Thursday, January 17, 2019

Jan 17 - Pole-Oriented Planet Disk

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Artist’s concept of a pole-oriented planet-forming disk, from the surface of one of its planets. The disk would appear as a broad band, rising almost perpendicularly from the planet's horizon. Image via University of Warwick/Mark Garlick.
Double star flips planet-forming disk into pole position
Our sun's planets orbit in a plane extending from the sun's equator. Astronomers have found a double-star system whose planet-forming disk has flipped up - perpendicular to what we'd expect - over the poles. What would nature be like on one of these worlds? Read more.
Giant streaks discovered in Venus' atmosphere 
New observations of Venus' atmosphere by the Japanese orbiter Akatsuki - combined with supercomputer simulations - have revealed giant symmetrical streaks never seen before. Read more.
Did life arrive on land earlier than thought?
New clues from fossils from the oldest soils on Earth suggest that multicellular, land-dwelling organisms might have emerged much earlier than we thought. Read more.

Fossil found in South Australia, dating to between 542 million to 635 million years ago, during a geologic period known as the Ediacaran. Image courtesy of Greg Retallack via University of Oregon.

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Moon near Aldebaran
Will you see the red star Aldebaran - Eye of the Bull in Taurus - in the moon's glare Thursday night? Read more.
white smudge on reddish background.
Video: 15 years of Mars images 
ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft began sending back images from its orbit around Mars in January 2004. Take 5 minutes to see some of the coolest images of the mission so far. The image above shows Mars’ south pole ice cap. Watch video.
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