9
Jun 11

Dark Matter researchers in the dark

Source: University of Chicago

A dark-matter experiment deep in the Soudan mine of Minnesota now has detected a seasonal signal variation similar to one an Italian experiment has been reporting for more than a decade.

The new seasonal variation, recorded by the Coherent Germanium Neutrino Technology (CoGeNT) experiment, is exactly what theoreticians had predicted if dark matter turned out to be what physicists call Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). (read more)

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9
Jun 11

Rosetta comet probe enters hibernation in deep space

Source: ESA


Animation of a series of astronomical images that include Comet 67-P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
made by ESO telescope (first image) and by Rosetta's OSIRIS imaging system (all other images).
Credits: ESA 2011 MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

The final command placing ESA's Rosetta comet-chaser into deep-space hibernation was sent earlier today. With virtually all systems shut down, the probe will now coast for 31 months until waking up in 2014 for arrival at its comet destination. (read more)

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