The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) was conceived to honor the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei in 1609, and has evolved into an extensive series of worldwide programs. Sponsored by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and endorsed by the U.S. House of Representatives, UNESCO and the United Nations, IYA2009 aims to stimulate worldwide interest in astronomy and science, especially among young people and underserved populations. More than 135 countries and agencies are participating in this important global event. IYA2009’s purpose is about more than just celebrating astronomy’s achievements during a single year: its goal is to build sustainable astronomy education and outreach programs and partnerships that will continue on into the future. Full Story
A Super-Efficient Particle Accelerator
This image of data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope shows a part of the roughly circular supernova remnant known as RCW 86. This...
[More (30 Jun 09)]
This image of data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope shows a part of the roughly circular supernova remnant known as RCW 86. This...
[More (30 Jun 09)]
A real-time procedure was completed on May 18 to update the on-board
ephemeris. [more]
Take Chandra anywhere! Just download Chandra Podcasts to your portable MP3 player and go. Now playing: GRS 1915 in 60 Seconds 
Found in the Large Magellanic Cloud 160,000 light years away, 30 Doradus is a massive star forming region. Download Desktop. 
400 For The Telescope And 10 For Chandra
In 2009 we celebrate the International Year of Astronomy (IYA), a worldwide education and public outreach effort to honor the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo. A primary goal of IYA is to "expose as many people as possible to the wonders of astronomy."
Informing everyone about the nature of the universe was a goal that Galileo pursued at risk to his livelihood and his life. In his hands the telescope became the instrument of an intellectual revolution. His observations of the moon, his discovery of the moons of Jupiter, and the resolution of the Milky Way into "...a mass of innumerable stars ..." transformed people's view of their place in the grand scheme of things. Full Story
The nature of dark energy, the mysterious agent causing the expansion of the Universe to accelerate, is one of the biggest problems in science. To understand it better, astronomers are finding new ways to probe its effects on the Universe. The recent breakthrough by Alexey Vikhlinin and colleagues studies how dark energy slows down the evolution of large structures, resulting in arrested development of the Universe.
What exactly is different about today's Universe because of the presence of dark energy? Perhaps the most dramatic demonstration can be given by answering the following question: what would the Universe look like now if there had been no dark energy? Full Story
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Updated: February 10, 2009