Topic description and stories

First spaceflight for Gates Cambridge Scholar

17 Dec 2021

On 10th November Kayla Barron blasted off into space on her first trip to the International Space Station where she is part of a six-month science...

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First atmospheric study of Earth-sized exoplanets using Hubble telescope

20 Jul 2016

Two Earth-sized exoplanets have become the first rocky worlds to have their atmospheres studied using the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Galactic ‘vapour trails’ uncovered in giant cluster

20 Sep 2013

Astronomers have discovered enormous smooth shapes that look like vapour trails in a gigantic galaxy cluster. These ‘arms’ span half a million light...

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A composite image of the region around Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way. X-ray emission is shown in blue.

Our galaxy’s giant black hole rejects ‘food’ because it’s too ‘hot’

29 Aug 2013

Astronomers working with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have seen the giant black hole Sagittarius A* rejecting its ‘food’ of vast gas clouds as...

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Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 6217

Are we ready to meet ET?

05 Mar 2013

Once only science fiction, astronomers are now finding hundreds of planetary systems beyond our own. Given recent discoveries through space...

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Antarctic Ozone Hole

Whither the ozone hole?

16 Sep 2011

To mark the annual International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (Ozone Day), Dr Neil Harris, an expert on the atmospheric composition...

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