A&A Press Release - Ultra-compact dwarf galaxies are bright star clusters
 © A&A
Based on the article “The specific frequencies of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies”,
by S. Mieske, M. Hilker, and I. Misgeld
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2012, vol. 537, A3
Astronomy & Astrophysics
is publishing a new statistical study of the so-called 'ultra-compact dwarf galaxies' (UCDs), which are still mysterious objects. A team of astronomers has investigated how many of these UCDs exist in nearby galaxy clusters and groups. They show that the properties of UCDs match those of bright star clusters. Read more »
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Space telescopes reveal secrets of turbulent black hole
© NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
Based on the articles:
Multiwavelength campaign on Mrk 509
- Paper I: "Variability and spectral energy distribution", by J. S. Kaastra et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A36
- Paper II: "Analysis of high-quality Reflection Grating Spectrometer spectra ", by J. S. Kaastra et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A37
- Paper III: "The 600 ks RGS spectrum: unravelling the inner region of an AGN", by R. G. Detmers et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A38
- Paper IV: "Optical-UV-X-ray variability and the nature of the soft X-ray excess", by M. Mehdipour et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A39
- Paper V: "Chandra-LETGS observation of the ionized absorber", by J. Ebrero et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A40
- Paper VI: "HST/COS observations of the far-ultraviolet spectrum", by G. A. Kriss et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A41
- Paper VII: "Relative abundances of the warm absorber", by K. C. Steenbrugge et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 534, A42
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A&A Press Release - When minor planets Ceres and Vesta rock the Earth into chaos
 © NASA/ESA
Based on the article “Strong chaos induced by close encounters with Ceres and Vesta”,
by J. Laskar, M. Gastineau, J.-B. Delisle, A. Farrès, and A. Fienga
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 532, L4
Astronomy & Astrophysics
is publishing a new study of the orbital evolution of minor planets Ceres and Vesta, a few days before the Dawn spacecraft enters Vesta's orbit. A team of astronomers found that close encounters among these bodies lead to strong chaotic behavior of their orbits, as well as of the Earth's eccentricity. This means, in particular, that the Earth's past orbit cannot be reconstructed beyond 60 million years. Read more »
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A&A Press Release - Discovery of a very massive, isolated star in a nearby galaxy
 © European Space Agency
Based on the article “The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey. III. A very massive star in apparent isolation from the massive cluster R136”,
by J. M. Bestenlehner et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 530, L14
Astronomy & Astrophysics
is publishing the discovery of a very massive, isolated star in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The star VFTS 682 is 150 times more massive than our Sun and seems to be isolated and not a member of any rich star cluster, which is surprising since very massive stars are thought to form in the dense core of clusters. Read more »
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A&A Press Release - New observations of the giant planet orbiting β Pictoris
 © Astronomy & Astrophysics
Based on “High angular resolution detection of β Pictoris b at 2.18μm”, by M. Bonnefoy et al.
Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2011, vol. 528, L15
Astronomy & Astrophysics
is publishing new observations of the giant planet around β Pictoris.
Discovered in 2009, this planet, called β Pictoris b, has now
been detected again with the NaCo instrument on the VLT. Astronomers
find that the planet is moving around the star.
They have also measured the mass and the effective temperature of
β Pic b. Read more »
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