Researchers have uncovered the remnants of the early solar system with the discovery of an ancient igneous meteorite containing silica-rich crustal rocks. The oldest recorded igneous meteorite, dating back 4.565 billion years, provides valuable insights into planet formation and volcanic rock compositions in the early solar system.
Researchers observe light echoes from Eta Carinae and its surroundings to decode the extent of a historic stellar blast. The team determines that the star released almost as much energy as a typical supernova explosion, but a double-star system remained intact.
Astronomers using NASA's NuSTAR satellite have revealed that binary star system Eta Carinae is capable of creating cosmic rays. The team observed the system and found evidence of a collision between the two stars' stellar winds, which forms shock waves and accelerates particles to nearly the speed of light.
A new study from RIT reveals that galaxy outskirts are likely hunting grounds for dying massive stars and black holes. Researchers have identified a method to pinpoint the location of massive black holes using supernovae with collapsing cores, offering a promising approach to detecting gravitational waves.
Scientists have found a new exoplanet, 2MASS 0249 c, that is nearly identical to the well-studied gas-giant planet beta Pictoris b. The two planets share similar mass, brightness, and spectrum but differ in their formation environments, with one orbiting a bright star and the other a pair of faint brown dwarfs.
Researchers discovered a blazar, TXS 0506+056, producing high-energy neutrinos in multiple bursts, confirming the source of previously detected astrophysical neutrinos. The 'flaring state' observations were made when the neutrino signal arrived in September 2017, with bright emission across multiple wavelengths.
A team of astronomers tested Einstein's theory of general relativity using a three-star system and found almost no detectable difference between the pulsar and inner white dwarf, indicating little room for alternative theories of gravity. The study confirms that relativity still applies even in extreme gravity systems.
Astronomers have directly observed the magnetism in Supernova 1987A, a dying star that appeared thirty years ago. The detection reveals a degree of order in the magnetic field, contrary to chaotic expectations.
The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered the most distant star ever observed, Icarus, located 9 billion lightyears away. The star's brightness was amplified by gravitational lensing, allowing its detection.
MMS mission discovers a new process of magnetic reconnection that converts turbulent magnetic energy into high-speed jets of electrons. This finding helps scientists understand the role of magnetic reconnection in heating the solar corona and accelerating the solar wind.
Astronomers have discovered an isolated neutron star with low magnetic field located beyond our Milky Way galaxy using the MUSE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile. The neutron star is surrounded by a ring of gas that includes neon and oxygen.
Researchers at Cardiff University have discovered a significant scarcity of phosphorus in cosmic supernovae, which could pose a challenge to the existence of life beyond Earth. The finding suggests that material blown out into space by these stellar explosions may vary dramatically in chemical composition.
A study reveals that neutron star magnetic hot spots can survive for millions of years despite the overall magnetic field decay. The simulations show strong electric currents producing heat, explaining the strange behavior of magnetars like SGR 0418+5729.
Astronomers have discovered the most distant star ever observed, existing only 4.4 billion years after the Big Bang, using gravitational lensing with the Hubble Space Telescope. The light from the star was magnified 2000 times, allowing for its detection.
A team of astronomers found 72 very bright but quick events in a recent survey, which they believe could be related to supernovae. The transients appear hot and large, expanding and cooling as they evolve, sparking debate about their origin.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a blue supergiant star called Icarus, which is the farthest individual star observed. The team used gravitational lensing to magnify the star's light, revealing its true nature and providing insights into dark matter theory.
Astronomers have captured the most distant normal star ever observed, 9 billion light years away, using gravitational lensing. The blue supergiant was magnified over 2,000 times and is hundreds of thousands of times brighter than our Sun.
Researchers discovered a Fast-Evolving Luminous Transient (FELT) captured by the Kepler Space Telescope in 2015. The transient rose in brightness over just 2.2 days and faded within 10 days, with scientists attributing its cause to a 'burp' from the star before exploding.
The Water Recovery X-ray rocket, WRX, will test a newly-developed X-ray spectrograph and study the X-rays from a supernova remnant in the Milky Way galaxy. The mission will provide information about the conditions in the Vela supernova remnant, including temperature, density, chemical composition, and ionization state.
Researchers used a high-resolution 3D calculation program to study the interaction between a shock wave and molecular clouds in interstellar space. The results show that filament formation and density irregularities depend on cloud compression under the impact of the shock wave, with three phases of collision identified.
A team of researchers validated theoretical predictions about the initial evolution of stellar explosions using data from a rare supernova captured by an amateur astronomer. The study found that the rapid brightening rate and low luminosity of SN 2016gkg supported models predicting shock emergence during the explosion.
Astronomers capture unique data on a Type IIb supernova using amateur photographs, providing insights into the physical structure of the star and the nature of the explosion. The discovery sheds new light on the type of stars that explode and the physics behind massive stellar collapses.
An amateur astronomer in Argentina captured the rare first optical light from a massive exploding star, providing valuable insights into the supernova explosion and the star's physical structure. The discovery was made using a new camera and allowed scientists to determine the type of star that exploded and the nature of the explosion.
The team discovered DES16C2nm, a superluminous supernova, in the Dark Energy Survey, providing insights into the explosion and its potential connection to magnetars. The detection offers opportunities for advances in stellar astrophysics and cosmology, allowing researchers to study the expansion history of the universe.
Scientists analyzed carbon-rich dust grains extracted from meteorites to determine the timing of supernova dust formation. The study found that these grains formed at least two years after their massive parent stars exploded.
The discovery of benzonitrile marks a significant milestone in understanding the source of the Milky Way's mysterious infrared glow. The detection provides chemical breadcrumbs from simple molecules to larger PAHs, shedding light on their ubiquity in interstellar space.
Researchers found that the 'twisting' phenomenon caused by Faraday rotation in magnetized plasma helps them narrow down the source of the cosmic blast. The data suggests a high magnetic field and dense gas surrounding the source, potentially linked to a young neutron star or massive black hole.
Observations of a nearby star-forming region have revealed that large stars are more prevalent than predicted by models. The study found that there were many more stars at high masses, with a top-heavy initial mass function expected to generate exotic objects like black holes and neutron stars.
Researchers suggest that our solar system formed in a wind-blown bubble structure around a Wolf-Rayet star, which produces elements like aluminium-26 but not iron-60. This theory aims to explain the unusual abundance of these elements in our solar system compared to the rest of the galaxy.
Researchers have solved a six-decade-old mystery about the source of energetic particles in Earth's inner radiation belt using data from a CubeSat. The study found that cosmic rays born from supernova explosions create charged particles, including electrons, that become trapped by Earth's magnetic field.
A team of scientists used computer simulations based on recent observations to determine the radius of neutron stars. The calculations suggest a minimum radius of 10.7 km for these dense objects.
The DAMPE mission has published its first scientific results, presenting precise measurements of cosmic ray electron flux and a spectral break at ~0.9 TeV. This data may help clarify the connection between the positron anomaly and particle dark matter annihilation or decay.
A team of scientists has discovered a remarkable exception to existing theories on supernovae, with a star that exploded multiple times over 50 years. The star, iPTF14hls, was initially observed as an ordinary supernova but grew brighter and dimmer at least five times.
An international team of astronomers discovered a star that exploded multiple times over 50 years, challenging existing theories on cosmic catastrophes. The star, iPTF14hls, was found to be at least 50 times more massive than the sun and may be the first example of a rare 'Pulsational Pair Instability Supernova'.
An international team of astronomers, including Carnegie's Nick Konidaris, discovered a 'zombie star' that exploded multiple times over 50 years. The finding challenges existing knowledge of a star's end of life and was made possible by Konidaris' instrument-construction, which helped analyze the phenomenon.
Two Princeton astrophysicists have received funding to investigate the physics of merging neutron stars, which produce heavy elements found in our bodies. The project aims to improve our understanding of these events and their observable signatures.
The LIGO detector has confirmed a 1989 prediction made by Prof. Tsvi Piran that neutron star mergers produce gamma-ray bursts and synthesize heavy elements like gold and uranium. This confirmation solves several puzzles in astronomy and opens new ways to understand the universe.
The team used the Swope telescope to discover the light produced by the merger and obtained the earliest spectra of the collision. These observations may allow scientists to explain how many of the universe's heavy elements were created.
Researchers observe historic detection of neutron star merger in both gravitational waves and the entire spectrum of light, offering insights into a cosmic event. The merger, named GW170817, revealed properties of the dense neutron stars and their collision, providing new opportunities for gravitational testing.
A team of scientists captured images of the kilonova explosion from a neutron star collision, detecting the first confirmed explosion from two colliding neutron stars. The detection correlates to a burst of gamma rays spotted by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
For the first time, astronomers have observed a cataclysmic cosmic event that generated gravitational waves detected on Earth. The event was the merger of two neutron stars in a galaxy 130 million light-years away, resulting in a supernova-like explosion.
The LIGO-Virgo Collaboration observed the merger of two neutron stars, producing gravitational waves and a gamma-ray burst, marking the birth of multi-messenger astronomy. This discovery confirms kilonova formation, providing insight into the universe's heaviest elements.
Researchers from the J-GEM collaboration observed a kilonova explosion, a phenomenon predicted to create heavy elements through rapid neutron capture reactions. The first-ever confirmed kilonova was detected using a network of telescopes worldwide, providing insight into the universe's heavy element production.
RIT researchers played a significant role in the groundbreaking detection of colliding neutron stars by LIGO. This event marked the first time both gravitational waves and light were detected from the same cosmic collision.
Astronomers have discovered the most luminous nova ever seen in a nearby galaxy, using data from the Swift satellite observatory. The study provides insights into white dwarf eruptions, including the possibility of a supernova explosion in the future.
A team of researchers found evidence that a Type Ia supernova explosion was triggered by a violent helium detonation on the surface of a white dwarf star. The study used the Hyper Suprime-Cam camera on the Subaru Telescope to discover and analyze a recent supernova, providing the first solid evidence supporting this theory.
A team of researchers has discovered a type Ia supernova that can be explained by the ignition of helium on a white dwarf's surface, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding this phenomenon. The team used Hyper Suprime-Cam mounted on the Subaru Telescope to detect over 100 supernovae candidates in one night.
A new study finds a model universe with no dark energy provides a slightly better fit to Type Ia supernovae data than the standard dark energy model. The 'timescape cosmology' challenges current understanding of the Universe's expansion, highlighting the need for more data and better supernova precision.
A team of researchers discovered a way to use ultraviolet light observations to determine characteristics of superluminous supernovae previously unknown. They found that Gaia16apd was most likely an shock-interacting supernova, and their technique could help identify the explosion mechanism of future supernovae.
Researchers have observed a sudden change in rotation speed of SXP 1062, a binary pulsar exhibiting the 'glitch' phenomenon. The discovery provides new constraints on neutron star equation of state and sheds light on the interior dynamics of these compact objects.
Astronomers have identified a millisecond pulsar spinning at more than 42,000 revolutions per minute using the Netherlands-based Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope. The discovery provides insights into the potential for finding ultra-fast pulsars and raises questions about the fastest-spinning pulsars in the universe.
A new study reveals that electromagnetic radiation from the Crab Nebula may originate in a single population of electrons, challenging traditional models. This suggests that a different acceleration process is needed to explain the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
A team of UChicago scientists have detected X-ray photons from a type Ia supernova for the first time, indicating dense circumstellar material. The finding challenges current understanding of these explosions and raises questions about their formation.
A team of astronomers has created the first two-dimensional velocity map of a star's atmosphere using ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer. The study reveals turbulent, low-density gas much further from the star than predicted, challenging current theories on convection.
Researchers have discovered two detached, eclipsing double white dwarf binaries with orbital periods under an hour, producing significant gravitational waves. One binary is believed to be a new verification source for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, a gravitational wave satellite.
Astronomers have discovered a white dwarf with low mass, high velocity and strange composition that may be the remnants of a Type Iax supernova. The calculated age of the explosion suggests it occurred between five and 50 million years ago.
A team of Russian and Chinese scientists has developed a model explaining the nature of high-energy cosmic rays in our Galaxy, focusing on Fermi bubbles. They propose that giant shock fronts can re-accelerate protons to energies exceeding 1015 eV, producing the observed CR spectrum above the 'knee'.
A team of UCSB astrophysicists observed a supernova colliding with a nearby companion star, revealing surprising information about the mysterious star. The study demonstrates that the supernova collided with a non-white dwarf companion, implying the white dwarf was stealing matter from a larger companion to explode.
Astronomers have caught a cosmic event in great detail, observing a supernova and its explosive ejecta slamming into a nearby companion star. The discovery was made possible by a specialized survey taking advantage of recent advances in linking telescopes across the globe.
Tiny primordial black holes could have destroyed neutron stars from the inside out, leading to the ejection of dense neutron-rich material that formed heavy elements like gold and uranium. This process would also explain several long-standing mysteries in the universe, including Fast Radio Bursts and positron emissions.