Astronomy

Astronomers have spotted a space oddity in Earth’s neighbourhood - a dead star with some unusual characteristics. The object, known as a neutron star, was studied using space telescopes and ground-based observatories.

But this one, located in the constellation Ursa Minor, seems to lack some key characteristics found in other neutron stars. Details of the study, by a team of American and Canadian researchers, will appear in the Astrophysical Journal. If confirmed, it would be only the eighth known “isolated neutron star” - meaning a neutron star that does not have an associated supernova remnant, binary companion, or radio pulsations.

With the space shuttle program drawing to a close in 2010, there is no doubt Canada could be a key player in future space exploration. The question is, what course should the Canadian Space Agency chart in the coming years?

Earlier this month NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander took off with a Canadian designed meteorological station that will to track the weather and climate on the red planet.