LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a new lineup of adoptable dogs this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian Shepherd, boxer, Chihuahua, English Bulldog, husky, pit bull, Shih Tzu and terrier.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua has a short brown and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 11, ID No. 13119.

Female pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier has a short blue and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. 13067.

Female pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier has a short black and white coat.

She has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 19, ID No. 13085.

‘Scrappy’

“Scrappy” is a male husky with a medium-length black and white coat and blue eyes.

He’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 13076.

'Honey'

“Honey” is a female Labrador Retriever-chow chow mix with a short black coat.

She has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13146.

Male Shih Tzu

This male Shih Tzu has a curly tan and white coat.

He’s in kennel No. 24, ID No. 13094.

‘Pudge’

“Pudge” is a male terrier with a short brown coat.

He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13068.

Female boxer

This female boxer has a short white coat.

She is in kennel No. 29, ID No. 13048.

'Bruiser'

“Bruiser” is a male boxer with a short brindle and white coat.

Shelter staff said he is great with other dogs and kids, and loves to play ball.

He has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 20, ID No. 13034.

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua has a short brindle coat.

He is in kennel No. 33, ID No. 13018.

Female pit bull

This female pit bull has a short gray coat.

She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. 13092.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

October marks the 10th anniversary of California’s “move over” law expanding to include Caltrans vehicles.

Caltrans wants this milestone to serve as a reminder of just how important it is for motorists to follow motor vehicle safety laws.

California’s “move over” law requires all drivers to move over a lane or, if they are unable to do that safely, slow down when they see amber flashing lights on Caltrans vehicles, law enforcement and emergency vehicles, and tow trucks.

“Every year, highway workers, law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, and tow truck drivers are killed or injured along California’s roadways,” said acting Caltrans Director Bob Franzoia. “Californians can help keep workers safe by slowing down in work zones, complying with the ‘move over’ law and always being work zone alert.”

Although all 50 states have enacted move over laws, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 71 percent of Americans have not heard of them.

In California, failure to obey the move over law can result in fines up $1,000, plus points on your driving record.

To increase awareness of this life-saving law, Caltrans has partnered with the California Highway Patrol and Office of Traffic Safety to launch the “Move Over” campaign.

It is part of the department’s larger “Be Work Zone Alert” highway safety campaign, which includes public service announcements, billboards, radio, television and social media.

“It only takes a split second of inattention to destroy lives at a work zone,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Motorists must give all workers a safe place along the side of California’s roads.”

Crews working on shoulders or closed lanes work just inches from moving traffic, so giving them some extra space helps keep everyone safe and traffic flowing.

Inattentive driving, following too closely and speeding are the top three causes of work zone crashes – and all are preventable if travelers slow down, move over and pay attention in and near work zones.

“From maintaining roads to helping crash victims to fixing a flat, highway workers go above and beyond to make sure the rest of us get where we want to go safely,” Office of Traffic Safety Director Barbara Rooney said. “They also have families they go home to, so please look out for workers and keep a safe distance when you see them.”

“Tow operators are some of the hardest working people on the planet. They are out on the roads every hour of every day, protecting the motoring public. Raising awareness of move over laws is the least we can do for our fallen brothers and sisters, and hopefully our message will make an impact," said California Tow Truck Association President Quinn Piening.

Access more information about the campaign at http://beworkzonealert.com/move-over.html .

As NASA prepares to return to the moon, one of the many exciting opportunities scientists are preparing for is the ability to use the water that exists there to support human exploration.

The presence of water has been a relatively recent discovery, opening up many exciting possibilities for future exploration and just as many questions about that water’s origins.

In the late 90s, NASA’s Lunar Prospector mission found extra hydrogen at the poles, and where there’s hydrogen, there might be water.

Enter the LCROSS mission, designed to determine the type and amount of hydrogen that might be present just below the moon’s polar regions.

Tony Colaprete, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, was the principal investigator for the LCROSS mission.

“To determine the form of hydrogen at the poles, we needed a way to access material below the Moon’s surface. So we carried a piece of the Atlas rocket we launched on all the way to the Moon and directed it into one of the large permanently shadowed craters near the south pole, which caused a plume of dust and debris to shoot upwards,” Colaprete explained.

“We had a probe with nine different measuring instruments, following the plume’s 10 mile (16 km) upward trajectory. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft was also making observations of the plume while mapping the lunar surface from its orbit around the Moon. The lunar dirt in the plume hadn’t seen the Sun in over 2 billion years. In the sunlight, among other metals and gases, we found water - about 5 percent by weight,” he said.

“Now, we know there’s water on the Moon,” said research scientist Jen Heldmann, also at Ames.

She explained why the discovery is much more than just a scientific curiosity.

“Ultimately, I believe we’ll be living on the moon for extended periods of time, so we need to take advantage of whatever resources we can find there. Water is H2O; a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. And we can break it apart. So now we have a source of hydrogen and oxygen that may be able to be used for rocket fuel, as well as a source of oxygen for breathing. Water on the moon gives you a new paradigm for future space exploration. Very exciting. “

In the 10 years since the LCROSS mission, we have continued to study water at the lunar poles from orbit with instruments on several missions. But we still have lots of questions.

Where, for instance, did the water come from? Some believe that the water and other volatiles could be the remnants of comet impacts from long ago.

Others point to recent meteorite showers that can be seen producing vapor - are they continuing to replenish the moon’s water?

And where exactly is the water? We’ve confirmed it exists in Cabeus crater near the moon’s south pole where LCROSS impacted. But how plentiful is it? And can we expect to find it in other super cold regions?

Colaprete said, “We won’t be able to answer any of these questions with certainty until we visit the south pole with robots and astronauts.”

Through the Artemis program, NASA is planning to do just that.

Thirsting for more information about the changing science of the moon? Visit http://science.nasa.gov.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters gained ground on the Kincade fire on Saturday but concerns about the impacts of an incoming weather system led to many more Sonoma County residents finding themselves under evacuation orders or urged to prepare to leave.

During the course of the day Saturday, the Kincade fire, burning since Wednesday night, grew only 500 acres; the evening Cal Fire report on the fire said it was up to 25,955 acres, with containment up slightly to 11 percent.

Cal Fire said that so far 77 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the fire, while 14 are damaged. Another 23,500 are threatened by the blaze.

A massive firefighting force including approximately 2,830 firefighters and 251 engines are assigned to the incident. On Saturday, Cal Fire extended its estimate for the time of full containment to Nov. 7.

The acreage itself didn't grow significantly Saturday thanks to aggressive efforts by firefighters on the ground and air resources, including federal tankers that criss-crossed the state throughout the day to make retardant drops in the fire's remote and rugged footprint.

Even so, as firefighters made progress, the number of evacuations ballooned on Saturday as officials looked at an incoming weather system that they fear could cause the fire to spread into many Sonoma County communities.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning that went into effect at 8 p.m. Saturday due to forecast winds from the northeast of between 25 and 40 miles per hour, with gusts between 70 and 80 miles per hour.

Concerns about those winds and their impact on the fire behavior, coupled with the impending public safety power shutoff from Pacific Gas and Electric, led to calls for widespread evacuations, officials said.

Healdsburg and Windsor residents were ordered to evacuate on Saturday morning, with Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick asking them to be out of the area by 4 p.m., ahead of the shutoff and nightfall.

Then, on Saturday evening, tens of thousands more Sonoma County residents were ordered to leave their homes when authorities issued mandatory evacuations for all areas west of Sebastopol, north of Bodega Highway, and south of Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road, including Bodega Bay, Dry Creek Valley, Fulton, Forestville, Guerneville, Jenner, the Mark West/Larkfield area and Occidental.

Later in the night, Cal Fire reported that an evacuation warning was issued for the city of Santa Rosa, including all areas East of the western city limit, north of Guerneville Road, Steele Lane, Lewis Road and Chanate Road, to Montecito Avenue to Montecito Boulevard to Calistoga Road, north to the city limit.

A number of Lake County law enforcement agencies responded on Saturday to offer mutual aid in Sonoma County where increased law enforcement patrols are in effect in the large evacuation area, according to Essick.

In Lake County, Sheriff Brian Martin said Saturday that evacuation warnings remained in effect for Cobb Mountain and a number of surrounding communities.

Martin said the fire had moved into Lake County on Friday but was still a couple of miles away from south county communities.

Out of an abundance of caution Martin issued the warning, asking people to be prepared in the case that a mandatory evacuation becomes necessary.

The forecast winds are expected to push the fire away from Lake County and back toward the Sonoma County communities where evacuations have been expanded.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Pacific Gas and Electric said Saturday afternoon that it has pushed back some anticipated start times for the public safety power shutoff and will be opening additional community resource centers in Lake County.

The time change impacts Lake County, which was expected to lose power around 4 p.m. Saturday.

PG&E said that estimated time has now been pushed back to around 8 p.m., although residents are urged to expect a margin of error of between one and two hours.

PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras said they’re working to offer as much information as possible in the midst of a dynamic situation.

She said the company’s meteorological team is running forecast models hourly.

The goal, she said, is to minimize the impacts on customers and narrow the scope as much as possible.

“We just want everyone to be prepared,” she said.

As of 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Contreras said no power had been shut off.

The updated phases for the shutoff are as follows.

– 4 p.m. Saturday: Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, Sierra, Shasta, Tehama, Yuba.

– 5 p.m., Saturday: Colusa, Marin, Mendocino (south), Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo.

– 8 p.m. Saturday: Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino (north), Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Trinity.

– 12 a.m. Sunday: Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne.

– 9 p.m.: Sunday: Kern.

PG&E also announced that a total of four community resource centers will be open during the shutoff:

– Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake.

– Konocti Vista Casino, 2755 Mission Rancheria Road, Lakeport.

– Twin Pine Casino & Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.

– Upper Lake Unified School District, 725 Old Lucerne Road, Upper Lake.

The centers will provide water, phone charging stations, air-conditioned seating for up to 100 people and restrooms from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the shutoff.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said late Saturday morning that it is moving forward with a public safety power shutoff that will impact a majority of California’s counties.

The company said it is implementing the shutoff as a safety measure ahead of what is being called a historic wind event that’s forecast to bring dry, hot and windy weather to the region starting Saturday between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and continuing through midday Monday.

The number of customers to be impacted by the outage increased on Saturday by 90,000 to a total of 940,000 customer accounts in portions of 36 counties, PG&E said.

The power will be turned off to communities in stages, depending on local timing of the severe wind conditions.

The outage will cover all of Lake County, impacting 37,441 customers, including 2,170 medical baseline customers.

Lake County’s power is expected to go around 4 p.m., as part of the second phase of the shutoff, PG&E said.

However, Sheriff Brian Martin urged people to be ready to have their power turned off up to an hour and a half ahead of the announced time.

PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras separately confirmed to Lake County News that power could go off earlier.

The shutoff will occur in six phases. Times may change depending on weather.

– Phase one, about 2 p.m. Saturday: Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, Sierra, Siskiyou, Shasta, Tehama and Yuba.

– Phase two, about 4 p.m. Saturday: Lake, Marin, Mendocino (south), Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo.

– Phase three, about 5 p.m. Saturday: Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Stanislaus.

– Phase four, about 5 p.m. Saturday: Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne.

– Phase five, about 5 p.m. Saturday: Humboldt, Mendocino (north) and Trinity.

– Phase six, about 10 a.m. Sunday: Kern County.

Sheriff Martin said Saturday that the forecast weather event is expected to be shorter than anticipated, with the all-clear anticipated on Monday morning, rather than Monday evening.

At that point, PG&E said it will begin inspections in order to restore power.

There will be three community resource centers in Lake County available to provide water, phone charging stations, air-conditioned seating for up to 100 people and restrooms.

PG&E said Konocti Vista Casino, 2755 Mission Rancheria Road in Lakeport, and Twin Pine Casino & Hotel, 22223 Highway 29 in Middletown, will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the outage.

Separately, Clearlake Mayor Russ Cremer said the Clearlake Senior/Community Center will be open and available to residents as a community resource center beginning on Sunday morning. It’s located at 3245 Bowers Ave. Clearlake.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Officials on Saturday morning issued new evacuation warnings and orders in anticipation of further growth on the Kincade fire.

The fire began Wednesday night in The Geysers in northern Sonoma County and as of Saturday morning had burned 25,455 acres, with containment up to 10 percent. The structure loss count remains at 49.

Thousands of structures are now threatened by the fire. On Saturday morning, the number of threatened structures had jumped to 23,500 form 700 the night before.

Authorities on Saturday issued new evacuations orders for the areas of Highway 128 north Knights Valley Area to the Napa County line and the Highway 101 corridor from Geyserville south through the town of Windsor, including the entire city of Healdsburg and the town of Windsor and all areas East to Chalk Hill Road area.

New evacuation warnings were issued for the Dry Creek Valley west to Forestville and Larkfield and Mark West Drainage, according to Cal Fire.

The area east of Highway 128 from Geysers Road north to the community of Geyserville remains evacuated, Cal Fire said.

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said Saturday morning that the new orders call for the evacuation of 50,000 people.

“We are evacuating because this fire is very dangerous and it is expected to move towards Healdsburg and Windsor this evening,” he said.

Essick said they want the communities evacuated no later than 4 p.m. Saturday, ahead of a possible public safety power shutoff.

On Friday night, the fire’s entry into Lake County near the community of Cobb led to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issuing an evacuation warning for Cobb Mountain and the surrounding communities of Adams Springs, Hobergs, Cobb, Whispering Pines, Gifford Springs and Anderson Springs, and those residents living on Ford Flat Road and Socrates Mine Road, as Lake County News has reported.

“We’re going to go ahead and keep those warning notifications in place for the rest of the day,” Sheriff Brian Martin said Saturday morning.

He said firefighters had some success working on the fire overnight and that it doesn’t pose an immediate nature to homes on Cobb Mountain.

However, Martin said he wants everyone to be prepared in case they need to evacuate people.

At the same time, authorities are monitoring a wind event expected to arrive on Saturday night that is prompting Pacific Gas and Electric to start a public safety power shutoff across the region on Saturday afternoon.

Martin said the predictions are that the incoming winds will push the fire away from Lake County.

The National Weather Service is reporting that the wind direction will be from the northeast and will push the fire in a southwesterly direction, toward the Highway 101 corridor.

Cal Fire has increased the resources on the fire. It reported Saturday morning that personnel and equipment committed to the incident included 179 engines, 24 water tenders, 10 helicopters, 53 hand crews, 24 dozers and 2,090 firefighters.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A man police sought for a Wednesday morning robbery in downtown Lakeport has been arrested.

The Lakeport Police Department said its officers located and arrested 24-year-old Alexander Gene Gard.

On Thursday, police had reached out to the community for help in locating Gard, who had tried to steal more than $100 in merchandise from Campos Casuals.

A store employee had tried to stop Gard and in the ensuing struggle the employee suffered minor injuries, police said.

Police said Gard had left the stolen items behind following the struggle and then fled on foot through downtown, ultimately escaping.

Officers were able to identify Gard after speaking with witnesses.

After asking for the community’s assistance, the police department said numerous members of the public provided information as to Gard's whereabouts.

As a result, at 11:30 a.m. Friday officers located Gard in the city and arrested him.

He was booked into the Lake County Jail on a felony probation violation and a felony charges of second degree robbery. He’s being held without bail because of the probation violation, according to his booking sheet.

Gard is due to appear for arraignment in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday, based on jail records.

The Lakeport Police Department thanked all of the members of the public who provided information that led to Gard’s arrest.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – California State Public Health Officer and Director Dr. Sonia Angell is urging residents in areas where wildfires are burning to stay indoors and reduce outdoor activity to avoid the inhalation of smoke.

“Breathing smoke can irritate eyes and lungs, and aggravate serious health conditions such as asthma, and lung and heart problems,” said Dr. Angell. “Californians, especially children, older adults, and women who are pregnant, should reduce outdoor activity and stay indoors if possible.”

Residents should monitor children and check-in on others who may be more susceptible to the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Seek immediate medical care if someone is experiencing chest pain, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.

The following tips can help Californians reduce smoke inhalation during wildfires:

Stay indoors: Stay inside with the doors and windows closed to reduce exposure to smoky air. If you have power, run an air conditioner if you have one. If the air conditioner has a recirculate option, use it. Smoke levels can change during the course of a day, so try to stay indoors during smokier times.

Reduce activity: Reduce physical activity to reduce inhalation of smoky air. During exercise, people can increase their air intake as much as 20 times from their resting level.

Be prepared: Monitor wildfire activity in your area and be prepared to evacuate if advised.

For information on air quality in your area and how to protect your health during wildfires, please visit the CDPH website.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a big new group of dogs waiting for homes this week.

The kennels also have many dogs that need to be reunited with their owners. To find the lost/found pet section, click here.

The following dogs are ready for adoption. They include mixes of American Staffordshire Terrier, husky and shepherd.

‘Balto’

“Balto” is a male husky mix with a short black and brown coat.

He already has been neutered.

He is No. 2739.

‘Blue’

“Blue” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

He has a short blue and white coat and has been neutered.

He is dog No. 2420.

‘Bones’

“Bones” is a male hound mix.

He is dog No. 3038.

‘Charlotte’

“Charlotte” is a female Akita mix.

She is dog No. 3040.

‘King’

“King” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a short brindle coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 3034.

‘Ollie’

“Ollie” is a male terrier puppy with a tricolor coat.

He is dog No. 2951.

‘Spice’

“Spice” is a female pug mix with a short tan and black coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 3033.

‘Teena’

“Teena” is a female terrier.

She is dog No. 3025.

‘Tyson’

“Tyson” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier mix.

He has a short gray and white coat.

He has been neutered.

Tyson is dog No. 1863.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation area noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Whether it is two-wheeled transportation or hitting the road by foot, safety is a two-way street.

To help fund the California Highway Patrol’s yearlong effort to drive the message home, the department was awarded the California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Enforcement and Education Project VII grant, which began Oct. 1 and enables officers to conduct enhanced-enforcement patrols and public awareness campaigns.

“Pedestrian and bicyclist safety are a priority for the CHP,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “This grant provides us additional resources to enhance the safety of the most vulnerable roadway users.”

Pedestrian and bicycle fatalities account for nearly 28 percent of all traffic-related deaths in California.

Approximately one-half of all pedestrian crashes in the state occur at a crosswalk. The CHP reminds motorists that every corner is a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked.

On Oct. 2, National Walk to School Day, the CHP focused on locations with high numbers of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes.

Officers in plain clothes worked with uniformed officers to monitor crosswalks for motorists and pedestrians who failed to yield the right-of-way or who took unsafe and illegal actions.

School zone enforcement operations will take place throughout the year. To improve pedestrian safety in school bus zones, officers will ride school buses to watch for drivers who fail to stop for flashing red lights. When they spot a driver who has not stopped, they will relay the vehicle description to an officer in the vicinity.

The educational component funds traffic safety rodeos and educational presentations related to safe and courteous traffic safety behavior.

The grant also supports safety publications, bicycle helmets, reflective gear and other safety equipment.

Funding for this program was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A dramatic glimpse of the aftermath of a collision between two exoplanets is giving scientists a view at what can happen when planets crash into each other.

A similar event in our own solar system may have formed our Moon.

Known as BD +20 307, this double-star system is more than 300 light years from Earth with stars that are at least one billion years old. Yet this mature system has shown signs of swirling dusty debris that is not cold, as would be expected around stars of this age. Rather, the debris is warm, reinforcing that it was made relatively recently by the impact of two planet-sized bodies.

A decade ago, observations of this system by ground observatories and NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope gave the first hints of this collision when the warm debris was first found.

Now the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, revealed the infrared brightness from the debris has increased by more than 10 percent – a sign that there is now even more warm dust.

Published in the Astrophysical Journal, the results further support that an extreme collision between rocky exoplanets may have occurred relatively recently. Collisions like these can change planetary systems. It is believed that a collision between a Mars-sized body and the Earth 4.5 billion years ago created debris that eventually formed the Moon.

“The warm dust around BD +20 307 gives us a glimpse into what catastrophic impacts between rocky exoplanets might be like,” said Maggie Thompson, a graduate student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the lead author on the paper. “We want to know how this system subsequently evolves after the extreme impact.”

Planets form when dust particles around a young star stick together and grow larger over time. The leftover debris remains after a planetary system forms, often in distant, cold regions like the Kuiper Belt, located beyond Neptune in our own solar system.

Astronomers expect to find warm dust around young solar systems. As they evolve, the dust particles continue to collide and eventually become small enough that they are either blown out of a system or pulled into the star.

Warm dust around older stars, like our Sun and the two in BD +20 307, should have long since disappeared. Studying the dusty debris around stars not only helps astronomers learn how exoplanet systems evolve, but also builds a more complete picture of our own solar system’s history.

“This is a rare opportunity to study catastrophic collisions occurring late in a planetary system’s history,” said Alycia Weinberger, staff scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science’s Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in Washington, and lead investigator on the project. “The SOFIA observations show changes in the dusty disk on a timescale of only a few years.”

Infrared observations, such as those from SOFIA’s infrared camera called FORCAST, the Faint Object Infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope, are critical for uncovering clues hidden in cosmic dust. When observed with infrared light, this system is much brighter than expected from the stars alone. The extra energy comes from the glow of the dusty debris, which can’t be seen at other wavelengths.

While there are several mechanisms that could cause the dust to glow more brightly – it could be absorbing more heat from the stars or moving closer to the stars – these are unlikely to happen in just 10 years, which is lightning fast for cosmic changes.

A planetary collision, however, would easily inject a large amount of dust very quickly. This provides more evidence that two exoplanets crashed into each other. The team is analyzing data from follow-up observations to see if there are further changes in the system.

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope.

It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart.

The aircraft is maintained and operated from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California.