Astronomy

A Perseid meteor from 2015. Image: Alan Tough. The annual Perseid meteor shower has been underway since last month and it predicted to reach its usual eagerly-anticipated maximum early next week, on 12 August between 13h and 16h UT. The Perseids is the year’s most popular meteor shower and one of the major highlights on the observing calendar, with many astronomical societies and keen individuals having made plans for trips to observe this special spectacle from a dark-sky site  The Perseids are active from 17 July to 24 August, with cameras of the UK Meteor Network having already recorded activity. In particular, a dazzling Perseid fireball, estimated at magnitude –4.4, was just recently captured, on the night of 1/2 August at 01:19 UT (see image). A Perseid fireball recently captured, o...

Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers at the University of British Columbia have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision optical devices. Professor Philip Evans and PhD student Kenny Cheng were experimenting with high-energy plasma to make wood more water-repellent. However, when they applied the technique to the cut ends of wood cells, the surfaces turned extremely black. Measurements by Texas A&M University's department of physics and astronomy confirmed that the material reflected less than one per cent of visible light, absorbing almost all the light that struck it. Instead of discarding this accidental finding, the team decided to shift their focus to designing super-black ...

Venus is known for being really quite inhospitable with high surface temperatures and Mars is known for its rusty red horizons. Even the moons of some of the outer planets have fascinating environments with Europa and Enceladus boasting underground oceans. Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope show that Ariel, a moon of Uranus, is also a strong candidate for a sub surface ocean. How has this conclusion been reached? Well JWST has detected carbon dioxide ice on the surface on the trailing edge of features trailing away from the orbital direction. The possible cause, an underground ocean! Uranus is the seventh planet in the Solar System and has five moons. Ariel is one of them and is notable for its icy surface and fascinatingly diverse geological features. It was discove...

Get ready to embark on a journey through time and imagination as the Armagh Observatory & Planetarium proudly announces its upcoming “Robot Exhibition”, running from 2nd July to 31st August 2024. This summer, science-fiction enthusiasts and curious minds alike will have the unique opportunity to explore a mesmerising collection of robots, cyborgs, and androids.    Science-fiction fans are sure to recognise their favourite metal movie stars in this comprehensive exhibit. The Robot Exhibition showcases memorable and iconic robots from science-fiction movies and TV shows, highlighting their role in storytelling and exploring how they represent our changing relationship with technology.     Visitors are invited to delve into the past, present, and future of robots in science-fiction, cons...