Project News

IRTF Archive at IRSA

IRSA • Project News • February 27th, 2018

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) Archive is now operational at IRSA. It is currently serving SpeX spectrograph data from the 2016B semester. IRTF is a 3.0m telescope optimized for IR observations, with 50% of the time reserved for studies of Solar System objects.

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China's Contribution to TMT's Primary Mirror

TMT • News Release • February 22nd, 2018

Until recently, eyeglass lenses were actually made of glass-remember the "Coke-bottle-bottoms" some people had to wear? Given the fragility and other quirky qualities of glass, you can imagine the delicacy with which the optician had to grind every lens blank to achieve exactly the right...

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TMT Observatory Software Infrastructure Progress

TMT • Engineering & Technology • February 15th, 2018

The year started at full speed for the TMT Observatory Software (OSW) team, who met in Pune, India with their colleagues from the India TMT Coordination Center (ITCC) and ThoughtWorks engineers to conduct their 3rd Common Software (CSW) sub-system inception meeting.

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Stressed Mirror Polishing

TMT • News Release • February 12th, 2018

“Wax on, wax off,” said Mr. Miyagi to "The Karate Kid" (1984), to help the kid develop efficiency of movement, attention to detail, and grace—while also polishing Mr. Miyagi’s classic car. What could this possibly have to do with TMT?

New Clues to TRAPPIST-1 Planet Compositions, Atmospheres

Spitzer • News Release • February 5th, 2018

In the year since NASA announced the seven Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, scientists have been working hard to better understand these enticing worlds just 40 light-years away. Thanks to data from a combination of space- and ground-based telescopes, we know more about TRAPPIST-1...

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Segment Support Assembly Production in the USA

TMT • News Release • February 1st, 2018

As I’ve explained elsewhere in this blog, segment support assemblies are what hold in place each of TMT’s primary mirror segments. They also let each segment be positioned in real time to provide the best possible imaging capability. Staff at the TMT Project Lab in Monrovia, California, are...

ESA releases new artist views of Euclid

Euclid • News Release • January 25th, 2018

ESA has released new artist views of Euclid, the space mission to probe the dark Universe. These new images contain details that reflect the progress in the mission implementation.

A ‘hot Jupiter’ with unusual winds

Spitzer • From Partners • January 22nd, 2018

The hottest point on a gaseous planet near a distant star isn’t where astrophysicists expected it to be – a discovery that challenges scientists’ understanding of the many planets of this type found in solar systems outside our own.

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At First Light: TMT’s Wide-Field Optical Spectrograph

TMT • News Release • January 16th, 2018

It’s been some time since my last blog entry because TMT has been keeping me rather busy. I’ll talk about some of the latest happenings in upcoming entries as soon as time permits. However, before letting any more time go by, I’d like to take a moment to highlight TMT’s WFOS system.

The journey continues

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) • Project News • January 11th, 2018

Again this year, more than 30 teachers, students and astronomy educators from the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) are attending the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), running from January 8 through January 12 in National Harbor, MD.

IRTF Archive at IRSA

IRSA • February 27th, 2018

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) Archive is now operational at IRSA. It is currently serving SpeX spectrograph data from the 2016B semester. IRTF is a 3.0m telescope...

China's Contribution to TMT's Primary Mirror

TMT • February 22nd, 2018

Until recently, eyeglass lenses were actually made of glass-remember the "Coke-bottle-bottoms" some people had to wear? Given the fragility and other quirky qualities of...

TMT Observatory Software Infrastructure Progress

TMT • February 15th, 2018

The year started at full speed for the TMT Observatory Software (OSW) team, who met in Pune, India with their colleagues from the India TMT Coordination Center (ITCC) and...

Stressed Mirror Polishing

TMT • February 12th, 2018

“Wax on, wax off,” said Mr. Miyagi to "The Karate Kid" (1984), to help the kid develop efficiency of movement, attention to detail, and grace—while also polishing Mr. Miyagi’s...

New Clues to TRAPPIST-1 Planet Compositions, Atmospheres

Spitzer • February 5th, 2018

In the year since NASA announced the seven Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, scientists have been working hard to better understand these enticing worlds just 40...

Segment Support Assembly Production in the USA

TMT • February 1st, 2018

As I’ve explained elsewhere in this blog, segment support assemblies are what hold in place each of TMT’s primary mirror segments. They also let each segment be positioned in...

ESA releases new artist views of Euclid

Euclid • January 25th, 2018

ESA has released new artist views of Euclid, the space mission to probe the dark Universe. These new images contain details that reflect the progress in the mission implementation.

A ‘hot Jupiter’ with unusual winds

Spitzer • January 22nd, 2018

The hottest point on a gaseous planet near a distant star isn’t where astrophysicists expected it to be – a discovery that challenges scientists’ understanding of the many...

At First Light: TMT’s Wide-Field Optical Spectrograph

TMT • January 16th, 2018

It’s been some time since my last blog entry because TMT has been keeping me rather busy. I’ll talk about some of the latest happenings in upcoming entries as soon as time...

The journey continues

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) • January 11th, 2018

Again this year, more than 30 teachers, students and astronomy educators from the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) are attending the winter meeting of the...