Physics and Astronomy News Archive: October 2010

Image: Spring Has Sprung ... On Titan

Spring Has Sprung ... On Titan

Source: NASA/JPL   Posted: 10/23/10

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent back dreamy raw images of Saturn's moon Titan that show the appearance of clouds around the moon's midsection. These bright clouds likely appeared because the moon is changing seasons and spring has arrived in Titan's northern hemisphere.

Image: Astronomers Find Weird, Warm Spot on an Exoplanet

Astronomers Find Weird, Warm Spot on an Exoplanet

Source: NASA/JPL   Posted: 10/23/10

Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal a distant planet with a warm spot in the wrong place.

Image: The Most Distant Galaxy Ever Measured

The Most Distant Galaxy Ever Measured

Source: ESO   Posted: 10/20/10

A European team of astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has measured the distance to the most remote galaxy so far.

Image: The Noise About Graphene

The Noise About Graphene

Source: LBL   Posted: 10/20/10

In last week’s announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences lauded graphene’s “exceptional properties that originate from the remarkable world of quantum physics.” So what's all the noise about?

Image: Growing Galaxies Gently

Growing Galaxies Gently

Source: ESO   Posted: 10/20/10

New observations for the first time, provided direct evidence that young galaxies can grow by sucking in the cool gas around them and using it as fuel for the formation of many new stars.

Image: Can fluid dynamics offer insights into quantum mechanics?

Can fluid dynamics offer insights into quantum mechanics?

Source: MIT   Posted: 10/20/10

Experiments in which fluid droplets mimic the odd behavior of subatomic particles recall an abandoned interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Image: Physicists break color barrier for sending, receiving photons.

Physicists break color barrier for sending, receiving photons.

Source: UOregon   Posted: 10/2/10

University of Oregon scientists have invented a method to change the color of single photons in a fiber optic cable.

Image: Hello, Saturn Summer Solstice: Cassini's New Chapter

Hello, Saturn Summer Solstice: Cassini's New Chapter

Source: JPL/NASA   Posted: 10/2/10

Turning a midsummer night's dream into reality, NASA's Cassini spacecraft begins its new mission extension -- the Cassini Solstice Mission.

Image: Habitable Exoplanet Discovered

Habitable Exoplanet Discovered

Source: NSF   Posted: 10/2/10

Newly discovered planet may be first truly habitable exoplanet. Discovery suggests our galaxy may be teeming with potentially habitable planets.

Image: A step closer to Big Bang conditions?

A step closer to Big Bang conditions?

Source: MIT   Posted: 10/2/10

More study is needed to confirm the latest findings from the Large Hadron Collider, reported by CERN physicists last week.