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‘Ageless’ Silicon throughout Milky Way May Indicate a Well-Mixed Galaxy
As galaxies age, some of their basic chemical elements can also show signs of aging. This aging process can be seen as certain atoms “put on a little weight,” meaning they change into heavier isotopes — atoms with additional neutrons in their nuclei. Surprisingly, new surveys of the Milky Way with the National Science Foundation’s…
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Young Astronomer Shines at Astronomy Meeting
Cannan Huey-You, just 11 years old, impressed professional astronomers in January with his research on a massive intergalactic gas cloud. When astronomers and astrophysicists descended on Grapevine, Texas, this past January for the semiannual conference that many call the “Super Bowl of Astronomy,” they were joined by the meeting’s youngest participant ever. On Friday, 11-year-old…
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“…comet swarm, cloud of debris, or alien construction site”- Tabby’s Star Scrutinized by Green Bank Telescope
A fascinating article recently published by Astronomy Magazine, describes observations made using the Green Bank Telescope of a very quirky star known as Tabby’s Star (named after Tabetha Boyajian, the post-doc who studied its behavior). Tabby’s star dims substantially, at irregular intervals, setting it apart from other stars that harbor exoplanets. What could account for…
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Green Bank Observatory Inauguration
Four years after the National Science Foundation announced it would drop funding for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank effective Oct. 1, 2016, the Pocahontas County research center remains alive and well, and as of last week, proudly independent. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory sign at the entrance to the 60-year-old research center…
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The Atlantic: The Town Where High Tech Meets a 1950s Lifestyle