The MAGIC telescope has tracked a long duration gamma-ray burst, GRB050713A, in the X-ray and very high energy gamma ray band. The observation was made possible by rapid tracking of the telescope, which allowed it to start observing the source just 20 seconds after an alert from the Swift satellite.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured dramatic images of comet 9P/Tempel 1 before and after a 820-pound projectile impact by the Deep Impact spacecraft. The collision caused a brilliant flash and increased the size of the inner cloud of dust and gas, which expanded outward in a fan shape at speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour.
A Penn-led team has launched a balloon-borne telescope, BLAST, to survey the universe for faint stellar objects and gain insights into the formation of stars and galaxies. The telescope will capture light at three wavelengths, allowing astronomers to determine an object's distance and luminosity.
Astronomers using Spitzer Space Telescope image a new generation of stars at the heads of huge dust pillars created by galactic weather conditions. The Carina Nebula, located 10,000 light years from Earth, is visible to the human eye and contains several dozen massive stars that shape the gigantic dust pillars.
Elizabeth Kessler's research examines how aesthetics influences the presentation of Hubble Space Telescope images, balancing art and science to evoke awe and wonder. Her study reveals how subjective choices in image processing create complex representations of the cosmos that fit within a Romantic landscape tradition.
A team of astronomers led by Clarke gathered data on Saturn's aurora using Cassini and Hubble spacecraft. Their observations revealed that Saturn's aurora differ in character from day to day, with varying lengths and behaviors compared to Earth's and Jupiter's.
Astronomers have uncovered a population of infant stars in the Milky Way satellite galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud, using NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope images. The youngest stars are half the mass of our Sun and still forming from gravitationally collapsing gas clouds.
A trio of massive young star clusters embedded in a cloud of stars offers clues about the birth of super-star clusters. The discovery suggests that these large groups could be formed by the merger of smaller clusters. By studying this phenomenon, scientists can better understand the formation and evolution of super-star clusters.
Astronomers use Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer to observe a faint companion object orbiting a relatively bright young brown dwarf star. The observations provide strong evidence for the existence of an extrasolar planet, which is estimated to be about five times the mass of Jupiter.
Astronomers have discovered a candidate planetary companion to a relatively bright young brown dwarf star located 225 light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra. The object, detected by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, is estimated to be about five times the mass of Jupiter and orbits its host at a 99% confidence level.
Astronomers have discovered that radio jets from black holes can trigger the collapse of interstellar clouds and induce star formation. The jets' collision with dense gas leads to the creation of new stars, bringing 'new life' to these systems.
The Swift X-ray Telescope has successfully captured its first gamma-ray burst afterglow, marking a significant milestone in the mission to understand these mysterious events. The telescope will help scientists pinpoint the location and nature of the explosion, providing crucial clues about the origins of gamma-ray bursts.
Astronomers have discovered a quadra-polar nebula with two disks formed at different times, challenging the companion-star-only model. The study, led by C. Robert O'Dell, used sharp new images from the Hubble Space Telescope to reconstruct the 3D structure of the Helix Nebula.
Recent Keck Telescope images of Uranus reveal an inner ring and high-altitude clouds with vigorous convection, indicating the planet is not static. The findings contradict previous assumptions about Uranus being a dull and unchanging planet.
The Huygens probe will encounter a mysterious surface of seven-kilometer-high ice mountains and liquid methane seas. Scientists expect the Cassini spacecraft to improve the current sketchy picture of Titan's surface.
A team of British astronomers is tracking Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) using the Faulkes Telescope North and South in Hawaii and Australia. The UK Astrometry and Photometry Programme (UKAPP) provides crucial information to protect the Earth from potential asteroid impacts.
Using the Spitzer Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory, researchers observed the Kepler's supernova remnant, uncovering a bubble-shaped shroud of gas and dust expanding at 4 million miles per hour. The observations revealed distinct features, including heated interstellar dust and regions of hot gas.
Astronomers have successfully taken high-quality images using a ground-based telescope at Dome C, Antarctica, which rivals the capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope. The site offers excellent seeing conditions and low atmospheric interference, making it an attractive alternative to space-based astronomy.
The Texas flagship universities will participate in the Giant Magellan Telescope Consortium to explore the universe's frontiers. The GMT will collect five times more light than the Hobby-Eberly telescope and produce images 10 times sharper, enabling groundbreaking discoveries about the origins of the universe.
The Gemini South telescope has been coated with a silver layer to reduce thermal emissivity, allowing for deeper views of star formation, galaxies, and black holes. This results in improved detection capabilities for objects obscured by heat radiating from the telescope.
A team of astronomers has discovered hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes in the distant universe, invisible to optical telescopes. The new observations combined data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and Spitzer Space Telescope, revealing objects that were previously thought to be missing.
Astronomers using the European AVO Virtual Observatory have discovered a whole population of obscured, powerful supermassive black holes in the GOODS survey fields. The team found thirty objects, which they believe were underestimated by a factor of two to five.
The Arecibo telescope has been made more sensitive with the addition of the ALFA instrument, allowing for faster sky surveys and improved detection of pulsars and other rare celestial phenomena. The new device will also enable astronomers to map the neutral hydrogen gas in our galaxy and others.
Astronomers have successfully detected their first two near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) using a refurbished telescope at the Australian National University's Siding Spring Observatory. The discoveries, made on March 29, include an 100-meter and 300-meter asteroid that pose no direct threat to Earth.
Cornell University and Caltech researchers will develop the world's most sensitive sub-millimeter telescope in the Atacama Desert, capable of probing star formation during galaxy formation. The telescope's high sensitivity will enable studies of large-scale universe structure and hidden planets in circumstellar disks.
The GEMS consortium presents the largest contiguous color image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, comprising over 40,000 galaxies. The team uses this image to investigate how large galaxies evolved over the last nine billion years.
The Faulkes Telescope project provides UK schools with access to two robotic telescopes in Hawaii and Australia, allowing students to explore the Universe and participate in research programmes. The telescopes can be controlled directly from classrooms via PC and internet connection.
A new study analyzing Type 1A supernovae measured with the Hubble Space Telescope sheds light on the nature of dark energy. The results confirm that the universe is expanding at an increasing rate, reinforcing initial discoveries made five years ago.
Astronomers used Hubble to search for faint Kuiper Belt objects, finding only three small objects in a 15-day period. The discovery suggests that smaller planetesimals may have been shattered into dust by colliding with each other, affecting the number of comets near Earth.
The $18 million SALT Observatory is nearing completion and will feature the largest optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. The observatory's primary scientific instrument, a spectrograph, will break light down into its constituent wavelengths to study stars and galaxies outside of the Milky Way.
The team reconstructed a mass map of the galaxy cluster using NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope data, tracing dark matter's distribution with respect to galaxies. The study reveals that dark matter clumps together in certain regions, supporting the idea that clusters assemble through the merger of smaller groups.
The AMANDA II Telescope has produced a preliminary map of the high-energy neutrino sky, providing astronomers with their first glimpse of very high energy neutrinos. The map represents one year of data and shows that the detector works at the same sensitivity as telescopes used to detect gamma rays.
Researchers have identified a population of globular star clusters drifting freely through the vast expanse of intergalactic space, revealing insights into the origins of these ancient structures. The discovery is thought to be the result of galaxy collisions or gravitational pulls that tore these star clusters from their parent galaxies.
The AMANDA II Telescope has produced the first neutrino sky map, revealing tantalizing glimpses of high-energy neutrinos and their potential origins. The preliminary map represents one year of data, with future analysis expected to define the structure of the sky and confirm or disprove signals.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University discovered two new instances of Type Ia supernovae, providing valuable insights into the early evolution of the universe. The identified stars are believed to be around 4.7 and 7.6 billion light years from Earth, offering a better understanding of cosmic distances.
Researchers have spotted a spectacular 'bull's eye' effect in a star explosion, revealing new insights into the object's distance and characteristics. The discovery, led by Howard Bond of the Space Telescope Science Institute, used NASA Hubble Space Telescope images to calculate the star's distance from Earth at least 20,000 light years.
Researchers detected a sudden cooling of the star Rho Cassiopeiae in 2000, resulting in an unprecedented mass ejection into space. The star is now considered one of the brightest yellow hypergiants in the Milky Way, with a luminosity over half a million times that of the Sun.
Researchers have developed a new technology using adaptive optics to improve diagnosis of eye diseases. The technology enables doctors to see individual cells in the retina, allowing for early detection and treatment of conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
The University of California, Berkeley's robotic telescope has captured the earliest image of a gamma-ray burst's optical afterglow, offering unprecedented data for theorists to study. The data provides key constraints for physical models of gamma-ray bursts and will help astronomers better understand these enigmatic events.
Researchers used a climate change model on Earth to analyze Mars' polar regions, finding a correlation between the layers of ice and dust and changes in climate. The study suggests that Mars' climate changes can be explained by orbital theory, similar to Earth.
Researchers observed supernova remnants in two neighboring galaxies, providing new insight into gas shocked by blast waves and material structure between stars. The findings expand our understanding of a star's long-term evolution and how elements are redistributed into interstellar space.
The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will study blue compact dwarf galaxies, which are deficient in heavy elements and contain as little as 2 percent of the solar system's share. The telescope will provide detailed physical information about distant targets using its infrared spectrograph instrument.
Researchers at Northwestern University have created a novel device that detects ultraviolet light 10 times more efficiently than the Hubble Space Telescope. The innovative detector uses gallium nitride material to block visible and infrared light, allowing astronomers to study important objects in the universe for the first time.
The new ACS instrument will provide two times the observational area, resolution, and sensitivity as existing instruments, allowing astronomers to capture more objects in detail at a faster rate. This will enable research to probe deeper into the universe, potentially revealing direct images of planets in nearby solar systems.
Scientists have discovered gold in an ancient star located 2,500 light years from Earth, providing significant insights into the formation of elements and the age of the Milky Way galaxy. The discovery was made using the Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Telescope, revealing the presence of other elements including thorium and uranium.
Researchers have detected a massive compact halo object, or MACHO, using gravitational microlensing event data from the Hubble Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. The object is estimated to be 5-10% the mass of the sun and is thought to comprise up to 50% of the Milky Way's dark matter content.
A team of astronomers has directly observed a Dark Matter object, confirming the theory that it consists of small, faint stars in galaxies like our Milky Way. The detection was made using the Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope.
Astronomers detected sodium in the atmosphere of a gas giant exoplanet orbiting a yellow star. The team used Hubble's spectrometer to analyze light passing through the planet's atmosphere, revealing less sodium than expected, which may indicate high-altitude clouds blocking some light.
The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a spectacular ultraviolet galactic ring surrounding the spiral galaxy NGC 6782. The bright ring is made up of recently formed hot stars and marks a significant region of ongoing star formation. Astronomers believe that the unique shape of this ring may be linked to the presence of bars in galaxies.
Celera Genomics has adopted Aura's OPUS software to streamline its development processes, saving time and resources. The partnership demonstrates the practical applications of innovative technologies developed for space exploration.
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Hubble Space Telescope provide a unique view of the largest global dust storm on Mars in several decades. The storm, which has engulfed the entire planet for three months, raises questions about Mars' thin atmosphere and climate change.
A team of scientists discovered a small, faint galaxy at 13.4 billion light-years using the Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Telescopes. The galaxy, with a mass of just a few million times that of our Sun, is thought to be one of the earliest building blocks of galaxies.
A massive star's remnant is discovered in the Milky Way galaxy, moving at an incredible speed of 300,000 miles per hour. The black hole, called XTE J1118+480, was gravitationally ejected from a globular cluster and has consumed its companion star.
CU-Boulder joins a powerful 3.5-meter telescope consortium in southeastern New Mexico, providing the department with its first facility for ground-based observational astronomy. The university has invested $330,000 of its own money and secured private funding to participate in the consortium.
NGC 3310 is forming clusters of new stars at a prodigious rate, with hundreds of individual young, luminous stars visible throughout the galaxy. The wide range of cluster ages suggests that the starbursting can continue for an extended interval, once triggered.
A team of Rutgers astronomers has detected a galaxy without a supermassive black hole at its center, marking the first such discovery. The team used Hubble's high-resolution instruments to observe the galaxy M33 and concluded that only a black hole smaller than 3,000 solar masses could be present.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has detected unusual microlensing events in the M22 globular cluster, hinting at a new population of wandering, planet-sized objects. These bodies are estimated to have masses as low as 80 times that of Earth, a discovery that could challenge current understanding of celestial mechanics.
The discovery confirms the existence of an event horizon around the massive black hole Cygnus XR-1. The data shows chaotic fluctuations in ultraviolet light from swirling gas, consistent with theories of what scientists predict to see when matter falls close to the event horizon.
Astronomers studied 37 nearby galaxies using Hubble Space Telescope images in ultraviolet light, finding that faraway galaxies may not be inherently odd-shaped. The survey suggests that astronomers are detecting the 'tip of the iceberg' of very distant galaxies, and that their shapes may be influenced by incomplete observations.
The Hubble-X image reveals a nearly circular bright cloud at the core of a star-forming region in NGC 6822. The cloud contains thousands of newly formed stars and is many times brighter and larger than the Orion Nebula in our Milky Way galaxy.