The Solar Coronal Imager (Hi-C) has provided a major piece of the solar corona puzzle by capturing images of magnetic reconnection. This complex process heats the corona to temperatures up to 7 million degrees F, powered by magnetic fields that constantly warp and collide in bursts of energy.
Astronomers have identified a new structure in the Milky Way, a long tendril of dust and gas dubbed a 'bone'. This feature is part of a web connecting spiral arms and is similar to fibulae found in human skeletons.
Researchers using NASA's Kepler spacecraft have found that about 17% of stars have an Earth-sized planet in an orbit closer than Mercury. This means there are at least 17 billion possible Earth-like planets in the Milky Way, with 50% of stars having a planet of Earth-size or larger in a close orbit.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory will build the TEMPO instrument, which will monitor major air pollutants across the North American continent hourly. This will enable scientists to improve emission inventories and evaluate effective emission-control strategies.
Centaurus A, a well-known elliptical galaxy, has been found to harbor a gassy spiral in its center, defying traditional classifications. The discovery was made possible by the use of the Submillimeter Array radio telescope, which revealed two distinct spiral arms within the galaxy's core.
Astronomers have measured the closest distance that matter can approach a black hole without being pulled in. The findings suggest that the accretion disk is spinning in the same direction as the black hole, providing new insights into gravity and space.
Astronomers found a cloud of hydrogen and helium plunging toward the galactic center, which represents the remains of a planet-forming disk. The discovery suggests that planets can still form near black holes due to stars in a ring orbiting the galaxy's central black hole.
A team of astronomers has detected gravitational waves at optical wavelengths in light from a pair of eclipsing white dwarf stars. The effect, predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, causes the stars to inch closer together and orbit each other faster.
Scientists have invented a new approach to simulate the birth and evolution of galaxies, creating a universe with spiral galaxies like Andromeda. The new software, Arepo, uses a flexible grid geometry to match the motions of gas, stars, dark matter, and dark energy.
The newly discovered two-planet system of Kepler-36 features a rocky planet Kepler-36b and a gas giant Kepler-36c that experience close encounters every 97 days. Researchers are struggling to understand how these worlds ended up in such tight orbits, but the discovery has significant implications for the search for exoplanets.
Researchers have found that terrestrial planets like Earth could have formed earlier than expected in the universe's history. The study suggests that rocky worlds don't need to orbit metal-rich stars to form and that their sizes are not directly linked to the star's metallicities.
Avi Loeb's new calculations suggest the ideal time to observe cosmic perturbations was 500 million years after the Big Bang, when the first stars and galaxies began to form. This era offers a window into the early universe before information is lost to the formation of gravitationally bound objects.
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole eating a star's core, revealing that these massive objects snack infrequently. The discovery showcases the power of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) in detecting transient phenomena.
New research reveals that supermassive black holes can double in mass by ripping apart double-star systems and swallowing one of the stars. This process is thought to be the dominant method for growing these massive objects.
New research reveals that runaway planets exist and can reach speeds of up to 30 million miles per hour, outpacing most objects in the Galaxy. These hypervelocity planets are produced by double-star systems interacting with supermassive black holes.
Researchers found a cluster of young, blue stars encircling the first intermediate-mass black hole ever discovered in a dwarf galaxy. The presence of this star cluster suggests that the black hole was once at the core of the now-disintegrated dwarf galaxy.
Scientists have discovered two new circumbinary planets, Kepler-34b and Kepler-35b, orbiting two stars in the constellation Cygnus. The discovery suggests that planets with two suns are common, potentially existing in millions in the Galaxy. This finding sheds light on the formation of these unique planetary systems.
The Cygnus X region is home to thousands of massive stars and many more stars around the size of our sun or smaller. Infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals a complex of star-forming clouds, with bubbles carved out by radiation and winds from massive stars.
Astronomers using NASA's Kepler mission have detected two Earth-sized planets, Kepler-20e and 20f, orbiting a G-type star. The discovery brings scientists closer to their goal of finding a twin Earth, with the planets expected to have rocky compositions and masses less than those of Earth.
Researchers suggest looking for artificial illumination on distant planets as they orbit their stars, which could provide a measurable signal. This technique relies on the assumption that intelligent life uses Earth-like technologies and could potentially spot alien cities using future generations of telescopes.
The Crab pulsar generates beams of radiation from its spinning magnetic field, detected as rapid pulses of gamma-ray radiation. Researchers have detected these pulses with unprecedented energies, exceeding 100 billion electron-volts, putting new constraints on the mechanism for how this emission is generated.
Astronomers detect a double sunset on the newly discovered Kepler-16b, a planet similar to Saturn in size and mass. The planet orbits two smaller, cooler stars and is estimated to be around -100°C due to its distance from its parent bodies.
Astronomers propose a new way to search for supernova precursors by studying the spin of white dwarfs. This process could lead to a time delay of up to a billion years before the explosion, allowing for detection by upcoming surveys.
TrES-2b's extremely dark surface is attributed to its high temperature and the presence of light-absorbing chemicals. The planet emits a faint red glow due to its heat, revealing it's not pitch black despite its low reflectivity.
Scientists have discovered a pair of white dwarfs that are spiraling into each other at breakneck speeds, allowing them to test Einstein's theory of general relativity. The merger could also shed light on the origin of underluminous supernovae.
Astronomers have created an atlas of galactic 'train wrecks' to understand the collision process and form, growth, and evolution of galaxies. The study combines data from Spitzer Space Telescope and Galaxy Evolution Explorer to analyze areas where stars are forming rapidly.
Researchers have found a method to measure a star's true age using its spin. Astronomer Soren Meibom presented his findings in a press conference, nearly doubling the age covered by previous studies of younger clusters. The technique involves measuring stellar rotation rates for stars in clusters with known ages.
Kepler's first four months of data reveal evidence for over 1,200 planetary candidates, with 408 residing in systems containing two or more planets. These multi-planet systems are characterized by flat orbits, tilted less than 1 degree, and lack Jupiter-sized gas giants.
A newly merged black hole can be detected by observing the tidal disruption of surrounding stars, which will provide accurate distances and precise sky coordinates. This could lead to a better understanding of dark energy and Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Astronomers have discovered a binary system consisting of two white dwarfs orbiting each other every 39 minutes. The stars are expected to collide and merge in 37 million years, resulting in the formation of a single star. This discovery marks the first time such an event has been observed.
Computer simulations suggest that changes in plasma flow within the Sun, which resembles ocean currents, contribute to prolonged solar minima. The team discovered that a faster flow during the first half of the solar cycle can lead to an extended period without sunspots and weak polar magnetic fields.
A new study led by Ryan Foley has found a way to correct for small variations in the appearance of Type Ia supernovae, making them better standard candles. This discovery allows cosmologists to improve their data analysis and make more accurate measurements of dark energy.
The Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) PS1 telescope has discovered ten Kuiper Belt residents, ranging in size from 180 to 300 miles, and is expected to find a whole range of objects including dwarf planets and comets.
Astronomers have discovered a new alien world, Qatar-1b, a hot Jupiter located 550 light-years from Earth. The planet orbits extremely close to its star, resulting in scorching temperatures and a unique rotational period.
The team made the first measurements of GJ 1214b's atmosphere, revealing a featureless spectrum that could be caused by a thick cloud or haze. The data suggests that the atmosphere is either dense with hydrogen or composed of steam vaporized by the nearby star.
Elliptical galaxies are found to contain five to ten times as many red dwarfs as thought, with implications for galaxy formation and evolution. The discovery could lead to a reevaluation of dark matter in these galaxies.
Researchers have found a dozen double-star systems consisting of two white dwarfs, with half expected to merge and explode as supernovae. The merged stars will stir space-time, creating gravitational waves and causing them to spiral closer together.
New work by astrophysicist David Kipping reveals that astronomers can calculate a star's mass using its orbiting planet and moon. By measuring the size of the planet and moon relative to the star and their orbital periods, scientists can use Kepler's Laws of Motion to determine the density of the star.
Scientists have found the largest known galaxy cluster at a staggering 7 billion light-years away, holding hundreds of galaxies. This discovery provides crucial insights into dark energy's influence on cosmic structure growth.
A new computer simulation by Gurtina Besla and her colleagues shows that the Magellanic Stream resulted from a past close encounter between the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, rather than the Milky Way's gravity. The study challenges traditional models of galaxy formation.
The Center for Astrophysics (CfA) will play a major role in NASA's Solar Probe Plus mission by deploying the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) Investigation. SWEAP will directly sample the Sun's outer atmosphere, providing unprecedented insights into the Sun's effects on the solar system.
The discovery of two planets, Kepler 9b and 9c, confirms the first planetary system with more than one planet transiting the same star. The planets, both Saturn-sized gas giants, exhibit orbital resonance and gravitational interaction.
A new study using Spitzer data reveals a large amount of dust around three mature double-star systems, possibly resulting from planetary collisions. The research suggests that tight double-star systems might not be suitable for life to thrive due to the increased likelihood of chaotic events.
Scientists investigate white dwarf remnants and binary systems to understand supernovae origins. However, the search for accreting white dwarfs yields few results, leading researchers to reconsider their theories.
The Andromeda Galaxy's supermassive black hole, M31*, is surprisingly quiet and faint in X-ray light, deviating from expectations. A decade-long study by Chandra reveals that the black hole underwent a significant outburst of X-rays in 2006.
Astronomers have observed a galaxy 10 billion light-years away, finding four discrete star-forming regions making new stars 250 times faster than the Milky Way. The study reveals exquisite detail of these regions, which are 100 times brighter than nearby galaxies.
Scientists have discovered a relic star from the early universe, which has a remarkably similar chemical composition to the Milky Way's oldest stars. The discovery supports the theory that our galaxy underwent a 'cannibal' phase by swallowing smaller galaxies and other galactic building blocks.
Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. The planet, GJ1214b, is about 6.5 times as massive as the Earth and orbits its star once every 38 hours.
A new time-lapse movie shows the birth of massive stars in Orion's Great Nebula, revealing signs of rotating accretion disk and outflow streams. The data suggest magnetic fields may play a crucial role in star formation.
The VERITAS telescope array has found new evidence for cosmic rays in the Cigar Galaxy, supporting the theory that supernovae and stellar winds are the dominant accelerators. The discovery confirms that starburst galaxies contain more cosmic rays than normal galaxies.