The center section of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has been completed, marking a significant milestone in the telescope's hardware development. The backplane will support the telescope's mirrors, instruments, and thermal control systems during its mission.
New stitching technique improves measurement of large aspheres in optics industry. Wavefront sensing technology enhances eye health diagnosis and treatment in medical industry.
The new Hubble image reveals millions of young stars in the 30 Doradus star-forming complex, with some stars weighing over 100 times the mass of our sun. The nebula is home to the fastest rotating and highest velocity stars ever observed.
Researchers detect faint, short-lived glowing dots on Uranus' dayside using Hubble Space Telescope. The unusual appearance of the auroras is attributed to Uranus' rotational weirdness and magnetic field's peculiar traits.
Several critical NASA components are being tested to ensure the success of the James Webb Space Telescope. The OSIM and BIA instruments will simulate the telescope's science cameras and spectrographs, while also verifying their functionality in cryogenic temperatures. This testing program is essential for the mission's success.
The Musket Ball Cluster is a newly discovered galaxy cluster where so-called normal matter has been wrenched apart from dark matter through a violent collision. The system, observed 700 million years after the collision, provides valuable insight into the evolution of galaxy clusters and their member galaxies.
Australians and Koreans have linked their radio telescopes for the first time, creating a gigantic telescope spanning over 8,000 km. The combined system has 100 times the resolving power of the Hubble Space Telescope, enabling scientists to study distant galaxies in unprecedented detail.
MIRI, the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope, offers unparalleled capabilities for studying distant galaxies, star formation, and planetary systems. Its spectrometer and camera enable scientists to analyze an object's physical properties and image its shape and structure.
Bahram Mobasher has received a two-year grant from NASA to compile imaging observations of galaxy surveys taken by the Hubble Space Telescope since 2002. The project aims to provide multi-wavelength data for measuring physical properties of galaxies and studying their formation and evolution.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found galaxies containing quasars that act as gravitational lenses, distorting images of aligned galaxies. Quasars are powered by supermassive black holes and help estimate the mass of host galaxies.
Astronomers have obtained a unique close-up look at the brightest gravitationally magnified galaxy yet discovered using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The image revealed regions of star formation glowing like bright points of light, which are much brighter than any star-formation region in our own galaxy.
Astronomers have observed a clump of dark matter in the Abell 520 galaxy cluster, which contradicts current theories about its behavior. The team used the Hubble Space Telescope to map dark matter, revealing a core rich in dark matter but containing no luminous galaxies.
Astrophysicists have uncovered new questions and clarified previous theories about gamma-ray bursts using the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. The telescope's unique view allows it to capture the highest energy portion of these bursts, which are difficult to detect due to their brief duration and narrow radiation patterns.
Astronomers have discovered a young cluster of blue stars surrounding an intermediate-mass black hole in a cannibal galaxy. The star cluster is thought to be less than 200 million years old and may be the remnant of a dwarf galaxy that was swallowed by the larger galaxy.
Researchers found a cluster of young, blue stars encircling the first intermediate-mass black hole ever discovered in a dwarf galaxy. The presence of this star cluster suggests that the black hole was once at the core of the now-disintegrated dwarf galaxy.
A team led by UCLA researcher Michael Rich has discovered a previously unknown dwarf galaxy near NGC 4449, which is 12.5 million light years from Earth. The newly found galaxy, NGC 4449B, is the largest known dwarf galaxy in the local group and has been stretched into a 'S' shape due to gravitational encounter.
Astronomers use gravitational lensing to study a vigorously forming galaxy, revealing regions of intense star formation. The team aims to analyze these star-forming regions through spectroscopy to understand their formation mechanisms.
Astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery on the type of star that caused a Type Ia supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope detected faint white dwarf remnants, contradicting previous theories and suggesting two tightly orbiting stars may have collided to trigger the explosion.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a distant Type Ia supernova, offering new opportunities to study dark energy. The discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding the mysterious force driving the universe's acceleration.
The Hubble Space Telescope has created the sharpest visible-light image ever made of the nucleus of an external galaxy, the Andromeda galaxy. The blue stars surrounding the massive black hole are just 200 million years old and formed in a burst of star formation near the black hole.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found a large population of hot, bright blue stars in the center of the Andromeda galaxy. The stars, which are aging sun-like stars, have prematurely shed their outer layers to expose their extremely blue-hot cores.
A team of researchers has discovered the most distant developing galaxy cluster, approximately 13.1 billion light-years away, using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The cluster is among the brightest galaxies in the early universe and is expected to grow into a massive galactic city.
Researchers studied a galaxy cluster 5 billion light years away, finding that it has passed through each other without collision. The study revealed that most of the dark matter had also passed through, but gas clouds collided, creating a huge cloud of superheated gas.
Astronomers have pinpointed the most distant galaxy cluster in the early universe, comprising five tiny galaxies 600 million years after the Big Bang. The discovery confirms theoretical understanding of galaxy cluster formation and provides evidence for the hierarchical model of galaxy assembly.
Astronomers have discovered the most distant galaxy cluster ever observed, comprising five bright galaxies that are 600 million years after the Big Bang. The cluster is believed to be a protocluster, with galaxies expected to merge and form a massive central galaxy.
The James Webb Space Telescope achieved significant milestones in 2011, including the completion of flight mirror testing and sunshield layer testing. The telescope's mirror segments were chilled to temperatures similar to those it will see in space, while the sunshield's deployment system was also tested.
NASA's WEBB Telescope has successfully completed cryogenic testing on its primary and secondary mirror segments, proving their ability to operate at extremely low temperatures. The testing, conducted at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility, verified the mirrors' shape changes with temperature as expected, ensuring crisp focusing in space.
Researchers from Southwest Research Institute and Nebraska Wesleyan University discovered a strong ultraviolet-wavelength absorber on Pluto's surface, indicating the presence of complex hydrocarbon and/or nitrile molecules.
Engineers are using COCOA to verify the correct shape of the mirrors on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which will be tested at operating temperatures. The results will ensure the telescope works correctly as a whole, providing images of the first galaxies and exploring planets around distant stars.
Researchers used Hubble Space Telescope data to rule out some proposed progenitor systems for Type Ia supernovae. The study suggests that the companion star was likely a normal star like our sun, a subgiant, or possibly a white dwarf.
Researchers confirm detection of antimatter positron excess with assistance from Earth's magnetic field, casting doubt on dark matter explanation. The Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope's unique approach utilizes the Earth's magnetic field to separate charged particles, providing valuable insight into the universe.
Galaxies continuously recycle immense volumes of hydrogen gas and heavy elements, allowing successive generations of stars to form. The process is driven by gas-rich star-forming spiral galaxies that can evolve into elliptical galaxies without star formation.
Astronomers have discovered that galaxy halos are much larger and more massive than previously thought, with up to 90% of mass undetectable by previous instruments. The new data provides a detailed picture of the chemical structure, movement, and temperature of gases in the halo.
The installation of a giant structural steel optical assembly stand marks the transition to the integration and testing phase for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope will observe the most distant objects in the universe, provide images of the first galaxies ever formed, and study planets around distant stars.
Astronomers have uncovered an extraordinary population of young dwarf galaxies brimming with star formation, forcing a re-evaluation of their understanding of galaxy evolution. These galaxies are estimated to be 9 billion years old and produce stars at rates 100 times faster than the Milky Way.
A new analysis of Hubble surveys and simulations reveals that galaxies gained mass through collisions with other galaxies. Large galaxies merged on average once over the past 9 billion years, while small galaxies coalesced with large ones more frequently.
Galaxy collisions may be a key process driving galaxy assembly, rapid star formation, and accretion of gas onto central black holes. New analysis combines Hubble images with supercomputer simulations to estimate merger rates, clearing up discrepant results from previous studies.
A recent study using the TRAPPIST telescope has accurately measured the shape and size of dwarf planet Eris, confirming its status as Pluto's twin. The findings show that Eris is approximately 2326 kilometers in diameter, with an accuracy of 12 kilometers.
Astronomers use Hubble's unprecedented precision to map dark matter in 25 massive galaxy clusters, challenging previous assumptions about its distribution. The survey's findings suggest that galaxy cluster assembly may have begun earlier than previously thought.
Researchers have found visual evidence for two extrasolar planets in archival Hubble data from 1998, using a novel approach to detect faint planet signals. The discovery allows for the tracking of planetary orbits and provides insight into system stability, mass, and eccentricity.
NASA is testing an element of the sunshield that will protect the James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors and instruments during its mission. The sunshield will consist of five tennis court-sized layers to allow the telescope to cool to its cryogenic operating temperature.
Astronomers have found supermassive black holes in small distant galaxies, suggesting that central black holes formed early in galaxy evolution. The study used the Hubble Space Telescope to probe the universe and identifies a connection between star formation and active galactic nuclei.
The mirrors of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have completed the coating process with a microscopically thin layer of gold, enabling the telescope to observe extremely faint objects in infrared light. This achievement marks another major success story for the Webb telescope mirrors, ensuring even more scientific discovery potential.
Astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope images have created time-lapse movies revealing dynamic behavior of stellar jets. The studies show clouds of dust and gas within the jets move at different speeds, challenging existing understanding of star birth processes.
A new study by Nicolas Lehner and Christopher Howk reveals that massive clouds of ionized gas in the Milky Way's halo are a reservoir of fuel for galactic star formation. The researchers measured the distances to these clouds using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, confirming models that predicted gas falli...
Astronomers caught the PTF 11kly supernova within hours of its explosion, observing it with multiple telescopes and making it one of the most-studied supernovae in history. The early detection allows researchers to study the outer layers of the supernova and gain new insights into its origin.
The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) has completed 2,000 individual tests at cryogenic temperatures, a milestone for the James Webb Space Telescope mission. Scientists will use MIRI to study young planets around distant stars and explore their habitability.
A new measurement of the Hubble constant has been made, providing an accurate calculation of how fast the universe is expanding. The method uses data from a survey of over 125,000 galaxies, allowing for precise determination of the universe's growth rate.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a fourth moon orbiting Pluto, the smallest discovered to date. The new moon, temporarily designated P4, was found in a survey searching for rings around Pluto and has an estimated diameter of 8-21 miles.
The Hubble Space Telescope has taken anniversary pictures of Neptune, revealing high-altitude clouds in the northern and southern hemispheres composed of methane ice crystals. The images also show that cloud activity is shifting to the northern hemisphere, with seasons lasting about 40 years.
The SKA radio telescope has successfully linked its antennas over long distances using an optical fibre network, a key step towards observing distant galaxies in greater detail. The experiment saw six telescopes working together to observe a quasar 7.5 billion light-years away, revealing new insights into the universe.
Hubble made its one millionth science observation while analyzing the exoplanet HAT-P-7b's atmosphere, revealing spectroscopic patterns that can indicate water vapor presence. The milestone marks Hubble's continued legacy in characterizing exoplanet atmospheres.
The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors have been polished to accuracies of less than one millionth of an inch, crucial for forming sharpest images in space. The primary mirror, made of Beryllium, will capture light from faint, distant objects faster than any previous space observatory.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the complex history of Pandora's Cluster, a giant galaxy cluster resulting from the simultaneous collision of four smaller clusters. The data reveal that dark matter dominates the cluster's mass, with gas making up only 5% of its total mass.
Researchers use gravitational lensing to map dark matter distribution in the cluster, while NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory observes hot gas. The study reveals a complex collision that separated out hot gas and dark matter, separating them from visible galaxies.
The University of Arizona has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to polish a 4.2-meter primary mirror for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope in Hawaii. The mirror will be the world's largest solar telescope, allowing researchers to study the sun in unprecedented detail.
The James Webb Space Telescope has completed its first round of cryogenic mirror testing, with six segments of the primary mirror responding to extreme temperatures. A second set of mirrors will arrive in late July for further testing, with the final set arriving in the fall.
The galaxy Centaurus A is home to a firestorm of new star formation triggered by shockwaves from a past collision and merger with another galaxy. Hubble's image reveals the birth of vibrant blue star clusters and compresses hydrogen gas clouds.
Researchers have found that galaxies previously thought to be dead and devoid of star formation are actually still producing new stars. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists observed individual young stars and clusters in four galaxies, revealing an average star-formation rate of one sun every 10,000 years.
The discovery of blue stragglers in the Milky Way's hub suggests that the galaxy stopped making stars billions of years ago. The findings provide new constraints for models of the star-formation history of the bulge.