Universe Update

News from Morrison Planetarium and beyond

Latest News

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Fermi bubbles

A snapshot from the Digital Universe shows a representation of the Fermi bubbles emerging from our Milky Way galaxy. Lines show the view from Earth to distant quasars, used to determine that the Fermi bubbles formed millions of years ago during an outburst from the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole.

Of Bubbles and Black Holes
You may have heard the rumor—that a supermassive black hole lurks at the center of our galaxy? It's true.
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Two merging black holes

Simulation of light emitted by two merging supermassive black holes surrounded by nearly transparent gas. (Image courtesy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.)

Black Holes Near and Far
How do black holes form? And why do they always feel like the popular kids in school?
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AB Aurigae

Planets form in disks around young stars, and this image shows a face-on view of AB Aurigae, which shows a “twist” near the center where a planet is likely forming. The image was taken by the Very Large Telescope (VLT), operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

Thoughts from a Planetarian: Universe Update for May 2020
Join us on a journey through the Universe as we share recent news from the cosmos.

Latest News

A Stellar Smash Up Makes Waves—and What Else?

News Headline, Gravitational waves, gamma ray bursts, and reading between the lines.

The Life of Water on an Ultrahot Jupiter

Even water needs sunscreen when the stars are this close.

Radiation: An Obstacle for Life

We're well-protected from solar radiation. But what about life on other planets and moons? Could it survive?

Your Space Trash—My Space Treasure?

Could we use space debris to find technologically advanced life on other planets?

Small, Spinning Galaxies

Big surprises coming from little galaxies…

Can't Miss

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Asteroid Moons

What can moons orbiting asteroids tell us about the formation of our solar system?

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NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech
Looking for a Habitable Exoplanet

A San Francisco researcher is looking for life not so far away.

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ESA/Hubble & NASA Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt (geckzilla)
Two Comets, a Megamaser, and Goodbye to Vera Rubin

Ring in the New Year with a couple of comets and a megamaser. Plus, we remember astrophysicist Vera Rubin.

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V838 by the Hubble Space Telescope
A “New Star” Coming to a Sky Near You (Maybe)

Two distant stars may soon merge, creating a luminous red nova and possibly quite a show!

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Illustration Credit: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF; Hubble Legacy Archive, ESA, NASA
Clues to the Latest Cosmic Mystery

Astronomers are getting closer to solving the origins of Fast Radio Bursts, or FRBs.

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Vivien Parmentier/Aix-Marseille University (AMU)
The Life of Water on an Ultrahot Jupiter

Even water needs sunscreen when the stars are this close.

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Still from Incoming
Astro-Viz
NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team
Astronomy News
NPS photo by Brad Sutton
Looking Up