The nucleus of a comet undone: Scientists monitor Hergenrother's breakup

http://phys.org/news/2012-11-nucleus-comet-undone-scientists-hergenrother.html

November 5, 2012 - phys.org

"Comet Hergenrother is splitting apart," said Rachel Stevenson, a post-doctoral fellow working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Using the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's Gemini North Telescope on top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, we have resolved that the nucleus of the comet has separated into at least four distinct pieces resulting in a large increase in dust material in its coma."
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Comet Breaks Apart Before Astronomers' Eyes

http://www.space.com/18364-comet-breakup-inner-solar-system.html

November 6, 2012 - space.com
A comet is falling apart on its trek through the inner solar system, and astronomers have a ringside seat for all the dramatic action.
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"Comet Hergenrother is splitting apart," Rachel Stevenson, a post-doctoral fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said in a statement. "Using the Gemini North Telescope on top of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, we have resolved that the nucleus of the comet has separated into at least four distinct pieces, resulting in a large increase in dust material in its coma."
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Polar Ring Galaxy NGC 660

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121110.html

November 10, 2012 - Astronomy Picture of the Day

Astronomers set up telescope timeshare

http://www.nature.com/news/astronomers-set-up-telescope-timeshare-1.11725

November 2, 2012 - Nature News
Following a landmark agreement to swap telescope time, Japanese astronomers will gain access to the southern skies, while astronomers with the Gemini consortium will get to use specialized instruments on Japan’s premier telescope.
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Gemini Observatory releases image of rare polar-ring galaxy

http://tinyurl.com/9vj6jdk

October  19, 2012 - Astronomy.com
Such galaxies display a ring of stars, dust, and gas extending tens of thousands of light-years along an orbit nearly perpendicular to the main disk, although scientists are unsure of their formation.
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Big Picture: Galactic smash-up

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20003649

October 19, 2012 - BBC News
This "polar ring galaxy" NGC 660 is a snapshot of a galactic punch-up of the grandest type. At the centre of the image, captured at the Gemini Observatory, is a type of spiral galaxy. The vast ring of stars and debris around it - 40,000 light-years across - came from another galaxy in a collision that astronomers can now begin to unpick.

Galaxy dance of death creates starburst shockwave

http://tinyurl.com/9yngd2l

October 19, 2012 - New Scientist
Meet a poor crazy mixed-up galaxy, NGC 660. It's a lenticular galaxy, meaning it's not a crowd-pleasing spiral or a shapeless blob elliptical, but essentially both. Visible in this image from a Gemini telescope on the mountain Mauna Kea, Hawaii, is a surrounding ring of gas, dust and stars, which is what's confusing astronomers.
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