Astro-tourism in search of eclipses, meteor showers and dark skies elusive from Earth

Astro-tourism in search of eclipses, meteor showers and dark skies elusive from Earth

For years, small groups of astronomy enthusiasts have traveled the world in pursuit of the rare solar eclipse. They’ve embarked on mid-ocean cruises, taken flights in the path of eclipses, and even traveled to Antarctica. In August 2017, millions of people in the United States witnessed a total solar eclipse visible from Oregon to South … Read more

Unexpected chemical detectives: Surprise ALMA discovery aids search for protoplanets

Chemical tests of protoplanets

Located in the constellation Sagittarius, the young star HD 169142 hosts a giant protoplanet embedded in its dusty, gas-rich protoplanetary disk. This artist’s conception shows the Jupiter-like planet interacting with and heating nearby molecular gas, driving the observed outflows into several emission lines, including those from shock-tracing molecules such as SO and SiS, and the … Read more