensure that the skies have no limit when it comes to research, as ordinary people are encouraged to take part in simple acts of exploration.
Wide-eyes: the Square Kilometre Array in the Karoo in South Africa.
SKA
Astronomers aren’t mere stargazers these days. One researcher explains the ins and outs of how they collect data from far-off galaxies and what they do with it back at the office.
Bye, Earth telescopes! You will never reach my level.
ESA
Ground-based telescopes are getting bigger and better while still being cheaper than space telescopes. But the vital scientific contributions made by Hubble demonstrates why we need both.
The Hubble Space Telescope launched 25 years ago in 1990. But O'Dell started on the project in 1972, garnering support for the world’s first telescope free of Earth’s atmosphere’s blurring effects.
Artist’s concept of Giant Magellan Telescope once completed, with its seven mirrors.
Giant Magellan Telescope - GMTO Corporation
As an astronomer, I get a lot of requests for help. “I’d like to buy a telescope,” the conversation usually goes. “Can you give me some tips on what to look for?” Sadly, there’s little advice I can offer…
A fast radio burst was detected live at Parkes in May 2014.
Flickr/Wayne England
Astronomers are trying to improve their hunt for rapid bursts of radio emission in the universe called Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) so they can better observe these mysterious events, which are thought to…