Heavens

Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers at the University of Arizona have taken the first direct, time-resolved images of an exoplanet. Their results were published today in The Astrophysical Journal.

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have measured the rotation rate of an extreme exoplanet by observing the varied brightness in its atmosphere. This is the first measurement of the rotation of a massive exoplanet using direct imaging.

"The result is very exciting," said Daniel Apai of the University of Arizona in Tucson, leader of the Hubble investigation. "It gives us a unique technique to explore the atmospheres of exoplanets and to measure their rotation rates."

The Southern Indian Ocean's Tropical Cyclone Uriah is now past its peak and continues to weaken. Infrared satellite imagery from NASA revealed wind shear has already begun to take a toll on the storm. Wind shear began affecting Tropical Cyclone Uriah on February 17 as it reached its peak intensity. By February 18, increasing vertical wind shear's effect became more apparent.

Tropical Cyclone Winston made a U-turn in the Southern Pacific Ocean just north of Niue, and appears to be headed back toward Fiji.

On Feb. 18, the gale warning for Niue has been cancelled now that Winston has moved west. However, a tropical cyclone alert is in force for Fiji, specifically the Lau group, Taveuni, Lomaiviti group, eastern half of Viti Levu, Kadavu. In Tonga warnings remain in effect. A storm warning is in effect for Vava'u and a gale warning is in effect for Niuatoputapu, Ha'apai, Tongatapu and 'Eua.

Researchers have shown how a bizarrely shaped black hole could cause Einstein's general theory of relativity, a foundation of modern physics, to break down. However, such an object could only exist in a universe with five or more dimensions.

Tsukuba, Japan - Researchers have thus far been unable to comprehensively explain how various factors regulate the size of a population of regulatory T (Treg) immune cells, which influence other immune system components and affect inflammation. However, as recently reported in an article published online in Nature Immunology, a team of researchers based at the University of Tsukuba have now shown how beneficial bacteria in the gut can help Treg cells to proliferate, but that dying epithelial cells suppress this effect.

CITEC is funding this large-scale research project with 1.6 million Euro and it will run until 2017. During a project presentation the researchers showcased what their system is capable of. Using the example of a squat exercise, they presented the new technology, which will help not only athletes, but also physical rehabilitation patients learn movement exercises and correct their mistakes. In a new "research_TV" report from Bielefeld University, the coordinators of the project also explain how their new system works.

Imagine living on a world where, every 69 years, the sun disappears in a near-total eclipse that lasts for three and a half years.

That is just what happens in an unnamed binary star system nearly 10,000 light years from Earth. The newly discovered system, known only by its astronomical catalog number TYC 2505-672-1, sets a new record for both the longest duration stellar eclipse and the longest period between eclipses in a binary system.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A University of Louisville study published today in Health Affairs, found low-income Kentuckians without health insurance declined by 68 percent from 35 percent uninsured at the end of 2013 to 11 percent in late 2014. Completed prior to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin's announcement to dismantle the state's health exchange, kynect, the data supports trends of similar studies published nationally showing a drop in the number of uninsured Americans.

An international team composed of researchers from Finland, France, the United States and the Czech Republic originally set out to construct a state-of-the-art model of the NEO population that is needed for planning future asteroid surveys and spacecraft missions. The model describes the NEOs' orbit distribution and estimates the number of NEOs of different sizes.

Analyzing the data collected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Maxim Pshirkov (The Sternberg Astronomical Institute, MSU) discovered a new source that confirmed the fact that binary systems with strong colliding stellar winds comprise a separate new population of high-energy gamma-ray sources.His article was published in the latest issue of 'Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters':http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slv205

NASA's Terra satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Uriah early on Feb 17 when the storm was nearing peak intensity and showed a powerful storm with an eye wide open. Earlier, NASA's GPM core satellite found heavy rainfall occurring south of the intensifying storm's center.

NASA's Aqua satellite provided a visible picture of Tropical Cyclone Winston as it continued to intensify over the Southern Pacific Ocean and affect Tonga.

On Feb. 17 at 01:00 UTC (Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. EST) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Winston that showed an eye surrounded by powerful thunderstorms.

Jupiter, which has a mass more than twice that of all the planets combined, continues to fascinate researchers. The planet is characterized most often by its powerful jet streams and Great Red Spot (GRS), the biggest and longest-lasting known atmospheric vortex. Although still images provide some insight into the features of Jupiter's atmosphere, the atmosphere itself is unsteady and turbulent, and its features are time-dependent.

Payment-per-click is one of the most popular pricing models for online advertising, but the rate of click fraud is staggering. In 2014, marketers lost $11.6 billion in advertising because of fraudulent clicks.

Three UT Dallas researchers, along with a former PhD student, examined the process of identifying click fraud. In their study, published in the December issue of Information Systems Research, they proposed a way to support technological improvements.