Scientists estimate that solitary supermassive black holes in galactic centers may be responsible for fewer observed stars being captured by black holes. The researchers found that gravitational effects from merging galaxies can explain the discrepancy, suggesting that tidal disruption events occur without our knowledge.
New NASA research suggests that young red dwarf stars can make planets uninhabitable through frequent stellar eruptions, potentially erasing the water supply and preventing life from developing. This challenges traditional definitions of habitable zones.
Researchers use Gaia data to detect pulsating stars and trace the extent of the Large Magellanic Cloud, revealing a fuzzy halo stretching 20 degrees from its center. The discovery provides insights into the clouds' mass and interaction with the Milky Way, shedding light on their role in galaxy formation.
Researchers solved a long-standing puzzle about the source of key stardust grains, which formed before our Solar System and can be recovered from meteorites. The study identifies Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars as the producers of these grains, shedding light on nuclear processes inside stars that led to their formation.
Scientists have discovered incredibly rapid gas flares from a white dwarf binary star system for the first time. The unusual activity was observed at radio wavelengths in SS Cyg, one of the brightest variable stars in the constellation of Cygnus.
Researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum used data from the Astrophysical Journal to determine the age of the star, finding it had formed at the same time as our galaxy. The dual star system's companion star transferred matter to 49 Lib, causing incorrect age estimates.
A study by Professors Bhattacharyya and Chakrabarty suggests that a population of neutron stars may emit gravitational waves continuously, which could slow down their spin rates. This finding has strong implications for the study of these dense objects in the universe.
Astronomers have discovered a hyper-starburst galaxy that is forming stars at an incredible rate of 4,500 times the mass of the Sun every year. This galaxy, SPT 0346-52, is 12.7 billion light years from Earth and provides valuable insights into the evolution of galaxies and the formation of massive galaxies.
Researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have recreated characteristics of ultra-diffuse faint galaxies using computer simulations. The study reveals that supernovae explosions during star formation can push stars and dark matter outwards, causing galaxies to expand and become faint.
A study by an international team solves the origin of successive generations of stars in globular clusters. The most massive, evolved AGB stars are found to contaminate the interstellar medium, giving rise to new generations of stars.
Researchers modeled massive star formation using high-performance computers, discovering episodic luminosity bursts that outshine the collective effect of 100,000 Suns. These bursts are thought to be caused by the migration of dense clumps through accretion disks, offering new insights into the birth process of massive stars.
Astronomers using Kepler and Swift missions discover 18 stars that rotate rapidly, producing X-ray emissions at more than 100 times the sun's level. These stars are believed to have formed from the merger of two sun-like stars in close binary systems.
A study found dramatic declines in sunflower sea star populations due to sea star wasting disease, affecting the Salish Sea ecosystem's balance. The disease has effectively disappeared these key predators from the area.
Research found that circumbinary planets can survive the late stages of their binary star's life by moving to wider orbits. Many such planets are likely to escape destruction and potentially become habitable for a short period.
Researchers found a dozen previously unknown RR Lyrae stars at the center of the Milky Way, indicating that galactic bulges may have formed through merging ancient globular clusters. The discovery provides strong evidence for an important theory of galactic evolution.
Researchers have observed a binary star system with two stars and three rotating planet-forming accretion discs, all misaligned with each other. The discovery challenges current understanding of planetary system formation and prompts further study to understand the physics behind this unusual system.
The CHARA Array, a world-leading optical interferometer, has been upgraded with a $3.9 million grant from the NSF. This new funding will enable scientists worldwide to access the Array's powerful telescopes and explore stars and planets in unprecedented detail.
Researchers used colors to identify the ages of over 130,000 stars in the Milky Way's halo, revealing a clear hierarchy with oldest stars at the center and younger ones further away. The study supports a hierarchical model of galaxy formation, suggesting that small mini-halos merged to form the Milky Way.
Researchers have identified a young star over 30 times the mass of our Sun, which could help us understand how massive stars are formed. The discovery suggests that massive stars form in a similar way to smaller stars like our Sun.
A team of physicists has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the internal composition of neutron stars. They used thermal perturbation theory to determine the thermodynamic properties of dense quark matter under extreme conditions, shedding light on its potential presence inside these stars.
According to new theoretical work, life on Earth is actually premature from a cosmic perspective. The chances of life growing much higher in the distant future due to star lifetimes were found to be 1000 times higher than now. Scientists recommend studying nearby red dwarf stars and their planets for signs of habitability.
An international team of astronomers has found a huge region around the centre of the Milky Way devoid of young stars, indicating a lack of star formation. This 'Cepheid desert' stretches for thousands of light years and challenges our understanding of the Galaxy's formation and evolution.
A team of researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias has discovered a new gaseous component in a planetary nebula, which is helping to understand the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The component, rich in heavy elements such as oxygen and carbon, was detected using the OSIRIS instrument on the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS.
Researchers directly detected a gas giant planet with a wide orbit in the young triple star system HD 131399, challenging existing knowledge about exoplanet detection. The unusual arrangement of the three stars and the planet's size, containing water and methane, may have formed through interactions between planets or binary stars.
Researchers used computer modeling to investigate galaxy colors and their relation to evolution. They found that rare green galaxies are likely at a critical stage of transformation from blue to red as they age. The study suggests that these galaxies' unique colors can provide insights into the processes driving their evolution.
Astronomers have observed the early formation of galaxies and found that stars were forming inside them much faster in the past. The rapid star birth is using up more cosmic dust, which is becoming cleaner as the universe evolves.
The Carnegie Institution for Science has published a study on the distances of brown dwarfs and low-mass stars, using the CAPSCam instrument. The study reveals accurate distance measurements for 134 objects, including 38 previously unmeasured brown dwarfs.
A study by Simon Fraser University researchers found that the loss of sea stars led to a quadrupling of green sea urchins, which prey on kelp, causing its decrease by 80 per cent. The ecosystem is still recovering, with no sign of recovery in sea stars.
A new study in Nature predicts hundreds of massive black hole mergers each year observable with the second generation of gravitational wave detectors. The model takes into account differences in binary black hole production across the universe.
Researchers analyzed UV spectrum of BD+44 493, a second-generation star thought to have been enriched by one of the first stars. They found phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc, which reveal the star was likely massive and exploded as a supernova.
Astronomers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and San Diego State University have discovered a new planet, Kepler-1647b, which orbits two stars and is the largest transiting circumbinary planet ever found. The planet, with a mass and radius similar to that of Jupiter, takes 3 years to orbit its host stars.
Astronomers may discover these 'diamond worlds' around rare carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars, which formed in the early universe. Carbon-based life is thought to be universal, supporting the possibility of life on these unusual planets.
New computer simulations from Georgia Tech investigate the possibility that red giant stars were dimmed after collisions with a gaseous accretion disk at the galactic center. The simulations suggest that these collisions could have caused significant damage to the red giant stars, stripping away mass and lowering their kinetic energy.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham detected resonant acoustic oscillations in 'M4', a 13 billion-year-old star cluster, using data from NASA's Kepler/K2 mission. This breakthrough enables asteroseismology to study the Milky Way's very early history.
A new study by NYU Langone Health finds that music stars' endorsement of food and beverage products are mostly unhealthy, contributing to the rising rate of childhood obesity. The researchers analyzed over 163 identified pop stars' endorsements, finding 81% of their endorsed food products were nutrient-poor.
A team of researchers has discovered a new class of galaxies where supermassive black holes trigger powerful winds that prevent future star formation. These 'red geysers' lack young stars despite having abundant gas, and their outflowing winds heat surrounding gas through shocks, ultimately suppressing stellar birth.
A new phenomenon dubbed 'red geysers' has been identified in galaxies, which host low-energy supermassive black holes driving intense interstellar winds. These winds prevent gas from cooling and condensing into stars, maintaining quiescence in galaxies.
A new class of galaxies called 'red geysers' has been discovered, hosting low-energy supermassive black holes that drive intense interstellar winds. These winds suppress star formation by heating up the ambient gas in galaxies and preventing it from cooling and condensing into stars.
Recent studies suggest that many planets orbiting M dwarf stars, which are similar in size to Earth, may retain thick atmospheres due to their strong gravity, making them inhospitable to life. However, smaller planets comparable to Venus or Mars could potentially lose these atmospheres through evaporation.
Researchers have discovered that cosmic heavy metals, such as gold and platinum, can be used to trace the history of galaxies. The study, published in Nature, suggests that the collision of dense stars in the universe can forge these heavy elements and provide insights into galaxy formation.
A Monash University-led research team has discovered that about half of the stars in the M4 globular cluster are dying prematurely, skipping the Red Giant phase and becoming White Dwarfs millions of years ahead of schedule. The cause of this phenomenon remains a mystery, but it is believed to only occur in sodium-rich/oxygen-poor stars.
Researchers find that planets in the red giant habitable zone can stay warm for up to half a billion years, potentially allowing life to thrive. This discovery offers optimism for the chances of life existing on worlds orbiting older stars.
A recent study by Oregon State University researchers found an unprecedented abundance of juvenile sea star offspring along the Oregon coast, but warns that a second wave of the deadly 'sea star wasting disease' could be disastrous. The disease nearly wiped out the population in 2014 and its impact on the ecosystem is still unknown.
The 2013-2014 sea star wasting epidemic had a significant impact on the Oregon coast population, with up to 80% of sea stars dying during the outbreak. However, by spring 2015, the population was recovering in numbers, with study sites having up to 300 times as many new sea stars as in 2014.
A rare type of iron nucleus, with a half-life of 2.6 million years, serves as a 'clock' to measure the distance between Earth and the source of galactic cosmic rays. The data suggest that nearby supernovae in massive star clusters are responsible for creating these nuclei.
A class of super-Earths with gaseous atmospheres is stripped away due to intense stellar radiation. This phenomenon occurs when planets lie close to their host stars, resulting in the loss of planetary 'envelopes', according to a new study.
Astronomers used Hubble to study the Milky Way's nuclear star cluster, discovering a rich tapestry of over half a million stars. The cluster surrounds the galaxy's central supermassive black hole and offers insights into its formation.
A Penn State-led research group has been selected by NASA to build a new instrument to detect planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. The NEID instrument will use the tiny gravitational tug of planets on their stars to discover and measure the orbits of rocky planets with liquid water.
Researchers have developed a new framework to understand the evolution of sun-like stars, which can help determine their age with more precision. The model predicts that younger stars will vary significantly in x-ray emission intensity, but convergence occurs after a certain age, making them more predictable.
A team of researchers, led by UC Riverside graduate student Irene Shivaei, used a combination of near-infrared spectrometer and infrared images to study 17 bright distant galaxies. They compared various observables, including ultraviolet light, infrared light, and nebular emission lines, to estimate the star-formation rate. The study i...
Astronomers have observed dramatic moments in star and planet formation using the Subaru 8-meter Telescope. The team discovered four young stars experiencing FU Ori outbursts, characterized by chaotic environments and unusual structures around them.
Researchers used new methods to model the common-envelope phase of binary stars, revealing dynamic instabilities crucial for supernova evolution. These turbulent fluctuations affect a star system's fate, influencing whether a supernova occurs and its type.
Researchers have discovered young populations of stars within globular clusters that originated from external gas and dust, rather than internal processes. This study suggests that globular clusters can form new stars by 'adopting' stray cosmic gases, turning a complex picture into a more nuanced one.
Researchers discovered young star populations in old globular clusters that formed from gas flowing in from outside the cluster itself. This challenge traditional understanding of star birth and highlights the complex nature of globular clusters.
Researchers identified massive stars moving at supersonic speeds, creating bow shocks that help locate them. The team used infrared data to find over 200 images of fuzzy red arcs, which turned out to be stars in various stages of evolution.
Researchers argue that globular clusters can host planets with conditions suitable for life, despite initial concerns. The environment of these dense star clusters may allow for stable planetary systems to form and survive for billions of years.
Astronomers have found five objects with similar properties to the massive stellar system Eta Carinae, including a class of less massive stars. These discoveries were made using archival data from Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, which identified key characteristics such as dust formation and infrared emission.
Aging stars stop slowing down as their magnetic field interacts with a wind of particles flowing away from its surface, according to research published in Nature. This discovery challenges previous theories on stellar rotation and has implications for understanding how the Sun influences its local environment, including planets.
New research indicates that stars older than the Sun spin less than expected, affecting age calculations. This discovery has significant implications for understanding stellar aging and predicting future changes in our own Solar System.
An international team of astronomers found strong magnetic fields are common in stars, contradicting previous assumptions. The study used data from NASA's Kepler mission to analyze over 700 red giant stars and discovered that many host internal magnetic fields up to 10 million times stronger than Earth's.