* Astronomy

Title: The Anglo-Australian Planet Search XXV: A Candidate Massive Saturn Analogue Orbiting HD 30177 Author: Robert A. Wittenmyer, Jonathan Horner, M.W. Mengel, R.P. Butler, D.J. Wright, C.G. Tinney, B.D. Carter, H.R.A. Jones, G. Anglada-Escude, J. Bailey, Simon J. O'Toole We report the disc...

Title: PTF1 J082340.04+081936.5: A hot subdwarf B star with a low mass white dwarf companion in an 87 minute orbit Author: Thomas Kupfer (1), Jan van Roestel (2), Jared Brooks (3), Stephan Geier (4), Tom R. Marsh (5), Paul J. Groot (2), Steven Bloemen (2), Thomas A. Prince (1), Eric Bellm (1), Ulrich H...

Title: Discovery of XO-6b: a hot Jupiter transiting a fast rotating F5 star on an oblique orbit Author: N. Crouzet, P. R. McCullough, D. Long, P. Montanes Rodriguez, A. Lecavelier des Etangs, I. Ribas, V. Bourrier, G. Hébrard, F. Vilardell, M. Deleuil, E. Herrero, E. Garcia-Melendo, L. Akhenak, J....

Dome C is one of the most barren places in the world. As one visitor said: "Once you've seen the horizon, you've seen everything" . Looking at the vast white desert, like the ice world Hoth, it is hard to see what Dome C could possibly contribute to our never ending study of the universe...

ATel 9839: DAO spectroscopic classification of AT2016itb in anonymous

ATel 9838: ASASSN-16oq: Discovery of A Probable Supernova in AM 1228-353 NED02

For the first time, researchers at the University of Alberta have been able to put a name and a description to an ancient mammal that still defies classification. The findings, published recently in the Journal of Palaeontology provide the first and only comprehensive account of the creature, n...

Scientists declared they have found 600-million-year old fungi-algae symbiotic organism in marine fossils believed to be the ancestors of the earliest land-based lichens ever found, shedding light on the sea-to-land evolution of plant life. The scientists reports having discovered three...

Smallpox decision deferred again A decision on when to destroy the last known stocks of live smallpox virus has been put off for another three years. The World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to resume the discussion in 2014, following debate this week at its annual meeting. [url=http://www.bbc...

Scientists sweep stodgy stature from Saturn's C ring As a cosmic dust magnet, Saturns C ring gives away its youth. Once thought formed in an older, primordial era, the ring may be but a mere babe - less than 100 million years old, according to Cornell-led astronomers in a study to be published Jan. 1, 20...

The world's most valuable mailbox "At approximately [5:30 in the afternoon] on Monday, December 10, 1984, the skies were partly cloudy over southeast Georgia, U.S.A. and it was preparing to rain. In the late twilight sky, Vietnam veteran, Don Richardson, had just stepped out of his mobile ho...

The Bandong (LL6) meteorite fell in Jawa Barat, Indonesia, on the 10th December, 1871. A total mass of 11.5 kg was recovered. 6° 55'S, 107° 36'E

Two panel photomosaic of the Moon captured with a 100mm f5 Helios refractor and vesta pro webcam. Motorised EQ1 Mount.

The 1874 transit of Venus took place on 9 December. Read more Spoiler

The original sword of King Robert the Bruce was carried through Lamlash last Saturday by his direct descendant Lord Bruce of Kinloss to mark the 700th anniversary of Bruces journey from Rathlin Island to Arran. Lord Bruce lives in Fife and along with his three sons James, George and Benedict he was ta...