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Search results for “Astronomy”

1,000+ results for "Astronomy"

The science and technology of FAST

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has enabled groundbreaking discoveries in pulsar and neutral hydrogen observations. With its ultra-wideband capabilities, FAST allows for the study of rotating radio transients in greater detail than ever before.

Sizing up a starry night

Researchers discovered the diameter of a giant red giant star 2,674 light-years away and a sun-like star at 700 light-years, setting a record for the smallest star measured. The team used asteroid occultations to calculate the stars' sizes with high accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Astronomy·DateApr 15, 2019

International astronomers reveal first image of event horizon of super-massive black hole

A team of international astronomers, including those from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, have successfully captured the first direct image of a supermassive black hole's event horizon. The image reveals the black hole at the center of Messier 87, a massive galaxy 55 million light-years from Earth.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateApr 10, 2019

Life on Mars?

Researchers have discovered embedded organic material in a Martian meteorite, suggesting that life could have existed on the Red Planet. The study proposes the presence of active bacteria on Mars and may indicate that there was once life beyond Earth.

SourceDe Gruyter·JournalOpen Astronomy·DateApr 4, 2019

Jupiter's unknown journey revealed

Researchers used computer simulations to discover Jupiter was formed four times further from the sun than its current position and migrated over 700,000 years. The Trojan asteroids' asymmetry provided key evidence for this migration theory.

Fusion science and astronomy collaboration enables investigation of the origin of heavy elements

A research team has successfully computed millions of highly accurate atomic data for neodymium ions, enabling studies of the origin of precious metals like gold and platinum. The findings show that the light of a kilonova, emitted by neutron star mergers, contains abundant heavy elements.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series·DateMar 11, 2019

Listening to quantum radio

Researchers at Delft University of Technology have created a quantum circuit that enables the detection of weak radio signals, which could revolutionize fields like radio astronomy and medicine. The breakthrough opens up possibilities for experiments that explore the interplay between quantum mechanics and gravity.

SourceDelft University of Technology·JournalScience·DateMar 8, 2019

The case of the over-tilting exoplanets

Researchers propose that obliquity is a key factor in the formation of pairs of over-tilting exoplanets, leading to extreme seasons and weather patterns. The study could have significant implications for estimating the structure, climate, and habitability of these planets.

SourceYale University·JournalNature Astronomy·DateMar 4, 2019

All the data in the sky, alerted via UW eyes

The Zwicky Transient Facility has identified thousands of new objects in the night sky, including binary star systems and black holes. The facility's automated alert system has successfully generated over 1.2 million alerts each night, sharing data with survey partners who are experimenting with machine-learning classification systems.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific·DateFeb 7, 2019

How hot are atoms in the shock wave of an exploding star?

Researchers measured temperatures of slow-moving gas atoms surrounding a star after an exploding star's shock wave, answering a long-standing question about their physical processes. The results confirm the relationship between atomic weight and temperature, settling an important issue in astrophysics.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJan 22, 2019

The 'Chinese Pyramids' and the pole star

Researchers discover Chinese pyramids exhibit surprising orientation patterns, defying expectations of traditional funerary practices. The study suggests that ancient Chinese emperors intentionally aligned their pyramids to the star Polaris, reflecting a deeper understanding of celestial movements and astronomy.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalArchaeological Research in Asia·DateNov 28, 2018

Scientists discover new 'pinwheel' star system

Researchers have discovered a new massive star system dubbed 'Apep,' featuring a slow-moving dust pinwheel that defies current theories on how large stars die. The system's unusual rotation is thought to cause the star to collapse at its poles before the equator, producing a gamma-ray burst.

SourceNew York University·JournalNature Astronomy·DateNov 19, 2018

Synchronized telescope dance puts limits on mysterious flashes in the sky

Astronomers have discovered that fast radio bursts, which are exceptionally bright flashes of energy coming from deep space, do not emit at low frequencies. The Murchison Widefield Array and Australian SKA Pathfinder telescopes were synchronized to observe the same point in the sky, allowing researchers to capture the same view and gai...

SourceInternational Centre for Radio Astronomy Research·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateOct 29, 2018

Researchers discover new type of stellar collision

An international team of astrophysicists has identified the first-ever merger of white and brown dwarf stars, with the debris left behind exhibiting unusual chemical compositions and organic molecules. The discovery sheds new light on the origin of a mysterious star observed by French monk Père Dom Anthelme in 1670.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateOct 9, 2018

Chilean scientists discover crucial event right before the death of a star

Researchers from Chile and international institutions have discovered a critical event right before the death of a star, revealing a previously unknown flash in Type II Supernovae. This breakthrough was made possible by using unique data analysis techniques developed in Chile, including machine learning and high-performance computing.

New galaxy found?

Chris Carr, an Ohio undergraduate, discovered a new galaxy 37 million lightyears away using deep sky images from the Burrell Schmidt telescope. The detection is part of the Leo I galaxy group and is considered the lowest surface brightness object ever detected via integrated light.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateAug 22, 2018