The European Southern Observatory's VISTA telescope has created the largest infrared map of the Milky Way, comprising over 200,000 images and covering an area equivalent to 8600 full moons. The dataset contains about 10 times more objects than a previous map released in 2012, including newborn stars, globular clusters, and brown dwarfs.
The SAGA Survey has found that the Milky Way Galaxy appears to be an outlier in terms of its satellite galaxies, having acquired only two large satellites recently compared to other systems. The survey also explores the mechanisms that would stop star formation in these small galaxies, finding that environmental factors play a role.
Astronomers have discovered the largest pair of black hole jets yet, stretching 23 million light-years and equivalent to 140 Milky Way galaxies. This finding suggests that these massive jet systems may have played a significant role in shaping galaxies in the early universe.
Astronomers have observed star clusters in the Extreme Outer Galaxy using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, revealing young protostars and jets of material. The detailed images provide unprecedented insights into star formation in this distant region.
UNLV astrophysicists found evidence suggesting the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, Sgr A*, is likely the result of a past cosmic merger. The study utilized data from the Event Horizon Telescope's 2022 observation of Sgr A* to investigate various growth models and demonstrated that the misaligned spin prop...
Researchers found that dark matter radiation could heat hydrogen gas long enough for gravity to condense it into clouds big and dense enough to turn into supermassive black holes. This process bypasses the need for stellar burning, accretion, and mergers, which typically take billions of years.
Researchers at the University of South Australia have developed an AI sensor that can accurately measure the orientation of the Milky Way in low light, using a technique inspired by the dung beetle. This system could improve navigation for drones and satellites in difficult lighting conditions.
Researchers have found the nearest massive black hole to Earth, located at the center of Omega Centauri, a galaxy that was swallowed by the Milky Way. The discovery provides insight into the formation history of galaxies and confirms long-held suspicions about the existence of intermediate-mass black holes.
A research team used the "motion picture" method to measure the precession rate of the Milky Way's disk warp, revealing a slightly oblate dark matter halo with a flattening ratio between 0.84 and 0.96. The study found that the current dark matter halo exhibits a retrograde precession direction at a rate of 2 km/s/kpc.
Scientists have discovered tiny, bright objects in the early universe that are packed with hundreds of millions of years old stars, defying conventional thinking about galaxy evolution. The objects also harbor surprisingly large supermassive black holes, estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times more massive than our Milky Way's black hole.
Researchers have discovered a hidden treasure in the Milky Way, identifying Cygnus X-3 as an ultra-luminous X-ray source. The use of X-ray polarized vision has revealed the configuration of dense matter surrounding the black hole, sparking new insights into extreme matter consumption.
Researchers discovered a rotating, magnetic wind that helps the galaxy's central supermassive black hole grow, similar to the birth of stars and planets. The study provides new clues to solving the mystery of how supermassive black holes grow, with potential implications for understanding galaxy evolution.
Researchers discovered nine X-ray flares from Sagittarius A* and analyzed a decade's worth of data to understand the black hole's environment. They also examined the black hole's activity using echoes from a giant molecular cloud, providing insights into its past activity.
A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, Crater 2, has been studied by a UC Riverside-led team. They offer an explanation for its unusual properties using the self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) theory.
Researchers uncover new clues about the early universe, finding spiral galaxies were prevalent as early as 2 billion years after the universe formed. This discovery challenges previous theories and provides insight into how spiral galaxies like the Milky Way formed over time.
An international team of astronomers found that most nearby young star clusters belong to just three families, which formed in massive star-forming regions. These star clusters also left traces on Earth, including the Local Bubble and iron isotopes in the crust.
Heidi Jo Newberg and Tom Donlon's research using Gaia data reveals the Milky Way Galaxy's last major collision occurred billions of years later than previously thought. The team found that the galaxy's wrinkles, formed by collisions with other galaxies, dissipated over time, allowing them to trace the timing of the final collision.
The SPECULOOS project has discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet around SPECULOOS-3, a nearby ultra-cool dwarf star. The planet, named SPECULOOS-3 b, is similar in size to our own planet and orbits the star in just 17 hours, resulting in constant day and night conditions.
Researchers have discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, forming between 12 and 13 billion years ago. The team believes these 'Small Accreted Stellar System' (SASS) stars originated from small primitive galaxies absorbed by the Milky Way.
Chinese researchers have discovered huge magnetic toroids in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy using data from pulsars and radio telescopes. The study provides crucial constraints on the origin of cosmic magnetic fields and offers insights into the physics of our galaxy.
Astronomers have identified a massive stellar black hole with a mass of 33 solar masses, making it the most massive found in the Milky Way. The black hole is located at 2000 light-years away and was discovered using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.
Researchers have discovered a star orbiting a massive black hole 33 times heavier than the sun's mass, located 1500 light-years away from Earth. The binary system Gaia BH3 contains an ordinary star that seems to have formed over ten billion years ago.
Researchers found compelling evidence that the Milky Way highlighted Nut's divine presence, tracing her backbone across the heavens. The study also connected Egyptian beliefs with those of other cultures, showing similarities in how different societies interpret the Milky Way.
The ALMA radio telescope detected over 100 molecular species in the starburst galaxy NGC 253, a significant increase from previous studies. This knowledge will help astronomers understand the factors leading to starbursts and plan future observations.
Researchers used a powerful framework called THEMIS to generate clear images of the Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) black hole, revealing its plasma ring and magnetic field lines. The study provides strong evidence for the need of strong magnetic fields in the accretion disk to push accreting plasma around.
Researchers observed strong, twisted, and organised magnetic fields near the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. The findings suggest that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes.
Scientists unveil strong and organized magnetic fields near Sagittarius A* black hole, strikingly similar to M87*, suggesting common traits among all black holes. The discovery hints at a hidden jet in Sgr A* and reveals the importance of magnetic fields in black hole interactions.
Researchers analyze data from another series of observations to study Sgr A*, finding that strong and ordered magnetic fields are critical to how black holes interact with gas and matter around them. The discovery enhances theoretical models and simulations, refining our understanding of black hole dynamics near the event horizon.
Astronomers Khyati Malhan and Hans-Walter Rix identified two proto-galactic fragments, Shakti and Shiva, that merged with an early Milky Way between 12-13 billion years ago. These remnants share low metal content and unusual energy and angular momentum values, making them potential ancestors of the galaxy.
Researchers at Nagoya University discovered IVCs have lower heavy elements than previously reported, contradicting the Galactic Fountain Model. This finding suggests that particles in these clouds originated outside our galaxy, leading to new insights into galaxy evolution.
A team of researchers discovered that some white dwarf stars stopped cooling due to the formation of floating crystals, which displace heavier material and release gravitational energy. This phenomenon challenges the traditional view of white dwarfs as 'dead stars' and requires a revision of astronomy textbooks.
A team of international astronomers has captured stunning images of over 80 young stars and planetary discs using the ESO's VLT. The research provides a wealth of data on planet formation, revealing diverse populations of planets and planetary nurseries across three star-forming regions in the Milky Way galaxy.
The new CLASS maps provide further insight into linear polarization, helping scientists study the Milky Way but also studying the early universe. The results significantly improve observations, allowing for a better understanding of the cosmic microwave background and its implications on the universe's origins.
Scientists have discovered a giant ultra-high-energy gamma-ray bubble structure in the Cygnus star-forming region, indicating the presence of a super cosmic ray accelerator. The discovery is the first to reveal the origin of cosmic rays with energy higher than 10 Peta-Electronvolt.
A new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and VLA data reveals that the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is spinning at about 60% of its maximum possible speed. This spin could provide an incredibly powerful kick to surrounding matter if the amount of material in the vicinity increases.
Astronomers have discovered a massive, wave-shaped structure in the Milky Way, which is oscillating through space-time. The Radcliffe Wave is approximately 9,000 light years long and moves like a traveling wave, with star clusters along its path moving up and down.
Researchers have discovered a multi-planet system that provides a rare glimpse into the formation of planets around a young star. The system consists of six confirmed planets and potentially a seventh, all forming under similar conditions at an age of just 700 million years.
A team of MIT physicists analyzed Gaia and APOGEE data to find stars farther out in the galactic disk are rotating more slowly than expected. This flat rotation curve indicates a lower mass galactic core, potentially containing less dark matter than previously estimated.
A team of international scientists has spotted a new type of elderly giant star, nicknamed 'old smokers,' which emits clouds of smoke over decades. These stars, hidden from view in visible light, were discovered using infrared light and have significant implications for the spread of heavy elements in space.
Researchers found an unknown object orbiting a rapidly spinning millisecond pulsar, weighing more than the heaviest neutron stars and less than the lightest black holes. The discovery was made using the MeerKAT Radio Telescope and could reveal new insights into black holes and neutron stars.
Researchers analyzing data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope found that most early galaxies were flat and elongated, resembling breadsticks. These galaxies were less massive than nearby spirals and ellipticals, and are thought to be precursors to more massive galaxies like our own.
Researchers analyze tidal disruption events (TDEs) to estimate the properties of supermassive black holes and stars. The CN22 model, proposed by Syracuse University researchers, provides a new way forward for understanding TDEs and their implications for galaxy evolution.
A team of astronomers created the first-ever 3D map of magnetic field structures within a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy, showing that magnetic fields break away from the general picture and impact star-forming regions. The findings suggest that magnetic fields played a role in creating our own solar system.
Researchers from Lehigh University have successfully mapped 15 orphaned stars to their birth clusters in the Milky Way using Gaia Mission data. The study provides new insights into the galaxy's history and star cluster dynamics.
The EXPLORE toolkit offers interactive visual analytics and machine learning to analyze galaxy data, identify unusual stars, and visualize the lunar surface. Users can create immersive experiences, including 3D models of the Moon and interactive sky maps.
Researchers at Lund University have determined the age of three mysterious baby stars at the heart of the Milky Way, finding them to be 100 million to 1 billion years old. The stars' unusual chemical composition also surprised the team, indicating that the galaxy's center may be inhomogeneous.
Astronomers discover star S0-6 with chemical composition similar to small galaxies outside Milky Way, suggesting extragalactic origin. The star, 10 billion years old, has traveled over 50,000 light-years from its birthplace to reach vicinity of Sagittarius A*, raising questions about its past and possible companions.
Researchers discover substantial presence of frozen carbon monoxide in 'The Brick', a mysterious dark region at the Milky Way's center. The findings indicate a critical need to re-evaluate established theories regarding star formation.
Researchers from Rice University and Durham University discovered a rotating disc of material circling a massive young star outside the Milky Way. The finding provides strong evidence for the formation process of high-mass stars, which are several times bigger than the Sun.
A team of astronomers led by Durham University detected a rotating disc structure around a forming high-mass star in another galaxy, marking the first extragalactic detection. The disc is estimated to be around 15 times the mass of our Sun and provides insights into star formation across different galactic environments.
Researchers Till Sawala and Peter Johansson propose that frequent interactions and mergers within the Supergalactic Plane lead to elliptical galaxies, while isolation outside the plane preserves spiral structure. The team's simulation is consistent with observations, supporting the standard model of dark matter.
Research reveals that the Supergalactic Plane's sparse spiral galaxies are transformed into elliptical galaxies through frequent interactions and mergers. The study used simulations to model the evolution of the Universe, finding consistency with observations of our cosmic environment.
Researchers found a barred spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way at a redshift of 3, challenging previous understanding of galaxy evolution. The discovery suggests that galaxies matured and became ordered much faster than thought, with implications for theories of galaxy formation and evolution.
Astronomers at Harvard University have discovered a tilted dark matter halo, explaining the Milky Way's warp and flare. The team used models to calculate star orbits within a warped, oblong dark matter halo, matching existing observations of a distorted galaxy.
Astronomers used James Webb Space Telescope to discover that Milky Way-like galaxies are surprisingly common and dominated throughout the universe's history. These 'disk' galaxies formed 10 billion years ago or longer and were previously thought to be fragile in early Universe.
A WVU astronomer is searching the Milky Way for debris left behind by supernovas, with $331,170 in NSF funding. He hopes to discover new supernova remnants using radio wavelength data from telescopes and machine-learning software.
Researchers have found that studying the mass and movement of the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way could help place an upper limit on the value of dark energy. The technique may provide valuable insights into the mysterious force, but it is not yet a direct detection.
Researchers have found a source for the mysterious alignment of planetary nebulae near the Galactic Centre, attributing it to close binary stars. The study confirms the alignment but also reveals that specific groups of planets are responsible.
A team of scientists from UNIGE, Northwestern University, and the University of Florida used POSYDON code to simulate binary-star populations, predicting the existence of massive 30 solar mass black hole binaries in Milky Way-like galaxies. This challenges previous theories and provides new insights into the astrophysical origins of me...
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has produced an image of the Milky Way using neutrinos for the first time. The high-energy neutrinos were detected from the galactic plane, confirming what is known about our galaxy and cosmic ray sources.