2021

GW Orionis' protoplanetary dsk

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An article published in the journal “Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society” reports a study on the triple system of GW Orionis, or simply GW Ori, which claims that there is at least one exoplanet, which would be the first known to orbit three stars. A team of researchers led by Jeremy Smallwood of the University of Nevada Las Vegas examined observations of the rings of GW Ori’s protoplanetary disk made with the ALMA radio telescope. The goal was to try to establish the cause of the presence of void within one of them and the conclusion is that one or more exoplanets have formed or are forming.

The Dragon cargo spacecraft departing the International Space Station to end its CRS-23 mission (Image NASA TV)

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A few hours ago, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ended its CRS-23 (Cargo Resupply Service 23) mission for NASA splashing down smoothly in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida. The Dragon left the International Space Station a few hours earlier. For SpaceX, this was the third mission of the second contract with NASA to transport resupplies to the Station with the new version of the Dragon cargo spacecraft, which splashes down near the East coast of the USA instead of the Pacific Ocean.

Artistic illustration comparing the sizes of Earth, TOI-1634b, and TOI-1685b

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An article published in “The Astronomical Journal” reports a study on two “bare” super-Earths, as they lack a primordial atmosphere. A team of researchers used the Subaru telescope and other instruments for a follow-up study of two candidate exoplanets discovered by NASA’s TESS space telescope and classified as TOI-1634b and TOI-1685b. Both candidates were confirmed and showed some characteristics in common since they’re super-Earths with orbits that are very close to their stars, both red dwarfs, with no primordial atmosphere. Their study will help to understand the evolution of the atmospheres of hot rocky planets.

The Great Red Spot with green circles indicating the areas where changes in wind speeds have been detected

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An article published in the journal “Geophysical Research Letters” reports a study on the changes that occurred in the winds present in the famous Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter. A team of researchers analyzed observations conducted with the Hubble Space Telescope between 2009 and 2020 to conclude that the winds in the outer zone of the Great Red Spot are accelerating. On the contrary, the winds near the innermost region of the colossal Jovian storm are slowing down.

Some of the galaxies in the Fornax Cluster seen by the DECam

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An image captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) shows some galaxies in the Fornax Cluster. The galaxies NGC 1399 and NGC 1404 are two of the brightest in the cluster and their gravity is bringing them closer to the point that there may already be interactions. The irregular dwarf galaxy NGC 1427A, in the left corner in the top image, is suffering even more from the cluster’s gravitational pull and is moving towards its core. According to astronomers, it will eventually be destroyed in the distant future millions of years.