Announced a new contender for the title of the second Earth

A new contender for the title of the second Earth entered the list of exoplanets that might harbor life on its surface. The new super-Earths Gliese 163c is on the inner edge habitable zone of the red dwarf Gliese 163 ( Gliese 163 ) and is likely to have liquid water on the surface.

Super-Earths defense of life is weaker than on Earth

Life may exist on the "super-Earths" with a small probability, than on the small-sized planets like the Earth, because they do not have a magnetic field and volcanic centers, necessary for life.

Media writing, based on the statement of the group planetologists Vlada Stamenkovic of the U.S. Massachusetts tehnoinstituta that the purpose of the study - the ability to find out, whether considered "super-Earths" enlarged copies of the earth with the same properties, or they are very fundamentally different from it.

NASA showed massive halo of hot gas surrounding our galaxy

In the U.S., NASA scientists have once again reminded people how big the universe - to show how small our Milky Way galaxy, if it is placed in the newly discovered halo - a cloud of hot gas that extends for hundreds of thousands of light years.

Opposition of Uranus in 2012

September 29, 2012 the seventh planet from the Sun - Uranus - come into opposition to the Sun. The moment of conflict - the best period of observation of the planet, the minimum distance from the Earth, and hence the appearance size of Uranus, the sky is greatest. Watch Uranus these days you can even to the naked eye as not bright stars on a clear dark country sky, in the absence of illumination from the moon. 

Russian astronomers have discovered brightest comet in 10 years

Russian amateur astronomer Artyom Novichonok and his matching part from Belarus Vitally Nevsky discovered comet, which may be the brightest in this decade, reports RIA "Novosti" with reference to the official report the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union.

U.S. weather satellite GOES-13 is out of order

U.S. satellite GOES-13, calculated for the collection of meteorological data and monitoring space weather has failed - on board the vehicle stopped working two main instruments: an infrared camera and a tool to measure the temperature of the atmosphere, reports RIA "Novosti" with reference to the U.S. administration Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

SAI starts traditional astronomical observations to the public

State Sternberg Astronomical Institute of the Moscow State University for conduct this week became the traditional evening astronomical observations.

"As one of the measures of Science Festival 2012, our institute conducts 24 to September 29 evening observations - and free to the public.