Researchers have mapped the orbit of a rare Nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star in the WR 133 binary system, marking the first-ever visually observed orbit of this type. The team determined the dynamical mass of both stars, with the WN star having 9.3 times more mass than our Sun.
Research reveals that galaxies with larger, 'puffy' disks continue to form stars over a longer period after cosmic noon. This is due to the cooler gas and lower influence of black holes, allowing for continued star formation. By studying galaxy disk size, astronomers can now accurately predict when star formation will cease.
Astrophysicists at MIT have discovered an extended dark matter halo around Tucana II, a primitive ultrafaint dwarf galaxy. The halo is estimated to be three to five times more massive than previously thought, implying that the first galaxies in the universe were likely larger and more massive.
Researchers detected high-energy X-ray emissions around a group of neutron stars, known as the Magnificent 7, which could be attributed to theorized axions or dark matter. The study uses supercomputing and data analysis to predict axion production in neutron star cores.
Researchers discovered that the two stars in the HS Hydrae system were almost completely eclipsing each other 50 years ago but now barely overlap. The team predicts that the eclipses will cease around February 2021, marking the end of this rare stellar dance.
Astronomers using ALMA have observed a distant galaxy losing its ability to form stars after ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas. The galaxy's gas ejection is happening at an alarming rate, equivalent to 10,000 Suns-worth per year.
Researchers used combined signals from binary neutron star mergers to study ultra-dense matter and constrain the Hubble constant. The analysis, led by Tim Dietrich, provided new insights into neutron star equation of state and expansion rate of the Universe.
The new data includes exceptionally accurate measurements of the 300,000 stars within the closest 326 light years to the Sun. Researchers predict how the star background will change in the next 1.6 million years and confirm that the Solar system is accelerating in its orbit around the Galaxy.
Researchers at University of Kansas discover a galaxy 5.25 billion light years away undergoing a rare stage in its life cycle, where an X-ray luminous AGN coexists with high star formation rates. The team found that the galaxy is still generating new stars despite the presence of the active galactic nucleus.
A team of scientists has detected neutrinos from the sun directly revealing that the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) fusion-cycle is at work in our sun. This detection confirms the CNO cycle as the dominant energy source powering stars heavier than the sun.
The team observed the nebula with two different spectrographs on large telescopes, finding that the central star is inflated and signatures of accretion are present. The data suggest a merging binary star system, offering a clear view of the central stellar remnant.
A study of ancient star orbits reveals unexpected patterns, contradicting previous assumptions about the Galaxy's metal-poor stars. The research, conducted by a team of astronomers, found that some of these stars orbit in previously unpredicted paths, similar to the Sun's path within the disk.
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.
Researchers from the University of Michigan found that the vast majority of field massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud are 'runaways,' or stars ejected from clusters. They discovered that these stars could have formed in isolation or were dynamically ejected due to unstable orbital configurations.
For the first time, astronomers have surveyed over 250 million stars in the Milky Way's bulge, measuring their chemical composition and gaining new insights into the galaxy's formation. The data will help scientists understand how the Milky Way formed its central bulge and gain a better understanding of other galaxies.
Astronomers have found compelling evidence that planets start to form while infant stars are still growing. The ALMA radio observatory has captured a high-resolution image of the proto-star IRS 63 with multiple gaps and rings of dust, indicating that seeds of planets are forming in these cosmic cradles.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Georgia Tech used supercomputers to model the formation of the first stars, known as Population III or Pop III stars. Their simulations showed that these ancient stars forged heavier elements, such as carbon, which seeded the next generation of stars.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered the first shell-like formations of stars in the Milky Way, created by a 2.7 billion-year-old broadside collision with a dwarf galaxy. The findings offer new insights into the ancient event and its potential implications for other stellar phenomena.
Astronomers at the University of Vienna used machine learning to trace groups of stars born together and found thousands of sibling stars surrounding well-known cores of star clusters. The discovery reveals that star clusters are enclosed in rich halos, or coronae, more than 10 times larger than previously thought.
Researchers reconstruct when most stars formed in the Universe, agreeing with telescope observations for the first time. They use a new algorithm to model energy and wavelengths of light coming from 7000 nearby galaxies.
A recent study from an international team led by Prof. ZHAO Gang, Prof. SHI Jianrong, and Dr. YAN Hongliang found that most lithium-rich stars are 'red clumps' rather than 'red giants'. The research provides new insights into the origin of the ancient element lithium.
The team discovered two massive young stars shrouded by gaseous disks containing sodium chloride and heated water vapor. The disks are counter-rotating, indicating the pair may not be twins, but rather strangers formed in separate clouds.
Interactions with binary companions generate complex planetary nebula shapes by influencing the stellar wind of elderly stars. Leen Decin and colleagues observed AGB star winds using ALMA, finding none with spherical symmetry and instead distinct geometries similar to those in PNe.
A new analysis of galaxy evolution finds that neutron star collisions do not create the quantity of chemical elements previously assumed. Instead, an entirely different sort of stellar phenomenon - unusual supernovae with strong magnetic fields - is responsible for making most of the heavy elements, including gold.
Researchers found three large, misaligned dust rings around the young triple star system GW Ori, with sufficient dust for planet formation. A computer simulation suggests that a hidden planet may have carved out a dust gap and broken the disk at the location of the current inner and outer rings.
A team of experts identified a stellar system where planet formation might take place in inclined dust and gas rings within a warped circumstellar disc around multiple stars. The discovery reveals that the inner ring contains 30 Earth masses of dust, which could be enough to form planets.
A team of astronomers identified the first direct evidence that groups of stars can tear apart their planet-forming discs, leaving them warped and with tilted rings. This discovery suggests exotic planets may form in inclined rings around multiple stars.
Two teams of astronomers used ALMA to discover a misaligned ring system in the planet-forming disk of GW Orionis, a triple star system. The findings suggest that either gravitational pull from the stars or a newborn planet caused the misalignment, highlighting the complex processes involved in planetary formation.
Scientists successfully simulated the crushing pressure of white dwarf stars to describe matter behavior, particularly in areas with oscillations. The findings could lead to new approaches for creating novel materials in laboratories.
Researchers have found that dormant small galaxies can slowly accumulate gas over billions of years, allowing for the formation of new stars. The study's findings shed light on the mysterious process of star formation in dwarf galaxies, providing insights into astrophysical processes.
Astronomers have found a strange dismembered star cluster at the galaxy's edge, with lower quantities of heavier elements than other globular clusters. The discovery poses significant problems for current ideas on globular cluster origins.
Scientists have identified Dome A in Antarctica as the best place on Earth to view distant stars, thanks to its extremely stable atmosphere. The location offers a unique opportunity to observe the universe with greatly reduced interference from atmospheric turbulence.
Researchers have discovered an unusual pulsar in a binary system with two neutron stars of different masses, which could provide vital clues about unsolved mysteries in astrophysics. The discovery, published in Nature, sheds light on the expansion rate of the Universe and the nature of exotic matter that makes up neutron star interiors.
A team of international scientists discovered an asymmetrical double neutron star system, which could provide vital clues about the expansion rate of the universe. The finding uses the National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory's powerful radio telescope and builds upon a 2017 LIGO/Virgo discovery.
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.
Researchers discovered that Sun-like stars create lithium later in their lives, after swelling into red giants, contradicting previous theories. This finding will help improve understanding and modeling of Sun-like stars, including their contribution to the lithium content of our Galaxy and planets like Earth.
A new study reveals that low-mass stars become white dwarfs, producing carbon essential for life, challenging previous theories. The findings place a minimum mass threshold of 1.5 solar masses for star-induced carbon enrichment.
Scientists have detected an object of 2.6 solar masses, firmly placing it within the 'mass gap' between neutron stars and black holes. The discovery was made using LIGO and Virgo detectors and may challenge current theoretical models.
Researchers estimate that there may be as many as one Earth-like planet for every five Sun-like stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. This number could lead to new insights into planet formation and evolution theories, optimizing future exoplanet missions.
The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, found that there are more stars like the Sun than expected in these groups, increasing the chances of finding Earth-like planets. These 'magma ocean planets' are easier to detect near stars like the Sun and emit heat that can be observed with next-generation infrared telescopes.
Researchers have identified over 2,000 large protostars using AI analysis of Gaia space telescope data. These young stars are believed to hold secrets about the origin of massive stars and galaxy formation.
A team of European researchers used Hubble Space Telescope to study the early Universe, finding no evidence of Population III stars. The discovery suggests that galaxies must have formed much earlier than previously thought, supporting the idea that low-mass galaxies are responsible for reionisation.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki have found strong evidence for the presence of exotic quark matter inside the cores of the largest neutron stars in existence. The new results were published in Nature Physics and combined recent findings from theoretical particle and nuclear physics with astrophysical measurements.
Extreme horizontal branch stars, with four to five times hotter than the Sun, show giant magnetic spots that cause regular brightness variations. These spots are also linked to superflare events, explosions of energy several million times more energetic than similar eruptions on the Sun.
A three-year study of Westerlund 2, a massive young star cluster, reveals that the material surrounding stars near the centre is mysteriously devoid of dense clouds of dust. This is caused by the brightest stars eroding and dispersing the discs of gas and dust of neighbouring stars.
Astronomers found that stars in the cluster's periphery have planet-forming dust clouds, while those near the center lack them. The observations suggest that location plays a crucial role in planet formation, and massive stars may alter disk properties, making it harder for planets to form.
Researchers have developed a new model that enables direct measurement of vibrations inside neutron stars from gravitational-wave signals. This will provide fresh insights into the fundamental nature and composition of these mysterious objects, unlocking new avenues for studying extremely dense nuclear matter.
Researchers discovered black hole-neutron star mergers in globular star clusters can be detected using computer simulations. The study offers critical insights into the fusion of massive stellar objects, with potential implications for gravitational wave detection.
A new study by an international team of astrophysicists has discovered a subset of delta Scuti stars with simpler and more understandable pulsation spectra. This breakthrough could provide valuable insights into the internal structures of these stars, which have long been challenging to study due to their random spectra.
Researchers have discovered a class of pulsating stars with remarkably regular high-frequency pulsation modes, opening up new ways to determine the masses and internal structures of these intermediate-sized stars. This breakthrough uses precise data from NASA's TESS mission to cut through noise and reveal clear patterns.
Researchers used TESS data to detect regular patterns in delta Scuti star pulsations, allowing them to understand the internal structure of massive nuclear furnaces. The findings provide a window into the past, enabling scientists to study how stars and their planets form and change over time.
Astronomers have detected elusive pulsation patterns in dozens of young Delta Scuti stars using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The discovery will revolutionize scientists' ability to study the ages, sizes and compositions of these stars.
A study of 369 solar-like stars reveals that the Sun's solar brightness variations are among the weakest, with fluctuations typically about 5 times stronger in other stars. The research suggests that our star may have been unusually inactive over the past 9000 years.
Researchers analyzed 369 solar-like stars and found that the Sun is less magnetically active and variable than similar stars. The study suggests that most stars are five times more variable than the Sun over the last 140 years, with potential explanations including long-term variability or unrecognized differences.
The James Webb Space Telescope will survey the Trapezium Cluster in the Orion Nebula to understand how young stars and planets form. The team will study the distribution of masses, planet formation phases, and jets from young stars, shedding light on stellar nursery riddles.
The James Webb Space Telescope will study three dense clouds, known as infrared-dark clouds, to understand the formation process of massive stars. These clouds are thought to be raw dough before baking, providing a unique window into the environment needed for star birth.
Researchers analyzed data from 224 stars to understand the interplay between rotation and convection in determining a star's activity level. The study found that turbulent convection plays a crucial role in explaining the behavior of main-sequence and evolved stars, contradicting previous models.
The Sombrero galaxy's halo is home to an unexpected abundance of metal-rich stars, defying conventional theory. Researchers attribute this finding to major mergers in the galaxy's past, which are puzzling given the galaxy's smooth disk structure.
According to a University of Warwick astronomer, the majority of stars in the universe will become luminous enough to blast surrounding asteroids into successively smaller fragments. This process will be triggered by the YORP effect, which creates an imbalance that spins up orbiting asteroids until they break apart.
An international team of astronomers has discovered an unusual monster galaxy called XMM-2599, which formed most of its stars in a huge frenzy when the universe was less than 1 billion years old. The galaxy stopped forming stars and became inactive by the time the universe was only 1.8 billion years old.