Supernova remnant menagerie
The supernova remnant N 63A is a member of N 63, a star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Visible from the southern hemisphere, the LMC is an irregular galaxy lying 160,000 light-years from our own Milky Way galaxy. view more (2005-06-07)
Hubble sees the graceful dance of 2 interacting galaxies
A pair of galaxies, known collectively as Arp 87, is one of hundreds of interacting and merging galaxies known in our nearby Universe. Arp 87 was originally discovered and catalogued by astronomer Halton Arp in the 1970s. Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies is a compilation of astronomical photographs using the Palomar 200-inch Hale and the 48-inch... view more... (2007-10-31)
Trigger-happy star formation
A new study from two of NASA's Great Observatories provides fresh insight into how some stars are born, along with a beautiful new image of a stellar nursery in our Galaxy. view more (2009-08-13)
Astronomers report mysterious giant star clusters
An international team of astronomers reported evidence for the formation of mysterious "super star clusters" Jan. 9 at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington, D.C. view more (2006-01-11)
Record: fastest flashing star
Dutch researcher Steve van Straaten set a record during his doctoral research. The researcher registered the fastest ever change in the X-ray emission originating from a binary star. The record-breaking binary star consists of a neutron star and a lighter companion star. Astronomer Steve van Straaten studied the time variations in the X-ray... view more... (2004-05-07)
University of Hawaii at Manoa astronomers discover pair of solar systems in the making
Two University of Hawai'i at Mānoa astronomers have found a binary star-disk system in which each star is surrounded by the kind of dust disk that is frequently the precursor of a planetary system. view more (2009-07-01)
New insight in star formation
Early stages of star formation are now better understood, following an extensive millimeter-wave study of protostars, which are young stellar objects still deeply embedded in their parent molecular cloud. Thanks to their unprecedented high-resolution maps of the circumstellar environment of many young stellar objects, astronomers... view more... (2001-01-16)
XMM-Newton reveals X-rays from gas streams around young stars
XMM-Newton has surveyed nearly two hundred stars under formation to reveal, contrary to expectations, how streams of matter fall onto the young stars' magnetic atmospheres and radiate X-rays. view more (2007-06-01)
COROT finds exoplanet orbiting Sun-like star
A team of European scientists working with COROT have discovered an exoplanet orbiting a star slightly more massive than the Sun. After just 555 days in orbit, the mission has now observed more than 50 000 stars and is adding significantly to our knowledge of the fundamental workings of stars. view more (2008-07-28)
Turbulence May Promote the Birth of Massive Stars
On long, dark winter nights, the constellation of Orion the Hunter dominates the sky. Within the Hunter's sword, the Orion Nebula swaddles a cluster of newborn stars called the Trapezium. These stars are young but powerful, each one shining with the brilliance of 100,000 Suns. They are also massive, containing 15 to 30 times as much material as... view more... (2009-02-24)
New stars from old gas surprise astronomers
Evidence of star birth within a cloud of primordial gas has given astronomers a glimpse of a previously unknown mode of galaxy formation. The cloud, known as the Leo Ring, appears to lack the dark matter and heavy elements normally found in galaxies today. view more (2009-02-19)
Star on a Hubble diet
How heavy can a star be? This conundrum has haunted astronomers for decades. Theory indicates that there should be an upper stellar mass limit somewhere between 120 and 300 solar masses. Even though heavy stars are very bright, measurements of their masses can be complicated. view more (2006-12-12)
Magnetic Fields Play Larger Role in Star Formation than Previously Thought
he simple picture of star formation calls for giant clouds of gas and dust to collapse inward due to gravity, growing denser and hotter until igniting nuclear fusion. In reality, forces other than gravity also influence the birth of stars. New research shows that cosmic magnetic fields play a more important role in star formation than previously... view more... (2009-09-10)
Hubble's 17th anniversary -- extreme star birth in the Carina Nebula
Hubble's new view of the Carina Nebula shows the process of star birth at a new level of detail. view more (2007-04-25)
Supernova radioisotopes show sun was born in star cluster, scientists say
The death of a massive nearby star billions of years ago offers evidence the sun was born in a star cluster, say astronomers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. view more (2006-10-05)
How do massive stars form?
Massive stars play a key role in the chemical and dynamical evolution of galaxies. The way massive stars form is still much debated among the astronomers' community: it is currently one of the hottest astrophysical topics. view more (2005-11-09)
Into the Epoch of Galaxy Formation
Current theories hypothesize that more than 80% of all stars ever formed were assembled in galaxies during the latter half of the elapsed lifetime of the Universe, i.e., during the past 7-8 billion years. view more (2000-02-17)
Hospital star ratings are misleading the public
The Government's star rating system for hospitals is misleading the public, say researchers in this week's BMJ, who found that seriously ill adults fared just as well in trusts with zero stars as in three star hospitals. Comparing data from 102 acute hospital trusts, researchers found that the system used to award star ratings is based too heavily... view more... (2004-01-23)
UK Astronomers look forward to looking back
When NASA launches its Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) - the agency's fourth 'Great Observatory' - later this week, astronomers around the world will be looking forward to using one of the most powerful time machines ever built. Among those anticipating the opportunity to look back billions of years to an era when the universe was in its... view more... (2003-08-19)
Stars Form Surprisingly Close to Milky Way's Black Hole
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory revealed a new generation of stars spawned by a super-massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. view more (2005-10-14)
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