Search

The article presents information on a research regarding the activity cycles of stars and the reasons for its arrival and disappearance. Since a star's radius growth and its rotational speed are inversely proportional, the conservation of angular momentum and the strength of its magnetic field declines more. According to the researchers, the variations in the activity cycles similar to the Sun can be found in 91 nearby stars.

The article discuses the stars that are located near the Earth based on the census compiled by astronomers. It mentions that the nearest stars are spread randomly and uniformly in the outer space and describes the measurement of the distance between each other. It also points out that there is a possibility that there are as many as 100 billion brown dwarfs located in the Milky Way Galaxy.

The article focuses on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) began by Frank Drake in 1960 and 50 years of SETI experiments. While SETI scientists still do not have any evidence of intelligent life out in space, they remain optimistic because improved technology is leading to faster SETI experiments. The Allen Telescope Array located at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in the California Cascades will speed up targetted searches. In addition to radio searches, an alternative approach is looking for flashing lights from nearby stars. INSETS: SETI's Origin 50 Years Ago;Processing Power to the People.

The article focuses on the mysteries of the solar system. The solar system is said to be fundamentally unknown and questions arise on where it came from, why is it like it is and how it will end. Billion years ago, a ragbag of stuff that suffuses the inconsequential, in-between bits of all galaxies was identified. This stuff, described as hydrogen and helium gas with a sprinkling of solid dust, had begun to condense and form molecules. It is claimed that it was the shock wave from the explosive death throes of a nearby star that started this process.

The article reports on the discovery of a giant ring of debris around a nearby star that is said to be a bigger version of the Kuiper belt of Neptune. Using the orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope and the Gemini South telescope in Chile, the disc around HD 181327 was detected. It lies about 150 light years from Earth with the brightness of around 63 micrometers, a characteristic of water ice and a radius of about 12 billion kilometres.

The article discusses the discovery by the Kepler planet-hunting space telescope of two super-Earth-sized planets circling star Kepler-62 in the habitable zone. It notes the need to consider planetary evolution and how it changes the weather and surface environments of planets when pondering on the inhabitability of planets. It cites the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to be launched in 2017 and expected to identify 1,000 Earth-sized exoplanets around nearby stars.

The article presents information on Barnard's Star and how to locate it on the sky. The red dwarf star is six light years away from earth, which makes it the closest star visible from mid-northern latitude. It was named after Edward Emerson Barnard, who discovered it in 1916. Binoculars, dark skies, a chart of stars and patience are the things needed to find Barnard's Star.

The article offers facts such as stars close to the Earth including Sun as close to the Earth, distance of stars, time period that light would take in its travel from Earth to Barnard's Star and stars that are grouped under cluster and presents a chart depicting distance of stars in light years.

Reports that evidence for the existence of a planet accompanying a nearby star, Cincinnati 2354 was presented at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Atlanta, Georgia by the director of the Sproul Observatory Sarah Lee Lippincott. Other nearby stars having planets or planetlike bodies; Source for the evidence on the planet; Description of the planet accompanying Cincinnati 2354.

A photograph of a reflection nebulae described as a collection of dust that can be seen only through light from nearby stars is presented.

The article discusses a ring of dust that surrounds the nearby star HR 4796A which astronomers believe contains complex organic molecules. Researchers found that the dust scattered much more infrared light than visible light which is same pattern displayed by a group of organic compounds called tholins. The study provides the first strong evidence for the material outside the solar system.

The article explains a theory that has been suggested by astronomers which attempts to explain why two older stars seem to be behaving like young stars. The astronomers suggest that these older stars ingested near-by stellar formations and this resulted in a revitalization of the original body, possibly enabling the formation of planets.

The author describes the conditions within a quadruple star system, in which a planet may exist. Observations show that within the Hydra constellation, two pairs of stars are interacting. One of the pairs is surrounded by a disk of dust that is broken into two rings suggesting that there may be a planet or a resonance-related gap.

The article describes a double star system that lies within the Large Magellanic Cloud which has a tight and fast orbit as they circle one another. It is predicted that the binary stars in this system will move closer towards one another until they combine into one superstar and eventually explode as a supernova.

The article discusses the discovery of a planet outside our solar system that may be capable of sustaining life. The planet revolves around the red dwarf star Gliese 581 and is about 20.5 light years from Earth. Sara Seager, a theorist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, warns that without direct measurements of size and mass, it is difficult to know if the planet is rocky or icy.

The article reports that scientists from the University of Florida in Gainesville have reported evidence for an asteroid belt around the star Zeta Leporis, 70 light-years from Earth. The star was known to be encircled by a disk of dust. Observations from the Gemini South telescope in Chile have enabled astronomers to determine that the dust disk is densest at about 3 astronomical units (AU) from the star. Earth's asteroid belt ranges about 2. 1 to 3. 3 AU from the sun.

The article provides information for astronomers who wish to see the motion of a star. The author writes that a pair of stars is visible in Cygnus the Swan; in fact, 61 Cygni in the upper left part of Cygnus the Swan, is a pair of stars. In 1792, the Italian astronomer Giuseppe noted that 61 Cygni moves 5" per year. For astronomers who wish to notice the motion of these stars, they will need to make a drawing of the stars' position and then return in five or six years.

This article offers instructions for observing the constellation Canis Major, as well as information about its stars. Canis Major is best viewed in the winter sky when it is high in the horizon. Its brightest star is Sirius, which is also the brightest star visible from earth. The article gives instruction for telescopic placement and for viewing star clusters within the constellation.

Reports that Todd J. Henry of Georgia State University wants to know everything about the Sun's immediate galactic surroundings. Research Consortium on Nearby Stars (RECONS); Goal of finding and characterizing each and every object within 10 parsecs of the Sun.

Discusses ways to measure the brightness of a star. Comparison of the brightness of the Sun with the stars Rigel and Sirius; Discussion of the rating system for star brightness; List of questions and answers.

Focuses on findings made using the Hubble Space Telescope of what appears to be planets orbiting nearby stars. Report of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas in January 1999. Star HR 4796A and star HD 141569; Theories explaining the Hubble photographs of slender dust rings and dark bands; How the Hubble telescope was used; Questions that the findings raise.

Reports that astronomer George D. Gatewood argues that one of the closest stars to our solar system may have two planets orbiting it. The star, Lalande 21185 in the constellation Ursa Major, located 8.1 light years from Earth; Why there are disagreements about the findings; Lalande 21185 to rank as as the closest star to Earth with planets if the findings are confirmed; How Gatewood drew his conclusions; Reported at the American Astronomical Society meeting in June 1996.