Tag Space and astronomy
Space telescope ‘a little like a time machine’
Assistant professor Michael Maseda was one of many who contributed to development of the James Webb Space Telescope. He looks forward to using the instrument to take “baby pictures of galaxies” — potentially looking as far back into the history of the universe as the Big Bang itself.
Scientists, undergraduates team up to protect astronauts from radiation
A research team will refine and test a novel idea for a traveling magnetic field strong enough to deflect harmful radiation from astronauts as they travel to Mars or set up bases around the moon.
Massive bubbles at center of Milky Way caused by supermassive black hole
The black hole origin of these huge bubbles rules out the possibility that the expansion of the material was driven by exploding stars, according to professor of astronomy and physics Ellen Zweibel.
UW-built instrument will enhance views of distant galaxies
A near-infrared spectrograph, which splits light into its individual colors to form a rainbow-like spectrum, will soon be shipped to South Africa from UW–Madison. Custom-built here by staff in the Washburn Astronomical Laboratories, it will expand the capabilities of the Southern African Large Telescope.
UW alum helped pack James Webb telescope for space travel
Wei-Di Cheng, a 1993 engineering graduate, analyzed mechanical ground systems to propose, design, fabricate, test and deliver ground systems to support spacecraft and payload integration.
Mysterious ‘blue lurker’ stars likely got a spin boost by absorbing their partners
The stars, discovered a few years ago, were spinning far too quickly given their age. Nicknamed “blue lurkers,” they hid for decades within clusters of other stars.
UW astronomer tracks galaxies’ “growth spurts” using the new James Webb Space Telescope
Using powerful telescopes and spectroscopy, Michael Maseda studies images of hundreds of galaxies, trying to answer some of the thorniest questions about how they began.
Magellanic Stream arcing over Milky Way may be five times closer than previously thought
The stars in the Magellanic Stream have eluded researchers for decades. But a new study suggests that they may have simply been looking in the wrong place.
Mission to Mars will memorialize exceptional UW engineering alum
Jim Willmore’s name, along with those of his team members, is inscribed on a small helicopter called Ingenuity being sent to Mars as part of NASA’s Mars 2020 Mission.