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.
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 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.
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.
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 have developed a method to detect the presence of weak gravitational wave events, revealing a lost 8 billion light years of universe evolution. This breakthrough will allow scientists to observe farther away in space-time and gain insights into the early universe's structure.
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.
Astronomers have discovered a region around a protostar containing complex organic molecules, dubbed a 'hot corino,' which is crucial for the formation of life. The finding resolves a long-standing puzzle about why some binary systems show evidence of hot corinos but not others.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Researchers have discovered the first pulsar in Globular Cluster M92 using FAST telescope. The pulsar, PSR J1717+4307A, is an eclipsing binary millisecond pulsar in a circular orbit with a companion star. This discovery provides insights into pulsars and their role in probing dense stellar cores.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $440,000 grant to Rochester Institute of Technology researchers to develop the Einstein Toolkit for simulating black holes, neutron stars, and other astrophysical phenomena. The toolkit will be scaled up to handle exascale-level resources on large supercomputers.
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 at the University of Sheffield have discovered a pulsating ancient star in a double star system, allowing them to study the internal structure of a white dwarf in detail for the first time. The discovery provides key insights into the structure, evolution, and death of white dwarf stars, including their composition.
Researchers discovered a rare eclipsing binary brown dwarf system using the SPECULOOS project, confirming theoretical models of brown dwarfs' cooling processes and providing valuable insights. The system consists of two brown dwarfs orbiting each other, offering opportunities to study their atmospheres and climates.
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.
Astronomers have detected significant amounts of oxygen in the ancient star J0815+4729, which is one of the oldest and most elementally depleted stars known. This finding provides valuable insights into how oxygen and other essential elements were produced in the early universe.
A 'cold Neptune' and two temperate super-Earths, GJ180d and GJ229Ac, have been discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf stars, offering a chance to study potentially habitable worlds. The planets were found using the radial velocity method and offer insights into exoplanet formation and evolution.
Researchers have discovered that tidal effects from a close binary companion can cause a star to spin fast enough to launch material into space, forming a gamma-ray burst. This phenomenon is necessary for creating the most luminous events in the universe, observable from Earth when their jet of material is pointed directly at us.
A team of scientists has successfully measured the electron capture rate in intermediate-mass stars, revealing that they are more likely to undergo a thermonuclear explosion than collapse. This finding has significant implications for galactic chemical evolution and the discovery of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments.
Astronomers have cataloged signs of 9 heavy metals in supergiant and giant stars, allowing researchers to study the chemical composition and evolution of galaxies. By analyzing these elements, scientists can reconstruct the history of galaxies, including events like binary neutron star mergers that affected the Milky Way.
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered the first planet to orbit two stars, TOI 1338 b. The exoplanet orbits a binary system consisting of a larger and smaller star, with the latter being only one-third the mass of our Sun.
Astronomers have identified overlapping bubbles of hydrogen gas ionized by the stars in early galaxies, providing direct evidence for the reionization of the universe. The earliest detected stars formed around 680 million years after the Big Bang and began to light up the cosmic dark ages.
Astronomers have discovered a flock of young stars on the outskirts of the Milky Way, suggesting that material from nearby dwarf galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, is forming new stars. The discovery implies that a stream of gas extending from the galaxies is closer to crashing into the Milky Way than previously thought.
LSU astronomers predict that binary star V Sagittae will become the brightest in the Milky Way galaxy, outshining Sirius and Venus, around 2083. The star is currently faintly visible but will brighten rapidly due to its rapid orbital decay.
Astronomers using TESS data have discovered that Alpha Draconis, a well-studied binary star system, regularly undergoes eclipses. The brief eclipses last only six hours and provide an opportunity to measure the masses and sizes of both stars with high accuracy.
The James Webb Space Telescope will study the smallest, faintest residents of NGC 1333, distinguishing between objects that form like stars and those that form like planets. The team aims to identify cluster members as puny as Jupiter for the first time ever, shedding light on their origins and the star formation process.
Astronomers used ESO's VLT to observe the Milky Way's central region, revealing a burst of star formation that occurred around one billion years ago. This intense event resulted in over 100,000 supernova explosions and is similar to 'starburst' galaxies.
Scientists using the MeerKAT radio telescope have discovered a unique and previously-unseen flare of radio emission from a binary star system. The source is thought to be associated with an active corona, where two objects orbit each other approximately every 22 days.
A new study models Earth's axis tilt and finds that 87% of exo-Earths in binary systems should have similar steady tilts, favoring climate stability for complex life. However, a modeled exo-Earth around Alpha Centauri B shows unstable dynamics due to the star system's powerful gravity, making it challenging for evolution.
Astronomers used TESS data to study two red-giant stars, one of which has a planet that shouldn't have survived its host star's expansion. The team found the planet's orbit may have been disrupted by the star's tidal forces, leading to an interesting case of planetary evolution.
A team of astronomers used ALMA to study the structure of dense gas in N159, a bustling star formation region in the LMC. The observations found fan-shaped filaments of gas extending to the north with pivots in the southernmost points, similar shapes and ages of baby stars in two regions separated by 150 light-years.
Dr Markus Mugrauer's study confirms the influence of multiple stars on planet formation and development. He found 200 companion stars to planetary host stars up to 1,600 light years away, including red and white dwarf stars.
Researchers found evidence for low-mass black holes, potentially opening up a new area of study about star explosions and formation. The discovery uses data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment and identifies a class of black holes smaller than previously known.
A German-British team used computer simulations to demonstrate how the merger of two stars creates strong magnetic fields. This process could result in the formation of magnetars, which are thought to have the strongest magnetic fields in the universe.
Astronomers using ALMA have imaged a cosmic pretzel, a network of gas and dust surrounding two young binary stars. The structure is similar to the asteroid belt in our Solar System, with spiral shapes displaying complex dynamics.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell's PICTURE-C telescope was launched via a football field-sized helium balloon to study objects hidden by stars' glare. The instrument boasts an optical control system and can block out direct light from stars, allowing for the detailed study of nearby planets.
New research by astrophysicists at the University of Kent reveals how matter discarded as stars die is recycled to form new stars and planets. The study found that elements such as carbon and oxygen are transferred through a process of fragmentation, providing vital clues about the emergence of life in our universe.
Researchers analyze data from Gaia satellite and spectroscopy to find that older stars move more rapidly in and out of the Galaxy's disk. The findings provide insights into the history of our Galaxy and inform theories about star formation and evolution.
The HADES experiment simulates electromagnetic radiation from colliding neutron stars, revealing temperatures of 800 billion degrees Celsius. The research provides insight into the cosmic kitchen for heavy nuclei fusion.
A newly discovered ancient star contains a record-low amount of iron, hinting at the nature of the first stars in the Universe. The ultra-metal-poor red giant star has iron levels 1.5 million times lower than that of the Sun.
Astronomers have discovered that high-density gas, the material for stars, accounts for only 3% of the total mass of gas distributed in the Milky Way. This finding implies a small number of opportunities to form stars and will be investigated further using Fugin data.
The discovery of ZTF J1539+5027 is the fastest known eclipsing white dwarf binary, with an orbit period of only 6.91 minutes, making it a valuable target for gravitational wave studies. The system is expected to be one of the strongest sources of gravitational waves detectable by LISA, the future space-based gravitational wave detector.
A study led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias reveals the early days of the Milky Way's formation, identifying two distinct stellar components that merged to create our galaxy. The research uses accurate stellar ages and Gaia space telescope data to uncover the birth of the Milky Way with unprecedented detail.
A study of 177 people found that 14% had a diagnosis of autism and 28% reached the cut off point, highlighting a high number of potentially undiagnosed individuals. The research suggests adapting consultation processes in gender identity clinics to screen for autism spectrum disorders.
Astronomers observed a massive protostar's gaseous disk for the first time, finding it shares common features with lighter baby stars. The discovery suggests that star formation is the same process, regardless of final mass.