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1,000+ results for "Binary Stars"

Wide binary stars can wreak havoc in planetary systems

A recent study found that wide binary stars in planetary systems can lead to dramatic events over time. In one hypothetical system, at least one of four giant planets was ejected in almost half of the simulations. The researchers also discovered substantial evidence that this process occurs regularly in known extrasolar planetary systems.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·DateJan 7, 2013

Stars reveal the secrets of looking young

Researchers used the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope and Hubble Space Telescope to study 21 globular clusters, finding that a few were young with blue stragglers distributed throughout, while others were old with the stars clumped in the centre. This reveals big differences in the speed of evolution from cluster to cluster.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateDec 19, 2012

When the first stars blinked on

A team of researchers at MIT analyzed light from a quasar, which is the most distant object known, to study the era of the first stars and galaxies. They found no evidence of heavy elements in the surrounding gaseous cloud, suggesting that the quasar dates back to an era nearing the universe's first stars.

The brightest stars don't live alone

A study using the VLT found that 75% of O-type stars are in binary systems, with a higher proportion of interacting pairs than previously thought. This discovery has profound implications for galaxy evolution, as these heavyweights play a key role in shaping galaxies through violent phenomena such as stellar mergers and gamma-ray bursts.

SourceESO·JournalScience·DateJul 26, 2012

How black holes grow

A University of Utah astrophysicist has proposed that supermassive black holes in galaxy centers grow by consuming single stars from wandering binary pairs. The study found that this process is an efficient way to bring stars close to black holes, outperforming gas clouds as a growth mechanism.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateApr 1, 2012

Planet population is plentiful

A team of astronomers using gravitational microlensing detected three exoplanets, including a super-Earth and planets comparable to Neptune and Jupiter. Combining this data with previous findings, the researchers conclude that planets are more common than stars in the Milky Way.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateJan 11, 2012

Galaxies are running out of gas

A CSIRO study reveals galaxies have less molecular hydrogen gas than in the past, leading to fewer stars forming. The decline in gas availability is linked to Dark Energy's acceleration of the Universe's expansion.

SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateAug 22, 2011