A team of researchers found that primordial black holes triggering Type Ia supernovae can explain several observed characteristics, including chemical abundance trends. The study suggests a non-zero fraction of PBH-triggered SN Ia is necessary to explain the trend in Milky Way stars.
Astronomers discovered high-speed 'bullets' of oxygen-rich gas shooting out of the only known helium nova in Milky Way, confirming binary system responsible for rare stellar explosion. The discovery provides unprecedented opportunity to study one of universe's rarest types of stellar explosions.
Researchers found that galaxies with slowly rotating stellar haloes are more likely to have experienced a major disc flip, where the galaxy's disc changed its orientation by more than 90 degrees. This discovery provides clues about how the Milky Way assembled and may offer indirect hints about the motion of its invisible dark matter halo.
A team of researchers has identified an accelerator of extremely high-energy cosmic-ray protons, called a proton PeVatron, in the Milky Way galaxy. The discovery was made possible by combining data from multiple experiments, including Tibet AS gamma, LHAASO, Fermi-LAT, and Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Researchers have identified erythrulose, a four-carbon ketose sugar, in the interstellar medium near the Milky Way Galaxy. This detection provides an alternative source of sugars that may have contributed to the emergence of life on Earth.
The Kavli Prize in Astrophysics 2026 is awarded to Vasily Belokurov, Amina Helmi, and Rodrigo Ibata for their discovery of past mergers that prove the Milky Way galaxy was built through hierarchical accretion. This breakthrough reveals how our universe is formed and challenges assumptions on galaxy formation.
Astrophysicists at Northwestern University have discovered evidence of a powerful wind blowing from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. The study resolves one of the longest-standing mysteries in astronomy and opens a new window into the physics at play in the center of the Milky Way. The team used five yea...
New simulations show that a magnetic field can decrease the distance between forming binary protostars, explaining observed characteristics of Milky Way binary star systems. This process also gives insights into massive black hole evolution and merger formation.
The study suggests that massive galaxies formed through violent mergers, leading to a rapid burst of star formation and the growth of supermassive black holes. This process prevented these galaxies from producing new stars for over a billion years, leaving them as quiescent galaxies.
A new study reveals how ancient galactic collisions can destroy stellar discs, affecting star formation and galaxy structure. Simulations show that rotating discs often formed earlier than thought but can be partially or completely destroyed by major mergers.
A new study uses unprecedented simulations to reveal how ultra-faint dwarf galaxies reflect the conditions of the early Universe. These tiny satellite galaxies can provide clues about the properties of dark matter and help test early-Universe physics with upcoming observations.
Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, tiny satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, can reflect conditions of the early universe, shedding light on galaxy formation and dark matter. Simulations suggest these small galaxies are sensitive to early radiation environment and can probe the universe's earliest climate.
Astronomers have identified the edge of the Milky Way's star-forming disc for the first time, finding that most star formation happens within 40,000 light-years of the Galactic Center. This discovery uses a new approach combining star ages with galaxy simulations to pinpoint the boundary.
Astronomers have discovered an ancient immigrant star in the Milky Way that formed in a companion galaxy and migrated billions of years ago. The star, SDSSJ0715-7334, has the lowest metallicity ever observed, suggesting it is one of the oldest stars in the universe.
A new study reveals the Milky Way's southern halo is up to 12% warmer than the northern half due to an internal combustion engine-like effect caused by the Large Magellanic Cloud. The compression of gas in this process heats up, affecting the temperature difference between the two regions.
Using data from the TYPHOON survey, scientists examined the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 1365 and achieved resolution sharp enough to separate individual star-forming clouds. The study reveals that the galaxy grew and merged with other galaxies over 12 billion years of cosmic time.
Astronomers have discovered a rare second-generation star, PicII-503, in the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Pictor II, which preserves the chemical imprint of the first stars in the Universe. The star has an extreme overabundance of carbon and the lowest iron abundance ever measured outside of the Milky Way.
The Small Magellanic Cloud's stars do not orbit around its center due to a direct collision with the Large Magellanic Cloud. The collision disrupted the SMC's internal structure and destroyed its gas rotation, making it a unique case to study galaxy evolution.
The Tibet ASγ Experiment has measured magnetohydrodynamic turbulence on scales below one parsec within the gamma-ray halo surrounding the Geminga pulsar wind nebula. The study found that particle diffusion is strongly suppressed near Geminga and the turbulent properties follow a Kolmogorov-type scaling law.
Astronomers have captured unprecedented detail of cosmic gas in the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone, revealing intricate chemistry and complex star-forming processes. The dataset provides a unique view of the raw material from which stars form, shedding light on galaxy evolution and the birth of massive stars.
Researchers propose an alternative explanation for the galactic centre: an enormous clump of mysterious dark matter exerting gravitational influence. The model also explains the galaxy's large-scale rotation and predicts a unique cosmic structure.
Researchers have created the first broadband map of Faraday rotation, revealing a complex magnetic field in the Milky Way. The dataset, DRAGONS, captures polarized radio emissions across a wide range of frequencies, allowing astronomers to see magnetic structures invisible before.
Researchers mapped the northern sky across different radio frequencies to create a high-quality dataset of the galaxy's magnetic field structure. The data provides insight into how the magnetic field evolved and includes a new three-dimensional model for the reversal in the Sagittarius Arm.
Researchers from ICCUB led the most extensive observational study of runaway massive stars in the Milky Way, combining measurements of rotation speeds and binarity. The results reveal that most runaway stars rotate slowly, while those with high velocities are linked to supernova explosions or gravitational ejection.
A new study has created a comprehensive model of neutrino mapping, revealing that most stars in the Milky Way generate and emit these ghost particles. The research provides valuable insights into the universe, offering a unique way to explore cosmic phenomena.
Evidence suggests Sagittarius A* flared dramatically within the past few hundred to 1,000 years, according to X-ray emissions observed by XRISM. The findings unveil new details of supermassive black hole evolution and provide lessons about our cosmic home.
Researchers reconstruct Milky Way's evolution from its earliest phases to present day, revealing a tumultuous youth and chaotic conditions. The study provides new insights into galaxy formation and growth, highlighting the need for refinement in theoretical predictions.
Astronomers have detected a new gamma-ray source near Westerlund 1, a young massive star cluster in the Milky Way. The source is connected to a 'nascent outflow' of particles driven by the cluster's collective wind, creating a cavity in the interstellar medium.
A new study using advanced computer simulations has shed light on the mysterious chemical history of the Milky Way. Researchers found that galaxies like the Milky Way can develop two distinct chemical sequences through various mechanisms, challenging previous assumptions about the role of cosmic gas flows and galaxy mergers.
Astronomers from India use JWST to spot a mature spiral galaxy, Alaknanda, with two sweeping arms and annual star-forming rate 20 times that of Milky Way. This discovery challenges current models of galaxy formation and encourages rethinking theoretical frameworks.
Researchers at RIKEN successfully simulated the Milky Way Galaxy with over 100 billion individual stars, far surpassing previous state-of-the-art models. This achievement demonstrates the power of AI-accelerated simulations in tackling complex multi-scale problems in astrophysics and beyond.
Astronomers detect a distant galaxy with temperatures of 90 Kelvin, indicating an extreme star factory that could have produced stars at a rate 180 times faster than the Milky Way. This discovery provides insight into how galaxies formed quickly in the early universe.
A team from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research has assembled a record-breaking radio colour image of the Milky Way. The unprecedented level of detail offers new insights into the galaxy's radio emission and structure.
Researchers at UC Irvine have identified an exoplanet in the Milky Way Galaxy's habitable zone, which may support liquid water conditions. The super-Earth orbits an M-dwarf star just 18 light-years away, making it a prime target for future direct imaging studies.
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to study young galaxies in the early universe, finding most were turbulent and 'clumpy'. Despite this chaos, galaxy dynamics show a gradual transition towards ordered structures, suggesting that galaxies like our Milky Way formed through frequent mergers and bursts of star formation.
Astronomers detected complex organic molecules in ices outside the Milky Way for the first time, finding five different carbon-based compounds, including methanol and acetic acid. This discovery sheds light on how chemical ingredients for life spread throughout the cosmos.
Researchers revive dark matter as a serious contender for explaining the Milky Way's central glow, proposing a more complex and nonspherical dark matter structure. Advanced simulations reveal that dark matter may still be the best explanation for the excess of high-energy radiation observed by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
A mysterious glow in the Milky Way could be a clue to dark matter's existence. Researchers used supercomputers to simulate dark matter locations and found matches with actual gamma ray maps.
Researchers from Australian National University have detected binary stars in the outer regions of 47 Tucanae, a globular cluster in the Milky Way. This discovery sheds light on how these clusters formed and evolved over billions of years.
The Gaia space telescope has discovered a giant wave in the Milky Way galaxy, causing stars to wobble over vast distances. The wave stretches across a huge portion of the galactic disc, affecting stars up to 65 thousand light-years away from the centre.
Astronomers used Gaia's data to create the most accurate 3D map of star-forming regions in our galaxy, revealing the location and ionization of hot young stars. The map extends to 4000 light-years from us and includes detailed views of notable nebulae.
Research by Curtin University reveals a striking link between the structure of our galaxy and the evolution of Earth's crust, showing it was shaped by meteorite impacts. Tiny ancient crystals in Earth's crust capture the rhythm of meteorite impacts during solar system passage through Milky Way's spiral arms.
A team of astronomers observed a mysterious repeating gamma-ray burst outside the Milky Way galaxy, lasting about a day, which is 100 to 1000 times longer than most GRBs. The discovery challenges known scenarios and may be caused by an intermediate mass black hole or an unusual star being destroyed.
Researchers detected protostellar jets and outflows using ALMA in the Milky Way's outer region, showing that star formation works similarly across diverse cosmic environments. The discovery revealed episodic ejection cycles and unique chemistry in low-metallicity regions.
A team of astrophysicists from the University of Bonn and Iran has reclassified Ursa Major III as a compact star cluster containing a black hole core. Simulations suggest that the object's high mass-to-light ratio can be explained by the presence of dark stars rather than dark matter.
Researchers measured magnetic field of Sagittarius C, a region in the Central Molecular Zone, to understand interaction between dense clouds, star formation, and strong magnetic field. The study found that the magnetic field wraps around an expanding central bubble of hot, ionized gas created by massive young stars.
Researchers studied similar spiral galaxies and found they 'dance' with closely located dwarf satellites, potentially revealing the formation and evolution of our galaxy's satellite system. The study aims to refine models of galaxy evolution and cosmic structure, offering new insights into our understanding of the universe.
A new study by Dartmouth astronomers has mapped 355 candidate satellite galaxies around dwarf galaxies, tripling the number previously surveyed. The researchers aim to understand how external conditions influence satellite formation and uncover insights into dark matter's nature.
Researchers discovered an unexpectedly complex and dynamic filamentary network within a very-high-velocity cloud (VHVC) in the Milky Way using the FAST telescope. The study found that the cloud is primarily composed of warm neutral medium (WNM), with little or no cold component, suggesting a cleaner, earlier phase in cloud evolution.
A newly discovered interstellar object named 3I/ATLAS is likely to be the oldest comet ever seen, possibly predating our solar system by more than three billion years. The 'water ice-rich' visitor is travelling on a steep path through the galaxy and may be over seven billion years old.
New research predicts the existence of 80-100 additional satellite galaxies surrounding the Milky Way, orbiting at close distances. These 'orphan' galaxies are lost in most simulations but should have survived in the real Universe.
A new type of star-like object, called 'dark dwarfs', could help solve the universe's greatest mystery: dark matter. These objects are powered by dark matter and may be found at the center of our galaxy.
The discovery of dense clouds of neutral hydrogen gas within the Fermi bubbles challenges current understanding of their formation and age. These 'ice-like' clouds are found at 12,000 light years above the Milky Way's center and are much younger than previously estimated.
Researchers used machine learning to simulate galaxy evolution and supernova explosions, achieving speeds four times faster than supercomputers. This breakthrough enables the study of galaxy origins, including the creation of the Milky Way's elements essential for life.
Researchers discovered high-velocity clouds in the nearby spiral galaxy M83, which moved at speeds significantly different from the galaxy's overall speed of rotation. The findings suggest that these clouds originated outside the galaxy, providing new insights into how galaxies acquire fresh gas and sustain star formation over billions...
LHAASO's groundbreaking results unveil a panoramic view of ultrahigh-energy gamma rays within the Milky Way, providing new insights into cosmic ray origins and extreme astrophysical processes. Four new discoveries include star-forming regions, pulsar wind nebulae, and young massive star clusters.
Astronomers have identified thin and thick disks in distant galaxies using JWST images, revealing a consistent trend of sequential disk formation. The study estimates the thin disk formation time for Milky Way-sized galaxies to be around 8 billion years ago.
Researchers have discovered that Bogong moths use constellations of stars and the Milky Way to navigate long distances, making them the first known invertebrate to rely on a stellar compass for navigation. The moths also use the Earth's magnetic field to maintain their direction even when clouds obscure the stars.
Researchers surveyed luminous infrared galaxies to gain insight into galaxy formation in the early universe and possibly the Milky Way. They discovered massive clumps of newborn stars, unlike anything seen in the Milky Way.
Researchers found that the Galactic Center's star-forming regions struggle to form high-mass stars, unlike typical star-forming regions, due to extreme conditions caused by the black hole. The study suggests these regions effectively produce just one generation of stars and lack sufficient material for continued formation.