Astronomy news

1. The Magellanic Clouds Might Once Have Been a Trio

   The Milky Way's two largest companion galaxies may have once been a threesome — but new data from the Gaia satellite leaves the satellites' history an open question.

   The post The Magellanic Clouds Might Once Have Been a Trio appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

2. 60-Second Astro News: TESS’s First Exoplanet, Asteroid Hides a Galaxy

   TESS finds its first exoplanet — a super-Earth around bright nearby star Pi Mensae — and astronomers watched an asteroid hide a galaxy to get the details on the asteroid's size, shape, and orbit.

   The post 60-Second Astro News: TESS’s First Exoplanet, Asteroid Hides a Galaxy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

3. Pattern in Milky Way’s Stars Suggests Recent Galactic Whack

   An unexpected pattern in the Milky Way's disk of stars points to a recent whack from another galaxy.

   The post Pattern in Milky Way’s Stars Suggests Recent Galactic Whack appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

4. Sunspot Solar Observatory Reopens After Mysterious Shutdown

   After a 10-day lockdown to cooperate with a criminal investigation, Sunspot Solar Observatory is back to looking at the Sun.

   The post Sunspot Solar Observatory Reopens After Mysterious Shutdown appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

5. Dawn Probes Role of Cryovolcanism on Ceres

   A recent analysis of data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveals the role of cryovolcanism past — and likely present — on the giant asteroid Ceres.

   The post Dawn Probes Role of Cryovolcanism on Ceres appeared first on Sky & Telescope.