TechInScience

Spinning around: the green arrows represent rotation speed in the stellar convection zone. Differential rotation is inferred from the oscillatory motions of the star seen as orange/blue shades on the right side of the figure. (Courtesy: MPI for Solar System Research/MarkGarlick.com) An international team of astronomers has observed latitude-varying rotation in the outer layers of 13 Sun-like stars and shown in great detail that the Sun is not alone in displaying this curious behaviour.  Othman Benomar  at New York University, Abu Dhabi and his colleagues made the discovery by measuring distinctive patterns of acoustic oscillations in the stars. Their discovery could help to advance our understanding of the elusive mechanisms which play out deep within the Sun and other stars. By observing the movements of sunspots across the Sun’s surface, astronomers have known for some time that our host star’s equator rotates 30% faster than its poles – a phenomenon known as “differential rotati

Launch Voyager 2 launched on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket. On September 5, Voyager 1 launched, also from Cape Canaveral aboard a Titan-Centaur rocket. Planetary Tour Between them, Voyager 1 and 2 explored all the giant planets of our outer solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; 48 of their moons; and the unique system of rings and magnetic fields those planets possess. Closest approach to Jupiter occurred on March 5, 1979 for Voyager 1; July 9, 1979 for Voyager 2. Closest approach to Saturn occurred on November 12, 1980 for Voyager 1; August 25, 1981 for Voyager 2. Closest approach to Uranus occurred on January 24, 1986 by Voyager 2. Closest approach to Neptune occurred on August 25, 1989 by Voyager 2. Most Distant Spacecraft T he Voyager spacecraft are the third and fourth human spacecraft to fly beyond all the planets in our solar system. Pioneers 10 and 11 preceded Voyager in outstripping the grav