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‘Comet Galaxy’ Ripped Apart by Galaxy Cluster
Garching, Germany (March 2nd, 2007) The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with several other ground- and space-based telescopes including Keck, has captured a galaxy being ripped apart by a galaxy cluster’s gravitational field and harsh environment. The finding sheds light on the mysterious process by which gas-rich spiral-shaped galaxies might evolve into gas-poor irregular- […]
Read More >Earthquake Update from W. M. Keck Observatory
Kamuela (February 28th, 2007) The Observatory has returned to standard operating procedures after a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Hawaii October 15, 2006. The earthquake was the largest to hit Hawaii in 20 years. There were no injuries at W. M. Keck Observatory and no damage to the mirrors or optical systems […]
Read More >Large Survey Identifies Young Binaries To Test Models Of Star Formation
Seattle (January 10th, 2007) Results from the largest survey of its kind conducted at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii provide data to test theories describing how small, relatively cool, but numerous “M-class” stars are born and change over time. The results will help scientists understand how the most common type of stars in […]
Read More >First Planet-Forming Disk Found in the Environment of a Dying Star
Seattle (January 9th, 2007) Astronomers generally assume that the dusty disks where planets form are found around young stars in stellar nurseries. Now, for the first time, a protoplanetary disk has been found in the environment of a dying star. A team of astronomers is reporting today at the winter meeting of the American Astronomical […]
Read More >First Triple Quasar Discovered at W. M. Keck Observatory
Seattle (January 8th, 2007) Astronomers using the W. M. Keck Observatory have discovered a triple quasar. Quasars are powerful sources of electromagnetic energy, which includes radio waves and light. They are believed to be powered by supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies. While roughly 100,000 quasars and dozens of double quasars have been […]
Read More >Astronomers Discover Enormous Halo of Red Giant Stars Orbiting Andromeda
Seattle (January 7th, 2007) Astronomers have found an enormous halo of stars bound to the Andromeda galaxy and extending far beyond the swirling disk seen in images of the famous galaxy, our nearest large galactic neighbor. The discovery, reported at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, suggests that Andromeda is as much as five […]
Read More >Newfound Diversity in Gamma-Ray Bursts
Berkeley (December 20th, 2006) Two brilliant flashes of light from nearby galaxies are puzzling astronomers and could indicate that gamma-ray bursts, which signal the birth of a black hole, are more diverse than once thought. The two new gamma-ray bursts are of the long variety but, surprisingly, did not show any evidence of supernova activity. […]
Read More >NSF Awards $2 Million Grant to Improve Keck Interferometer
Kamuela (December 18th, 2006) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the W. M. Keck Observatory $2 million to improve the sensitivity and resolution of the Keck Interferometer. The improvements will enable the instrument to detect Jupiter-sized planets around other stars and test predictions of Einstein’s general theory of relativity in the chaotic core of […]
Read More >Images of Dwarf Planet Ceres
Pasadena, Calif. (October 11th, 2006) Although Ceres is the largest main-belt asteroid and was the first to be discovered (by G.Piazzi in 1801), its physical properties are still not well understood. While it is expected to have retained a large amount of primordial water ice in its interior, many questions about the composition of its […]
Read More >Keck Observatory’s Ben Berkey Named Volunteer of the Year
Hale Pohaku, Mauna Kea (September 23rd, 2006) The Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (VIS) annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet took place at Hale Pohaku on September 23, 2006. Forty-four volunteers joined in the celebration. Special awards were presented at the banquet. Keck Observatory employee Benjamin Berkey was named Volunteer of the Year with his amazing lifetime […]
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