Maximum of solar activity in 2013 is expected to be the weakest

Maximum activity this year is likely to be the weakest in at least the last 100 years, according to NASA scientists observing the nearest star to the Earth every day.

The number of sunspots is low, despite the fact that the sun is close to the maximum of its 11-year activity cycle. Furthermore, the intensity of radio waves, usually pointing to the high solar activity, also significantly reduced.

The first direct detection sheds light on dark galaxies

Most people think of the giant galaxies as islands of stars, gas and dust that block our universe with its light. Theory, however, predicts that there are other types of galaxies, devoid of stars, and consisting mainly of dense gas. These "dark" galaxies you can not see on the black background of the universe.

Now an international team of astronomers has found a few bright galaxies, watching the glow of hydrogen these galaxies, UV-induced nearby quasar HE0109-3518.

Prepare Shock: Dangerous Mars

If ever people stay on Mars at least three years, they certainly have to survive the fall of a large meteorite hit and capacity of a megaton of TNT. 

One obvious way to assess the chances of a future encounter with a meteorite impact - to look at the past. However, this task is not so simple, because the density and size of craters, survived for a long time, depending on many factors.