Icy gas clouds found in deep space between stars are believed to be the birthplace of planets and solar systems. Scientists want to know what these clouds are made of, but so far, even the most powerful telescopes have not been able to provide a complete answer.
Mark Loeffler, associate professor in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science at Northern Arizona University, believes these clouds are rich in homonuclear molecules—molecules composed of… Read more
Two Northern Arizona University students have been named national Goldwater Scholars, making this the fourth year in a row NAU has been represented and the third year with multiple scholarship winners. This prestigious award provides scholarships to undergraduates who intend to pursue research in their chosen field of natural sciences, mathematics or engineering.
Third-year student Beau Prince, studying mathematics, physics and astronomy, and sophomore Breezy Brock, studying microbiology, were selected from 1,343 students… Read more
Along the adjacent hallway, students traversed through a scale model of the inner solar system, replicated with notecards hanging from the ceiling to show the distance between the planets. Erin Aadland, a doctoral candidate in NAU’s Astronomy and Planetary Science program who set up the model, said she was impressed by students’ knowledge of the solar system.
“It’s not all new information for them,” Aadland said. “I think they have a better understanding of the solar system than I ever… Read more
The United Arab Emirates used a novel approach to build the Hope spacecraft, which launches for the red planet this summer. [NAU’s Christopher Edwards is part of this team]
The Hope robotic probe in Colorado. The ruler of Dubai wanted to offer inspiration for youth in the wider Arab world. “That’s why he called the spacecraft Hope,” said Omran Sharaf, the mission’s project manager.Scientists at Northern Arizona University mapped frozen water hidden just below the surface of Mars, with the goal of finding the best spots for future astronauts to visit. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports.
Buried water ice influences the temperature of a planet’s surface. The team used heat-sensing instruments on two orbiting spacecraft to map fluctuations in temperature during different seasons on Mars. They crunched the data in… Read more
Scientists are creating ways to compile and interpret an abundance of high-resolution satellite images on a continental scale to better understand Antarctica, Arizona and the world.
The same sophisticated satellite imaging techniques being developed to map and identify the size and composition of uncharted land in Antarctica soon may help scientists produce finely detailed geologic maps of the Lower Colorado River Corridor and better understand its geologic history.
Mark… Read more