Researchers found that dark matter halos in ultra-diffuse galaxies have lower concentrations than expected, raising questions about their formation and evolution. The study's surprising results indicate these galaxies may be younger and contain more gas than normal galaxies.
A new simulation suggests that gravitational interactions, not over-eating, are responsible for the Milky Way Galaxy's peanut-shaped and nuclear bulges. The study reveals a clear break in star ages between the two types of bulges, indicating when the bar formed.
Astronomers discovered that merging galaxies can rip away gas fueling new stars, providing a possible explanation for why large galaxies are dead. The team found a 'post-starburst' galaxy seven billion light years away with signs of available star-forming fuel, suggesting an extreme collision caused the gas to escape.
Researchers recorded millimeter-wavelength light from a fiery explosion caused by the merger of a neutron star with another star, confirming it as one of the most energetic short-duration gamma-ray bursts ever observed. The results reveal that the explosion left behind one of the most luminous afterglows on record.
Astronomers have discovered a rare and persistent rapid-fire fast radio burst source, sending out an occasional cosmic ping from over 3.5 billion light years away. The burst, named FRB 20190520B, has encountered far more gas in its host galaxy than expected, challenging previous assumptions about the intergalactic medium.
Northern Arizona University has launched a partnership with Coconino Community College to increase underrepresented minority (URM) student participation in astronomy, planetary science, and other STEM fields. The two-year project will provide paid internships for 20 students, enabling them to carry out research on various topics.
An international team analyzed five ultraluminous galaxies with dim visible wavelengths, finding no significant metal deficiency when observed in infrared wavelengths. The study reveals that these galaxies have a metallicity consistent with the fundamental metallicity relation determined by stellar mass and star formation rate.
An international team analyzed infrared data from five dim galaxies, revealing no significant metal deficiency, contrary to earlier studies. The findings suggest heavy dust obscuration associated with starburst as the cause.
The Unistellar network of app-controlled eVscopes is now the world's largest group of citizen astronomers, thanks to grants from the Lounsbery and Moore Foundations. The updated app will alert citizen scientists to night-sky phenomena, enabling them to participate in crucial planetary defense activities.
The Event Horizon Telescope captured the first image of Sagittarius A*, a hot and dense black hole surrounded by superheated gas, improving our understanding of black holes. The Frontera supercomputer supported this achievement through innovative data-driven astronomy.
A team of astronomers led by Dr Marcin Glowacki have detected the most distant megamaser ever observed, with light traveling 58 trillion kilometers from its location at five billion light years from Earth. The megamaser is thought to be created when two galaxies collide, triggering a beam of concentrated light.
Researchers have captured a detailed image of odd radio circles (ORCs), which are enormous rings of faint radio emissions surrounding galaxies with active black holes. The new image provides more information to help narrow down theories on what causes ORCs, with three leading explanations including galactic shockwaves and wormholes.
Scientists have successfully identified a real-life Tatooine, the gas giant planet Kepler-16b, orbiting two stars using a new ground-based telescope technique called radial velocity method. This discovery opens the door for applying this method to find other systems with planets that could be habitable.
The study found a decline in star formation from low-ionization BAL to high-ionization BAL and a rebound of this process from HiBAL to non-BAL. The researchers proposed an evolutionary model to explain the results, suggesting that the outflow caused by AGNs has a global negative feedback on galaxy evolution.
NAU's Cristina Thomas is a renowned planetary astronomer who has received numerous awards for her groundbreaking research on asteroids and planetary defense. She is also recognized for her exceptional teaching and mentorship, making her a role model for underrepresented communities in STEM fields.
NAU astronomers, planetary astronomers and their students will conduct experiments using the JWST to expand their research and advance our understanding of the solar system. The telescope's advanced suite of instruments will explore planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and beyond.
Astronomers captured the most comprehensive image of radio emission from a supermassive black hole in the Centaurus A galaxy, powered by in-falling gas. The eruption extends eight degrees across the sky, spanning 16 full moons, and reveals spectacular new details of the radio emission.
Researchers analyze water molecules around protostars to confirm the presence of UV radiation in low-mass star-forming regions. They find that HCN and CN molecules are good indicators of UV radiation, with HCN being more sensitive to photodamage.
A team of researchers from Northern Arizona University discovered that water briefly existed in the Arabia Terra region on Mars. The study used thermal inertia to understand how rock layers were formed, revealing that the deposits could have only had water for a brief period.
The ngVLA received high priority for construction, with a dense core and signal processing center at the VLA site. The system will have greater sensitivity and resolving power than current facilities, complementing US-ELT and James Webb Space Telescope.
The PHAse Space MApping experiment, a complex plasma physics research project at WVU, aims to study the motion of ions and electrons in plasmas. The facility can measure three-dimensional motion at very small scales and is capable of performing detailed measurements.
Researchers used Hubble and ALMA telescopes to detect distant galaxies with little to no cold gas, revealing why some massive galaxies stopped forming new stars. The team's findings rewrite the early history of the universe, shedding light on galaxy evolution.
Dr. Sofia Sheikh has been awarded a Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to focus on fast radio bursts and develop improved technosignature detection methods. She will also mentor underrepresented students in physics and astronomy, leveraging the Allen Telescope Array's unique qualities.
The Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) will be a key tool for answering important scientific questions in astrophysics, offering sensitivity and resolving power 10 times greater than the current VLA. Construction could begin by 2026 with early scientific observations starting in 2029.
Astronomer David Trilling is leading a project to increase readiness of minority researchers for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The $900,000 grant will support research programs for thousands of worldwide scientists, including those from underrepresented communities.
A survey of over 650 astronomers and geophysicists reveals a systemic bullying problem, with disabled and black/minority ethnic individuals facing higher rates of bullying. Women and non-binary individuals are also more likely to experience bullying and harassment in the workplace.
The Event Horizon Telescope has imaged the heart of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A, pinpointing the location of its central supermassive black hole and revealing a gigantic jet being born. The new image challenges theoretical models of jets, showing that only the outer edges emit radiation.
The Royal Astronomical Society has launched a new gold open access journal, RAS Techniques and Instruments, to bridge the gap between generalist and specialist journals in these fields. The journal will publish high-quality papers on instrumentation, data science, machine learning, software, and numerical methods.
A team of Japanese astronomers developed a new AI technique to remove noise in astronomical data. They applied this tool to actual data from Japan's Subaru Telescope and found consistent results with currently accepted models of the Universe. This powerful new tool will analyze big data from current and planned astronomy surveys.
Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a new type of supernova, electron capture supernova, through observations of SN 2018zd. The discovery confirms a prediction made four decades ago and provides new insights into the life and death of stars.
The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment-2 (CIBER-2) has completed a successful first launch, aiming to better understand extragalactic background light and resolve discrepancies about the number of stars in the universe. The experiment will analyze data collected during four planned launches over several years.
A new project, 'The Reading Time Machine,' aims to digitize predigital scientific literature in astronomy, extracting text and figures to enhance searchable capabilities. Researchers will use optical character recognition and object detection methods to parse tables, figure captions, and science-relevant information.
Using new methods in astronomy, researchers have identified the most precise ages of red giant stars in the galaxy, shedding light on the timing of the early Milky Way's formation. The study suggests that the merger with the satellite galaxy Gaia-Enceladus occurred around 10 billion years ago.
Researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian are using a $2.8 million grant to test their theory that astronomy can be an early gateway to attract youth to STEM fields. The program, YouthAstroNet, has already shown positive results in increasing interest and confidence among students from underrepresented groups.
Researchers have discovered a persistent signature of plasma waves in the interstellar medium using Voyager 1's Plasma Wave System. The detection allows scientists to understand how the solar wind interacts with the interstellar environment.
The astronomy industry has a long way to go before achieving gender parity, with women making up less than one-third of professional astronomers by 2080. Implementing 50:50 hiring ratios and retention initiatives, such as exit surveys and work-life balance improvements, can help reach the goal of 30% female representation in a decade.
Ellen Price, a doctoral student at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, has been awarded the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship from the Heising-Simons Foundation. The fellowship will provide up to $375,000 in support for Price to conduct independent research in planetary astronomy over the next three years.
A study published in Latin American Antiquity reveals that the Supe Culture's pyramidal buildings in Caral, Peru, were aligned with lunar cycles and topographic features, indicating a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and landscape by ancient inhabitants. The researchers found that the buildings' orientations coincide with the m...
Tyler Robinson, a Northern Arizona University astronomer, has been recognized as a 2021 Cottrell Scholar for his outstanding academic leadership and research quality. He will receive a three-year $100,000 grant to advance his teaching and research, focusing on exoplanet atmospheres and undergraduate education.
The SETI Institute has selected 30 teachers from 10 states to participate in the NASA-funded Airborne Astronomy Ambassador program. The program aims to improve science teaching and increase student learning and STEM engagement through immersive astrophysics and planetary science training.
Researchers have detected a high-energy neutrino in the wake of a star's destruction by a black hole, providing new insights into the origins of Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays. This breakthrough sheds light on decades-old problem and offers support for the conclusion that Tidal Disruption Events could be responsible for producing UHECRs.
Research reveals large galaxies steal molecular gas from smaller satellite galaxies, impacting star formation rates. The study provides new systematic evidence of gas loss through ram pressure stripping, leading to galaxy stagnation without gas acquisition.
The latest observations from Insight-HXMT have discovered the origin of fast radio bursts (FRBs), revealing they come from soft-gamma repeater (SGR) J1935+2154, a magnetar in our Milky Way. This discovery resolves the longstanding puzzle concerning the origin of FRBs.
Scientists have challenged our current understanding of how galaxies form by unveiling pictures of a young galaxy with an unexpected appearance. ALESS 073.1 appears to have features expected of a mature galaxy, leading the team to question how it grew so fast.
The successful test paves the way for designing a more powerful transmitter to enhance detection and imaging of small objects in near-Earth space. The technology will allow unprecedented detail and sensitivity, increasing our understanding of the Solar System.
Astronomers observed a galaxy 12.8 billion light-years from Earth, revealing previously unseen details in its jet of material ejected at three-quarters the speed of light. The analysis supports theoretical models for blazar rarity in the early universe.
A new study using multi-messenger astronomy has estimated the radius of a typical neutron star to be around 11.75 kilometers and provided a novel calculation of the Hubble constant, which indicates the rate of universe expansion. The researchers' analysis combined gravitational-wave signals and electromagnetic emissions from neutron st...
A new $1 million Federal Government grant will enable a major upgrade to the Murchison Widefield Array, giving the giant radio telescope greater power to process signals from distant outer space. The upgrade will allow researchers to detect finer frequency and time observations, improving their ability to study the universe.
An international team led by The University of Western Australia has been shortlisted for the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize for outstanding achievement in high-performance computing. The team developed data pipelines for the future Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope and achieved record-breaking performance on the Summit supercomputer.
Scientists have confirmed that magnetars, extreme stars with strong magnetic fields, generate fast radio bursts (FRBs). The discoveries were made using four European radio telescopes and provide new insights into the origins of FRBs. The research aims to pin down how these extreme stars create brief blasts of radiation.
Scientists calculate that rare signals from dark matter can be detected by GPS atomic clocks and magnetometers, adding to multi-messenger astronomy
A team of astronomers has discovered the first cold brown dwarf using radio observations from the LOFAR telescope and Gemini North. The object, BDR J1750+3809, is a close cousin of Solar System planets like Jupiter and can be used to test theories predicting exoplanet magnetic fields.
Dr. Ed Fry, a distinguished professor at Texas A&M University, received the 2020 Nils Gunnar Jerlov Award for his contributions to understanding light scattering and optical absorption of water. The award recognizes his innovative research in ocean optics.
A team of scientists from Northern Arizona University reviewed the Spitzer Space Telescope's legacy in Nature Astronomy, documenting its groundbreaking discoveries about comets, stars, exoplanets, and distant galaxies. The papers also suggest targets for the next-generation James Webb Space Telescope.
Researchers have advanced studies on galaxy formation, revealing the role of massive clumps in scattering stars and creating smooth galaxy disks. The models show that this process is robust and universal, applying to many types of galaxies.
Researchers found a 1.5 ° C increase in near-ground temperature over four decades at the Paranal Observatory, threatening telescope quality due to air turbulence. Climate change also affects image resolution, contrast capabilities, and potentially limits exoplanet studies.
A CU student collaborated with three research teams to study perovskite nanocrystals, which have numerous applications. The team discovered a phase transition that affects the material's optical properties and has relevance to applications already in use.
Researchers found that Dome A's unique combination of high altitude, low temperature, and stable atmosphere makes it an attractive location for optical and infrared astronomy. This location could lead to sharper images and the detection of fainter objects, overcoming a major challenge in Earth-based astronomy: atmospheric turbulence.
Researchers analyzed the magnetic field of Milky Way-like galaxy NGC 4217 and discovered unique structures such as X-shaped fields, helices, superbubbles, and giant loops. These findings suggest a connection between star formation and supernovae explosions in shaping the galaxy's magnetic field.
A new study published in Nature Astronomy sheds light on the origin of carbon in the Milky Way, revealing that dying stars play a crucial role in its synthesis. The research team found that low-mass stars shed more massive remnants than previously thought, breaking a linear trend in star formation and planetary evolution.