Researchers tracked a star's orbit around a suspected black hole in the Milky Way, revealing its massive gravitational pull. The observation provides key evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center.
A team of astronomers has discovered a planet-shaped 'wake' around the nearby star Fomalhaut, suggesting the presence of an orbiting giant planet. The observation was made using the SCUBA camera, which operates in the submillimetre region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The discovery of a Jupiter-like planet and the smallest known planet outside the solar system offers hope for finding life beyond Earth. The newly found planet orbits 55 Cancri at nearly the same distance as Jupiter orbits our sun, making it a near analog to our own solar system.
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 from Ohio State University have successfully measured the mass of a gravitational microlens in a dim binary star system 6,500 light-years away. This technique could be used to detect dark matter within our galaxy and help explain the missing mass of the universe.
The discovery provides the first evidence that planets at earthlike distances can survive the evolution of their host star into a giant. The planet orbits iota Draconis, an old star with a radius 13 times that of the sun, and has an elliptical orbit that takes 1.5 years to complete.
Researchers John Debes and Steinn Sigurdsson predict unstable planets will collide, creating 'reborn' planets around white dwarfs. This process could create heavy bombardment of material into inner planetary systems, explaining phenomena like dusty white dwarfs and metal-polluted atmospheres.
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.
Cosmologists have developed a new simulation model that suggests the first star in the universe formed from a cloud of hydrogen and helium at least 100 times more massive than our sun. The simulations provide insights into the chemical elements produced in stars, including metals heavier than lithium.
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.
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 astronomers has discovered a Jupiter-size planet in a nearly circular orbit around the nearby star 47 Ursae Majoris, located about 51 light years from Earth. The new planet is at least three-fourths the mass of Jupiter and orbits the star at a distance that would place it beyond Mars but within the orbit of Jupiter.
Researchers have discovered 18 planet-like objects drifting free of a central star in the Orion constellation. The objects' cool temperatures suggest they may be planets or brown dwarfs, challenging current theories on planetary formation.
Researchers report a case where cluster headache symptoms appeared without head pain, suggesting primary symptoms. The study follows a 22-year-old man who experienced nasal stuffiness and pupil contraction in his left eye daily for weeks, without pain.
The W49 cluster is believed to contain approximately 100 type O stars, the hottest and most massive stars in our galaxy, all less than 1 million years old. This young star cluster is part of a larger birthing process that will eventually lead to globular clusters like those orbiting the Milky Way.
A study by American Academy of Neurology found that 80% of people with cluster headaches also have signs of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that can trigger the attacks. Treatment of sleep apnea may reduce or eliminate headaches and other related problems.
Researchers propose two theories to explain the origin of neutron star kicks: the 'mass rocket,' which suggests a mass ejection asymmetry, and the 'neutrino rocket,' which relies on the intense magnetic field surrounding the newly formed neutron star. These theories aim to explain the observed high speeds of pulsars and the asymmetrica...
Astronomers use NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to study the growth of Perseus A, a supergiant galaxy at the center of a large galaxy cluster. The research reveals that Perseus A has accumulated hundreds of billions of stars by cannibalizing gas and smaller galaxies in the vicinity.
Researchers have observed an 'earthquake' in a slow-spinning, highly magnetic collapsed star, confirming it as a neutron star. The finding supports the magnetar hypothesis and provides strong evidence for the existence of these rare objects.
A new NASA satellite has provided unprecedented sensitivity to detect molecular hydrogen, the primary ingredient for star and planet formation. This discovery suggests that star formation proceeds similarly across various space environments, including nearby galaxies.
Researchers from the University of Washington have discovered that Barnard's Galaxy, an irregular dwarf galaxy, is significantly different from the Milky Way. Using images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, they found three star clusters within NGC 6822 to be of very different ages, with one cluster dating back 15 billion years.
Astronomers have observed five young, massive star clusters in a distant galaxy, offering a glimpse into the earliest stages of stellar nursery development. The discoveries, estimated to be around 500,000 years old, provide valuable insights into how globular clusters form and evolve over billions of years.
The Chiba City Project aims to advance highly scalable open source software development using state-of-the-art Linux clusters. The 512-CPU Linux cluster will be opened to the U.S. research community for collaborative development.
When a star swallows a planet, it can experience profound effects on its evolution, including changes in spin rate and emission of infrared radiation. The simulations show that large planets can survive for thousands of years before being vaporized by the heat, leaving behind tell-tale signs such as high lithium abundance.
A cluster of 256 Intel Pentium III microprocessors linked together has created the largest
The StAR protein plays a key role in the steroid-making system by partially unfolding to form a 'molten globule' conformation that enables it to work inside cells. This flexible state lowers energy required for channel opening in mitochondrial membrane, acting as an on/off switch for cholesterol transport.
A new Hubble image captures the entire stellar life cycle in a single photograph, showcasing various stages of star formation and evolution. The galaxy NGC 3603 is home to multiple starburst clusters, young massive stars, and a blue supergiant nearing its supernova fate.
A team of astronomers has discovered a unique cluster of young stars, approximately 8 million years old, located 97 parsecs from Earth. The cluster, centered around eta Chamaeleon, is one of the nearest to our planet and exhibits unusual characteristics.
Astronomers used numerical cosmology to study the earliest structures that formed in the universe, finding tiny star clusters containing 1,000-10,000 solar masses. These early clusters were likely the 'spark plugs' that started the formation of galaxies.
A new pulsar has been discovered orbiting a massive star, providing insights into the mysterious behavior of transient objects. The pulsar, named XTE J1946+274 or GRO J1944+26, exhibits complex orbital patterns and intense magnetic fields, challenging our understanding of these enigmatic celestial bodies.
A rapidly spinning neutron star can naturally produce a Gamma-ray burst by oscillating and radiating its rotation energy. The spin-down process is triggered by the gravitational wave instability, which grows explosively in hours or minutes, strengthening the magnetic field and eventually radiating away all remaining rotation energy.
A rapidly spinning neutron star, SAX J1808.4-3658, is providing proof for the theory that millisecond pulsars are propelled to mind-boggling speeds by accretion of material from a companion star. This discovery fills an important niche in our understanding of star evolution.
Researchers have created star polymer gels with potential applications in delivering high concentrations of drugs to specific areas in the body, such as tumors. These gels can also recognize and remove substances like cholesterol from the blood through a process called molecular imprinting.
Researchers have discovered that dust mites cluster together to survive dry spells, which may lead to new ways of exterminating them. The study found that males cluster to conserve moisture, while females do not, and that pheromones may play a role in finding mates.
A team of astronomers from the University of Florida and Harvard University have discovered a star surrounded by a disk of dust that may be forming planets. The disk, known as HR 4796A, is about 220 light years from Earth and is thought to represent what Earth's solar system looked like in its infancy.
Researchers have detected unusual light patterns from faint stars in a globular cluster, suggesting catastrophic star interactions. The study's findings reveal that these clusters are regions of intense stellar activity, with stars locked in orbital duets that can prevent core collapse into black holes.
Researchers calculate neutron star's mass by measuring X-ray pulses from innermost orbit, revealing a massive star about twice the sun's mass. The findings provide new insights into the birth and evolution of neutron stars.
Astronomers have discovered a binary system featuring a dead white dwarf star orbiting an exotic neutron star with a mass 1.5 times that of the Sun. The neutron star's intense gravity is slowly consuming its companion, causing peaks in ultraviolet radiation every 11 minutes.
A new planet has been discovered around the star 16 Cygni B with an orbital eccentricity of 0.6, unlike any other known planet in our Solar System. This extreme oblong shape indicates the planet experiences significant variations in heat energy as it orbits its host star.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed an ultrathin film made from gold atoms that conducts electricity by allowing electrons to 'hop' one at a time. This new material, called linked cluster network, could lead to the development of more powerful computers and miniaturized electrical devices.