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| XMM-Newton reveals light 'echo' around supermassive black hole |
| Astronomers studying the galaxy NGC 4151 with ESA's XMM-Newton space observatory have detected X-rays emitted and then reflected by ionised iron atoms very close to the supermassive black hole hosted at the galaxy's core. By measuring the time delays occurring in these 'reverberation' events, they were able to map the vicinity of this black hole in unprecedented detail. |
| Date: 31 May 2012 |
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| Forthcoming Announcement of Opportunity for Scientific Instrumentation onboard the JUICE spacecraft |
| The European Space Agency (ESA) intends to release in June 2012 an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) inviting the broad scientific community to propose instruments to be flown onboard the Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft. |
| Date: 30 May 2012 |
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| Rosetta flyby uncovers the complex history of asteroid Lutetia |
| The long and tumultuous history of asteroid (21) Lutetia is revealed by a comprehensive analysis of the data gathered by ESA's Rosetta spacecraft when it flew past this large main-belt asteroid on 10 July 2010. New studies have revealed the asteroid's surface morphology, composition and other properties in unprecedented detail. In particular, extensive studies of Lutetia's geological features have opened a unique window into the complex history of this peculiar object. |
| Date: 29 May 2012 |
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| Get ready for the transit of Venus! |
| Scientists and amateur astronomers around the world are preparing to observe the rare occurrence of Venus crossing the face of the Sun on 5-6 June, an event that will not be seen again for over a hundred years. |
| Date: 24 May 2012 |
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| Venus Express unearths new clues to the planet's geological history |
| ESA's Venus Express has been used to study the geology in a region near Venus' equator. Using near-infrared observations collected by the Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC), scientists have found evidence that the planet's rugged highlands are scattered with geochemically more evolved rocks, rather than the basaltic rocks of the volcanic plains. This finding is in agreement with previous studies, which used data from the spacecraft's Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) to map the planet's surface in the southern hemisphere. |
| Date: 16 May 2012 |
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| Hubble observes a dwarf galaxy with a bright nebula [heic1207] |
| The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has made detailed observations of the dwarf galaxy NGC 2366. While it lacks the elegant spiral arms of many larger galaxies, NGC 2366 is home to a bright, star-forming nebula and is close enough for astronomers to discern its individual stars.
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| Date: 10 May 2012 |
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| The most powerful black holes quenched their galaxy's star formation |
| A survey of galaxies performed with ESA's Herschel Space Observatory has shown that only the most powerful black holes in the early Universe were able to quench the formation of stars in their host galaxies. This finding is an important contribution to our understanding of one of the most hotly debated phases of galaxy evolution. |
| Date: 10 May 2012 |
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| Europe delivers first JWST instrument |
| The first instrument to be completed for the James Webb Space Telescope, MIRI, was handed over by the European consortium that built it to ESA at a ceremony held in London today, and will now be delivered to NASA aiming for launch in 2018. |
| Date: 09 May 2012 |
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| JUICE is Europe's next large science mission |
ESA PR 13 2012 Jupiter's icy moons are the focus of Europe's next large science mission, ESA announced today. |
| Date: 02 May 2012 |
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| Proposals invited for the PROBA-2 Guest Investigator Programme |
| The Royal Observatory of Belgium is soliciting proposals for analysis of data from PROBA-2's two solar observation instruments, SWAP and LYRA, under its Guest Investigator Programme. Proposals in response to this Third Call for Ideas are due by 15 June 2012. |
| Date: 01 May 2012 |
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