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| Vampires and collisions rejuvenate stars [heic0918] |
| Using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have uncovered two distinct kinds of "rejuvenated" stars in the globular cluster Messier 30. A new study shows that both stellar collisions and a process sometimes called vampirism are behind this cosmic "face lift". The scientists also uncover evidence that both sorts of blue stragglers were produced during a critical dynamical event (known as "core collapse") that occurred in Messier 30 a few thousand million years ago. |
| Date: 23 Dec 2009 |
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| Initial results from Herschel's science demonstration phase |
| Initial results from the Herschel science demonstration phase have been presented by and to the scientific community at a recent workshop. Both SPIRE and PACS instruments have been tested to their full capabilities and have passed the tests with flying colours. Initial science results include the first image of a previously hidden region of star formation, observations of one of the coldest objects in the Solar System, and new perspectives on the highly energetic processes in the environments of newborn stars. |
| Date: 21 Dec 2009 |
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| Cosmic Vision M-class missions - technical review reports |
| The technical review reports for the six medium-class (M-class) candidate missions in the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan are now available. The reports present the outcome of ESA's internal review of the six M-class candidate missions. |
| Date: 18 Dec 2009 |
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| ESA Member States give green light to ExoMars programme |
| The ESA Council has just given the go-ahead to proceed with the implementation of the ExoMars Programme. This decision paves the way for two Mars exploration missions in cooperation with NASA in 2016 and 2018. |
| Date: 17 Dec 2009 |
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| ESA Member States give green light to ExoMars programme |
The ESA Council has just given the go-ahead to proceed with the implementation of the ExoMars programme. This decision paves the way for two Mars exploration missions in cooperation with NASA in 2016 and 2018. |
| Date: 17 Dec 2009 |
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| Forthcoming ExoMars Orbiter AO |
| Announcement of Opportunity for ExoMars Orbiter instruments to be released in January 2010.
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| Date: 14 Dec 2009 |
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| Born in beauty: proplyds in the Orion Nebula [heic0917] |
| A collection of 30 never-before-released images of embryonic planetary systems in the Orion Nebula are the highlight of the longest single Hubble Space Telescope project ever dedicated to the topic of star and planet formation. Also known as proplyds, or protoplanetary discs, these modest blobs surrounding baby stars are shedding light on the mechanism behind planet formation. Only the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, with its high resolution and sensitivity, can take such detailed pictures of circumstellar discs at optical wavelengths. |
| Date: 14 Dec 2009 |
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| A decade of XMM-Newton |
| On 10 December 2009 XMM-Newton, the most powerful X-ray observatory ever launched, celebrates its 10th anniversary. In the past decade XMM-Newton has peered into some of the most energetic phenomena in the Cosmos, and has revolutionised our understanding of the hidden and violent Universe. |
| Date: 10 Dec 2009 |
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| XMM-Newton celebrates a golden decade of X-ray astrophysics |
| On 10 December 1999 Ariane 504 blasted off from Kourou in French Guiana carrying onboard the European Space Agency's flagship X-ray observatory, XMM-Newton. In the intervening decade this astronomical workhorse has played a significant role in revolutionizing the field of X-astronomy.
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| Date: 10 Dec 2009 |
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| Hubble's deepest view of Universe unveils never-before-seen galaxies [heic0916] |
| The new Wide Field Camera 3 aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has taken the deepest image yet of the Universe in near-infrared light. The faintest and reddest objects in the image are likely the oldest galaxies ever identified, having formed between only 600-900 million years after the Big Bang. |
| Date: 08 Dec 2009 |
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| Yearly reporting for all PRODEX countries (except Austria) |
| Every Project Responsible who has a PRODEX Experiment Arrangement running with the ESA/PRODEX Office covering (part of) the year 2009, should according to the rules of the PRODEX Programme and in line with the original task description of the contract, deliver a yearly report to the ESA/PRODEX Office. |
| Date: 03 Dec 2009 |
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| Details of M-class Cosmic Vision candidates now available |
| A series of formal presentations on the 6 medium-class candidate missions in the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan was made to a large gathering of Europe's scientific community on 1 December. This meeting marks the end of the assessment phase and the start of the down-selection process. The assessment study reports are now available. |
| Date: 02 Dec 2009 |
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| Blushing dusty nebula [heic0915] |
| A recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of part of NGC 7023, or the Iris Nebula, highlights a perfect dust laboratory in the sky. |
| Date: 01 Dec 2009 |
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| Herschel's splendid spectra |
| Herschel spectroscopy takes centre stage today as new spectra, obtained with the SPIRE, PACS and HIFI instruments during the performance verification phase, are released by ESA and the instrument teams. Taken together with earlier images the observatory is now on the way to demonstrating that the promised imaging and spectroscopic capabilities are being met. |
| Date: 27 Nov 2009 |
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| ESA's new SOHO science archive now online |
| Access to data from the ESA-NASA SOHO mission has just become easier with the launch of a new SOHO science archive with enhanced capabilities for searching and visualising the vast SOHO data archive. This is the first in a new generation of science archives under development at ESA's European Space Astronomy Centre. |
| Date: 23 Nov 2009 |
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| Herschel Science Demonstration Phase - Presentations of Initial Results |
| A Herschel workshop will be held on 17 to 18 December 2009 to present the initial results of the on-going Herschel science demonstration phase (SDP). The workshop will take stock of results achieved to date with the Herschel SDP observations. |
| Date: 18 Nov 2009 |
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| Baffling boxy bulge [heic0914] |
| The evolution of bulges in the centres of spiral galaxies puzzles astronomers. A recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4710 is part of a survey that has been conducted to learn more about the formation of bulges, which are a substantial component of most spiral galaxies. |
| Date: 18 Nov 2009 |
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| Magnetic moment testing of LISA Pathfinder flight-model units |
| Flight-model units for the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft are undergoing a series of tests to determine their magnetic characteristics. The purpose of the tests is to ensure that the stringent magnetic cleanliness requirements of the LISA Pathfinder mission will be met. |
| Date: 10 Nov 2009 |
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| Rosetta's observations during the third Earth swingby |
| Rosetta's third Earth swingby on 13 November 2009 provides an important opportunity to obtain calibration measurements for the science instruments and to perform science observations of both the Earth and the Moon from a unique vantage point. |
| Date: 10 Nov 2009 |
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| My Moon Campaign – competition for school students |
| My Moon Campaign is engaging students all around the world in the study of the Moon, using whatever means they have available to them, be it naked-eye observations, robotic telescopes, imagination or creativity. To enter the competition classes of school students can submit their entries as a report, an essay, present a project or anything that makes our natural satellite worthy of being called 'My Moon' by the students. The competition is open until 10 November 2009, so there is still time to submit your entry. If you are in need of some inspiration why not take a look at ESA's lunar mission, SMART-1. |
| Date: 04 Nov 2009 |
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