Topic: Mauna Kea

Dwarf galaxies: breakthrough in bid to find 'fossils' of early universe

A team of astronomers reports that it has detected the most distant dwarf galaxy yet discovered orbiting an enormous elliptical galaxy some 10 billion light-years away.

Mystery of supernova birth points to white dwarfs

Scientists hit "rewind" to discover how white dwarfs play a role in the evolution of a supernova.

Strange red galaxies a 'missing link' in history of the universe?

The discovery of four ruby-red, dim galaxies at the farthest fringes of the universe could help scientists understand how the earliest galaxies evolved to become what we see today.

How are planets born? LkCa 15 could give scientists first-ever peek.

A newly discovered planet-candidate circling star LkCa 15 could provide astronomers with a first-ever look at a gas-giant planet as it grows. It could help prove or debunk current theories.

ALMA telescope poised to peer into hidden corners of the cosmos

The ALMA radio telescope array set to come on line this week will give astronomers an unprecedented look into areas of the universe obscured from other telescopes – from star nurseries in other galaxies to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Trojan asteroid discovered leading Earth's orbit

Trojan asteroid: NASA has discovered that Earth has an asteroid companion traveling just ahead of our planet as it orbits the sun. This so-called Trojan asteroid could serve as a stepping stone to celestial objects farther afield.

Why did Hawaii's Kilauea volcano shoot lava 80 feet into the air?

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano saw 'quite an exciting development' over the weekend: the lava lake at Pu'u 'O'o drained as fountaining lava burst out of new fissures on Kilauea's eastern flank.

Asteroid discovery record set last month, using Hawaii telescope

Asteroid discovery record of 19 objects in one night was set on Jan. 29. The asteroid discovery record was accomplished using a powerful telescope on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

Snow now in 49 states

Thanks to unusual weather patterns, there's snow on the ground in 49 out of 50 US states, including Hawaii.

Universe might hold three times more stars than previously thought

A new study suggests that a specific kind of galaxy might hold 10 times more red dwarf stars than estimated. That would triple projections for the number of stars in the observable universe, with implications for explanations of how stars and galaxies form and evolve.

Other Earths? A new estimate raises the odds of finding them.

Researchers predict finding many Earth-sized planets around sun-like stars, right in our own galaxy. But don't pack your bags just yet – you might not want to live on them.

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument named UN World Heritage site

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, an underwater preserve encompassing 140,000 square miles of ocean waters and 10 islands and atolls of the northwestern Hawaiian island, has been selected by UNESCO as a UN World Heritage Site.

Scientists discover that Jupiter moon smells terrible

A new study of some of the chemical compounds present on the Jupiter's moon, Io, finds that it really stinks.

Asteroid! Earth's largest digital camera scans for killer meteors

Asteroid: Earth's largest digital camera is a 1,400-megapixel marvel peering through a telescope in Hawaii. It is on the lookout for potentially dangerous space rocks.

NASA: Object that hurtled past Earth was space junk, not asteroid

A small object that buzzed our planet this month is likely a spent rocket stage, and not an asteroid, NASA officials said Thursday.

New telescopes could revolutionize astronomy, but at what price?

The case for adding new ground-based telescopes is compelling, astronomy experts say. But they cost $700 million to $1 billion apiece just to build.

Dark matter update: scientists say dark matter looks like cigars

Scientists say dark matter around many galaxy clusters is a flattened, cigar-like shape, rather than a rounded sphere.

Did asteroids bring water to Earth?

Water ice discovered on the surface of an asteroid orbiting the sun between Jupiter and Mars lends credibility to the theory that asteroids, not comets, brought water to Earth.

In distant planet's fluorescent glow, a new way to look for life

For the first time, astronomers detected the fluorescent signature of an exoplanet's atmosphere. Fluorescence can give scientists clues about processes that might make a planet habitable for life.

Scientists spot massive methane rainstorm over Titan

A rare storm system over Titan's tropics help explain the region's unique liquid-carved landscape.

Jupiter collision packed a huge wallop

The object that hit Jupiter last weekend released thousands of times more energy than the massive Tunguska blast in Siberia in 1908, say astronomers.

Volcano says aloha to world's largest telescope

Amateur astronomer finds a hole punched in Jupiter

Comet Lulin arrives tonight - break out your telescopes