Astronomers used data from ESO's large telescopes and space-based facilities to spot tens of millions of sources in a wide area of the sky, identifying over 70 rogue planets comparable to Jupiter's mass. The discovery could provide clues on how these mysterious objects form, with further advances needed to study them in greater detail.
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.
Researchers developed a holographic lens that can focus light onto a single point or disperse it into its constituent colors, producing a spectrum of pure colors. The new method uses two sources of light to create a super spectral resolution optical element for detecting exoplanets with high resolution.
Scientists study potential for life around M-dwarf planets with new telescope, finding atmospheres may be dried out due to intense radiation. The James Webb Space Telescope can detect gases in heavy carbon dioxide or oxygen-dominated atmospheres.
A team of astronomers has observed six massive galaxies in the early universe that have mysteriously stopped forming stars due to depleted gas reserves. The discovery was made possible by the Hubble Space Telescope's high resolution and gravitational lensing, allowing researchers to study these galaxies in unprecedented detail.
The Big Bear Solar Observatory will become home to NSF's Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) telescope, enabling researchers to study long-term changes in the Sun's activity and its impact on Earth. SOLIS will provide comprehensive observations of the Sun's magnetic fields, solar flares, and space weather events.
The SuperBIT telescope will make its operational debut in April, offering high-resolution images rivalling those of the Hubble Space Telescope. The instrument will test whether dark matter slows down during collisions, a key signature predicted by theories explaining recent muon observations.
The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered four new planets that are consistent with Earth-sized masses and may be free-floating in space. These findings suggest the existence of a population of free-floating planets, which could have been ejected from host stars by gravitational forces.
The Hubble Space Telescope's payload computer halted in June, causing science data collection to stop. The team is investigating various hardware pieces, including the Command Unit/Science Data Formatter and power regulator, as possible culprits. They will continue assessing hardware for a week before recommending fixes if necessary.
Researchers analyzed over 900 patents to identify key technological trends in the New Space economy. The study found that data is the most valuable asset in this ecosystem, with 62% of patents related to data products and services. Emerging topics include active constellation management and new satellite systems design.
The CHIME telescope has detected over 500 fast radio bursts, quadrupling the number of known radio bursts. The newly discovered signals reveal two distinct classes: repeaters and one-offs, which are thought to arise from separate mechanisms and astrophysical sources.
The Roman Space Telescope will create massive infrared images, 200 times larger than Hubble, with exquisite resolution. The 24 flight-certified detectors will enable scientists to explore vast celestial objects and phenomena.
Researchers observed plasma jets interacting with magnetic fields in a massive galaxy cluster 600 million light years away. The findings can help clarify how such galaxy clusters evolve, providing new insights into the structure of intracluster magnetic fields.
Scientists have discovered a clear pattern in extreme space weather events, making it possible to predict when they will occur. The findings suggest that Moon missions may be delayed to avoid the most intense periods of solar activity, which can pose risks to astronauts and satellites.
Researchers at the Centre Spatial de Liège developed a method to identify and characterize stray light on space telescopes using femto-second pulsed lasers. This will improve the quality of images and develop more efficient space instruments.
The world's largest and most powerful space science telescope, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, has completed a key milestone with the fully expanded and locked primary mirror.
Researchers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to examine the massive star two-and-a-half years before its explosion. The team found that the star lacked its typical hydrogen layer, making it unusually cool before exploding into a supernova.
The University of Texas at Austin, in partnership with the Arecibo Observatory and other organizations, has successfully moved telescope data to a secure storage system. This move will ensure the continued discovery and innovation sparked by Arecibo's legacy, making its vast astronomy data accessible for over 50 years.
Astronomers have discovered a pulsar, a dense and rapidly spinning neutron star sending radio waves into the cosmos. The finding is significant as it hints at a large population of pulsars awaiting discovery in the Southern Hemisphere, with the potential to be detected by the Square Kilometre Array telescope.
A new telescope may be able to spot biosignatures on other planets in just three days, with six gas dwarf planets potentially harboring life. Researchers have calculated that the James Webb Space Telescope could detect ammonia around these planets after a few orbits.
Three rapidly rotating brown dwarfs were discovered spinning around their axes once every hour, reaching speeds of about 350,000 kilometers per hour. This extreme rotation rate is ten times faster than Jupiter and poses a risk to the stability of these objects.
Engineers successfully folded NASA's James Webb Space Telescope sunshield, a five-layer diamond-shaped structure to fit within its launch vehicle. The compact form will remain through launch and the first few days in space to protect optics from heat interference.
Researchers discovered three new FRBs with high dispersion measure from the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), indicating they happened billions of years ago. The findings suggest there could be as many as 120,000 detectable FRBs arriving on Earth every day.
Space radiation poses significant risks to astronaut cardiovascular health, including myocardial remodeling, atherosclerosis, and inflammation. Research highlights the potential of antioxidant treatments, such as vitamin C and spinach, to protect astronauts from space-induced damage.
A team of researchers used novel data analysis methods and Einstein@Home computing power to track down a neutron star's gamma-ray pulsations in NASA's Fermi Space Telescope data. The study reveals the existence of a rapidly rotating neutron star in orbit with a stellar companion about six times the mass of our Sun.
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.
Researchers from RIT and Green Bank Observatory used Hubble Space Telescope images to analyze the Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302) and Jewel Bug Nebula (NGC 7027), shedding light on nebula formation processes. The study confirmed that the Butterfly Nebula was ejected only about 2,000 years ago, with its S-shaped iron emission possibly even ...
The Roman Space Telescope will enable new science in astrophysics by imaging an area 100 times larger than Hubble with the same crisp sharpness. It could reveal new insights into star formation during the universe's youth and galaxy clustering, as well as study the early universe and cosmic dawn.
The five-layer sunshield of the James Webb Space Telescope has completed a final series of large-scale deployment and tensioning tests, putting the observatory one step closer to its launch. The sunshield protects the telescope from heat and light, maintaining an extremely cold temperature for groundbreaking science in infrared light.
The VENUS device simulates complex organic molecules in interstellar space conditions by replicating the strong vacuum and frigid temperatures found in space. This allows researchers to better understand how these molecules form and potentially identify prebiotic species involved in early life processes.
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.
The Inouye Solar Telescope has released its first image of a sunspot, revealing striking details of the sunspot's structure. The image achieves a spatial resolution about 2.5 times higher than ever previously achieved, showing magnetic fields as small as 20 kilometers on the surface of the Sun.
Researchers have overcome a major limitation of stratospheric balloon payloads by creating an ultralight dewar that can cool large telescopes to near absolute zero. The breakthrough enables scientists to explore the cold universe and see faint signals from distant galaxies.
Researchers found that space travel can make cellular mitochondria dysfunctional due to changes in gravity, radiation exposure, and other factors. This has significant implications for future space travel and medical science on Earth.
The US National Science Foundation will decommission the 305-meter telescope at Arecibo Observatory due to catastrophic failure and long-term stability issues. The observatory's staff and visitors' safety is the top priority, and other parts of the facility will be preserved for future research.
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.
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.
A new telescope, Outrigger, will be built at the Green Bank Observatory to pinpoint the locations of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) in far-off galaxies. The telescope will work with the existing CHIME telescope to triangulate FRB locations and provide insights into their nature.
The ULLYSES program aims to create a comprehensive dataset for understanding star formation and its impact on planet habitability. The Hubble Space Telescope will observe over 300 stars across eight regions, capturing their spectral templates to inform research on stellar evolution and planetary chemistry.
Project Man in Space, initiated by social psychologist Donald Michael in 1955, aimed to capture public opinion on space exploration. The program's research revealed strong interest in Sputnik and influenced public support for new initiatives, but also perpetuated utopian narratives that obscured military applications.
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.
The Spitzer Space Telescope made significant discoveries in the solar system during its 16-year mission, providing a never-before-possible look at the universe. New papers catalog these findings and offer guidance for future scientists studying exoplanets and planet formation.
Sustainable space management is at risk under US-centric policies that prioritize national regulation over international cooperation. The Artemis Accords could lead to a 'race to the bottom' in space mining regulations, threatening lunar stability and increasing asteroid mining risks.
Astronomers using Gemini South's adaptive optics system have captured detailed images of the Carina Nebula with a resolution comparable to the Webb Space Telescope. The high-def images reveal intricate structures within the nebula, including parallel ridges and fragments being sheared off by strong winds.
Hubble observed SN 2018gv in February 2018 to precisely measure the universe's expansion rate. The supernova serves as a 'milepost marker' to calculate galaxy distances and fundamental values needed for measuring space expansion.
The Giant Magellan Telescope will utilize revolutionary optical technologies to transform humanity's view and understanding of the universe. The NSF grant enables the prototyping and testing of advanced optics, including adaptive secondary mirrors and phasing testbeds, to achieve diffraction-limited imaging.
Astronomers used NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and VLT to map dark matter distribution in galaxy clusters. The data showed unexpected lensing effects 10 times stronger than expected, hinting at a missing ingredient in current theories.
Astronomers used the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope to scan a patch of sky known to include at least 10 million stars. The study found no technosignatures, or signs of powerful radio emissions that could indicate intelligent life.
A review highlights the potential of treating space travelers with treatments targeting the gut microbiome to protect against negative health effects. Promoting a healthy gut microbiome may be key to reaching Mars in one piece.
The CHARA Array, the world's largest optical interferometer, has received $7.1 million to fund a new mobile telescope and expand its open-access program for scientists. The new telescope will increase the array's diameter to over one kilometer and provide the highest resolution of any instrument in the world.
The James Webb Space Telescope successfully completed a critical ground segment test, demonstrating the complete end-to-end flow from planning science observations to downlinking data. This milestone validates the observatory's ability to respond to commands and function in space.
Hubble Space Telescope images reveal comet NEOWISE's intact nucleus and intricate coma structure. The telescope's high resolution allows for the detection of dust and gas jets emanating from the nucleus, providing valuable insights into the comet's composition and behavior.
The Roman Space Telescope will detect hundreds of rogue planets using microlensing surveys, improving our understanding of planetary demographics. The mission aims to narrow down competing models of planetary formation by studying isolated planets with masses as small as Mars.
A team of researchers used Arecibo Observatory data and NASA's Fermi Large Area Space Telescope to detect a gamma-ray heartbeat coming from a cosmic gas cloud. The 'heartbeat' rhythm matches the precession of a black hole's jets, suggesting that the cloud's emission is powered by the microquasar.
Astronomers used Hubble Space Telescope to detect ozone in Earth's atmosphere, simulating conditions for future exoplanet observations. The study aims to develop models of Earth's spectrum as a template for categorizing atmospheres on extrasolar planets.
A team led by astrophysicist Allison Youngblood used the Hubble Space Telescope to view Earth as if it were an exoplanet, capturing ultraviolet signals of ozone in its atmosphere. The study demonstrates a proof-of-concept for detecting biosignatures of life on distant planets.
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.
The Roman mission's ground system has successfully completed its preliminary design review, meeting all requirements for science operations. The new data system will enable scientists to conduct sweeping cosmic surveys, yielding a wealth of new information about the universe, including insights into dark matter and dark energy.
The WVU Robotic Technology Center and Maxar are collaborating on the SPIDER project to demonstrate in-space assembly of a satellite using a lightweight robotic arm. The technology developed under SPIDER could enable self-assembling commercial satellites, human space exploration, and in-space telescope assembly.
The Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of a young star surrounded by a disk that casts a huge, 200-light-year-long shadow. The shadow's movement was initially thought to be caused by planet warping the disk, but further observation revealed it was actually flapping like wings.