NASA Space Telescope Takes Its First X-Ray Photos of a Black Hole | NuSTAR NASA's newest space telescope has opened its X-ray eyes to take its first pictures of the high-energy universe, including a glimpse at a well-known black hole. The space observatory, called the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, launched June 13 on a mission to observe high-energy, short-wavelength X-ray light from some of the most dynamic objects in space, such as black holes and supernova remnants. The observatory extended a 33-foot (10 meters) mast on June 21 to separate its light-gathering optics from their focal point. The $165 million telescope took its first photos June 28, directing its gaze toward a nearby black hole that is eating up a neighboring giant star. The black hole, called Cygnus X-1 is extremely bright in X-rays. "Today, we obtained the first-ever focused images of the high-energy X-ray universe," said Fiona Harrison, the mission's principal investigator at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., in a statement. 0 of 9 questions complete
Science Codex | Science news, science articles, all day, every day Mars' Tyrrhena Terra --Proof of Ancient Water Systems The 621 mile-by-1,240 mile (1,000 by 2,000-kilometer) region of Tyrrhena Terra (outlined by the white box in the inset) sits between two regions of low altitude in Mars' southern hemisphere, as shown in this global topography map. Hydrated minerals were found in 175 locations associated with impact craters in Tyrrhena Terra. In a new study, ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter zoomed in on craters in on these ancient southern highlands to learn more about the history of water in this region. By studying rocks blasted out of impact craters, ESA’s Mars Express has found evidence that underground water persisted at depth for prolonged periods during the first billion years of the Red Planet’s existence. Focusing on the chemistry of rocks embedded in the crater walls, rims and central uplifts, as well as the surrounding exhumed material, scientists identified 175 sites bearing minerals formed in the presence of water. The Daily Galaxy via ESA Mars Express
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