Author Daniel Down

Daniel Down

Recent articles by Daniel Down
A thin crescent Moon exhibiting Earthshine setting over ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile, 27 October 2011. Credit: ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org)

Earthshine used to discover life on Earth

The method paves the way for life to be detected on exoplanets

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The space rock is at the Natural History Museum

Rare meteorite could hold Mars clues

The sample of space rock is the largest Tissint fragment recovered
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Find may shed more light on nature of dark matter

Dark matter galaxy discovered

Find may shed more light on nature of dark matter

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Tragedy struck the Apollo programme early on – but vital lessons were learned

Remembering Apollo 1

Tragedy struck the Apollo programme early on – but vital lessons were learned

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New data made available to Planethunters volunteers

Kepler needs you!

New data made available to Planethunters volunteers

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New find suggests Earth-like planets may be commonplace in the Galaxy

Three smallest exoplanets yet discovered

New find suggests Earth-like planets may be commonplace in the Galaxy
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New survey reveals more about the distribution of the mysterious substance

Dark matter mapped in detail

New survey reveals more about the distribution of the mysterious substance
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Moon-mapping satellites nearly ready to go to work

Twin GRAIL craft reach lunar orbit

Moon-mapping satellites nearly ready to go to work
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NASA has a Xmas treat for us all…

Stunning new Cassini images of Saturn's moons

NASA has a Xmas treat for us all
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Believed to be remnants of gas giants consumed by red giant star earlier

Tiny exoplanets spotted orbiting dying star

Believed to be remnants of gas giants consumed by red giant star earlier
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But search for a true ‘Earth twin’ continues

Kepler finds first Earth-sized exoplanets

But search for a true ‘Earth twin’ continues
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'Sungrazer' comet to meet a fiery, Icarus-like death tonight

The end is near for Comet Lovejoy

'Sungrazer' comet to meet a fiery, Icarus-like death tonight
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NASA craft's stunning pics of Saturn's moon

Cassini returns new images of Dione

New images of Saturn's moon captured by Cassini spacecraft
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New rovers will make navigation decisions for themselves

Next-gen Mars rovers to become autonomous

Scientists collaborate on new rovers that will make navigation decisions for themselves
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Opportunity finds seam of water-deposited calcium sulphate

Further evidence of Mars's wet past

Opportunity finds seam of water-deposited calcium sulphate
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VLT telescopes offer clearer picture of transfer of matter

Secrets of the vampire star

VLT telescopes offer clearer picture of transfer of matter from one star in a double system to another
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Star could have been expelled from a binary system

Fastest-rotating star discovered by VLT

Very Large Telescope finds a star that's spinning round at over 2 million kilometres per hour
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But astronomers don't know what Kepler-22b is made of yet

First 'Goldilocks' Kepler planet confirmed

New planet is the first identified by Kepler in its star's 'Goldilocks' zone
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Comet discoverer David Levy's logbooks can now be seen online

Levy logbooks available online

The famous amateur astronomer and discoverer of comets makes 50 years' worth of observing notes available to the public
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