March 8, 2008 - ScienceNews Online
Thanks to a lucky break and an overactive galaxy, astronomers have for the first time caught a massive star in the act of exploding. An X-ray outburst recently recorded by NASA's Swift satellite suggests that researchers began viewing the violent demise of a star in the galaxy NGC 2770 just a few seconds after the first X rays arrived at Earth, and hours before the first visible-light fireworks.
...
On Jan. 9, Soderberg and her colleagues were using an X-ray telescope on Swift to study a supernova in NGC 2770 that had been discovered 10 days earlier. Just as Swift began observations of this supernova, it recorded a fresh spike of X rays from another region in the galaxy that lasted for about 7 minutes. On Jan. 11, using the Gemini North telescope on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, Soderberg and her colleagues identified the visible-light fingerprint of the new supernova, now dubbed SN 2008d, in NGC 2770.
...
Friday, March 7, 2008
UK scientists keep access to the Gemini telescopes
March 5, 2008 - Nature News
Britain has reached an agreement that will allow UK astronomers continued access to the Gemini Observatory.
...
Britain has reached an agreement that will allow UK astronomers continued access to the Gemini Observatory.
...
Friday, February 29, 2008
UK astronomers on 'rollercoaster'
February 27, 2008 - BBC News
Britain has been re-instated as a full member of the Gemini Observatory, meaning its astronomers can continue to use two of the world's best telescopes.
(Click the title for more...)
Britain has been re-instated as a full member of the Gemini Observatory, meaning its astronomers can continue to use two of the world's best telescopes.
(Click the title for more...)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
UK Restores Gemini Commitment
Sky & Telescope - February 15, 2008
British professional astronomers are no doubt relieved to learn that the United Kingdom's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has forestalled ending ties with Gemini Observatory, a pair of identical 8-meter optical/infrared telescopes in Chile and Hawaii.
...
British professional astronomers are no doubt relieved to learn that the United Kingdom's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has forestalled ending ties with Gemini Observatory, a pair of identical 8-meter optical/infrared telescopes in Chile and Hawaii.
...
Prospects look up for UK astronomers
New Scientist - February 12, 2008
Finally, there's some good news for UK astronomers, who have been reeling from recent budget cuts that had threatened to cut off their access to the twin 8-metre Gemini telescopes in Chile and Hawaii. Now, the UK will be allowed to use the telescopes until at least July – and may be able to negotiate access after that, according to a BBC news story.
...
Finally, there's some good news for UK astronomers, who have been reeling from recent budget cuts that had threatened to cut off their access to the twin 8-metre Gemini telescopes in Chile and Hawaii. Now, the UK will be allowed to use the telescopes until at least July – and may be able to negotiate access after that, according to a BBC news story.
...
Astronomers given Gemini reprieve
BBC News - February 12, 2008
British astronomers have been given a temporary reprieve over their access to two of the world's finest telescopes.
...
British astronomers have been given a temporary reprieve over their access to two of the world's finest telescopes.
...
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Double Supernova Remnants DEM L316
Astronomy Picture of the Day - Jan. 28, 2008
Are these two supernova shells related? To help find out, the 8-meter Gemini Telescope located high atop a mountain in Chile was pointed at the unusual, huge, double-lobed cloud dubbed DEM L316. The resulting image, shown above, yields tremendous detail.
...