Astronomers have found the most crowded galaxy in our part of the universe, M60-UCD1, packed with an extraordinary number of stars. The ultra-compact dwarf galaxy is estimated to be about 10 billion years old and has a density of stars about 15,000 times greater than Earth's neighborhood.
Researchers have discovered large arms of hot gas in the Coma galaxy cluster, which are estimated to be around 300 million years old. The smooth shape of these arms suggests a calm setting for the hot gas in Coma, contrary to theoretical models that expect strong turbulence.
Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have found that less than 1 percent of the gas within 26,000 light-years of the Milky Way Galaxy's giant black hole reaches its event horizon. Instead, most gas is ejected before it can brighten and emit X-rays.
A record-setting X-ray jet has been detected 12.4 billion light years from Earth, providing a glimpse into the explosive activity associated with supermassive black holes in the early universe. The jet is thought to be boosted by cosmic background radiation and points almost directly toward us.
The study reveals a massive halo of hot gas extending hundreds of thousands of light-years around the Milky Way, with an estimated mass of over 10 billion suns. The discovery may solve the long-standing 'missing baryon' problem in galaxy research.
The Phoenix cluster holds the record for the fastest star formation rate in a galaxy cluster's center, breaking previous assumptions about cosmic evolution. The cluster's high star birth rate and rapid cooling of hot gas are expected to be short-lived due to unsustainable growth.
Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton have found a point-like object, IGR J11014, which may be a rapidly spinning, super-dense star ejected during a supernova explosion. If confirmed, its speed of millions of miles per hour poses a challenge to existing models for supernova explosions.
A new study using Chandra data reveals two galaxies with supermassive black holes growing at a rate outpacing their host galaxies. The findings suggest that dark matter halos and black holes are linked in the growth of these galaxies, contradicting previous assumptions.
Researchers observed a supernova's X-ray emission breaking through a cocoon of dense gas surrounding the star. The data support the idea that some supernovas are powered by blast waves interacting with surrounding material. Additionally, the discovery hints at an unrelated ultraluminous X-ray source nearby.
The Musket Ball Cluster is a newly discovered galaxy cluster where so-called normal matter has been wrenched apart from dark matter through a violent collision. The system, observed 700 million years after the collision, provides valuable insight into the evolution of galaxy clusters and their member galaxies.
Researchers used Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes to map dark matter in galaxy cluster Abell 383. The study found a stretched-out, football-like shape of dark matter, with the point aligned close to the line of sight. The results challenge standard models and suggest further research is needed to resolve the discrepancy.
The study suggests a massive cloud of trillions of asteroids and comets surrounds Sgr A*, where they are vaporized by friction as they pass through the hot gas flowing onto the black hole. The flares observed by Chandra could be explained by the frequent collision of asteroids with the black hole.
Astronomers have discovered a local supernova factory in the Carina Nebula, which may help understand how young stars release newly-forged elements into their surroundings. The Chandra X-ray Observatory detected over 14,000 stars, six possible neutron stars, and a new population of young massive stars.
Researchers have found direct evidence of a superfluid state at the core of a neutron star using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory data. This discovery has important implications for understanding nuclear interactions in matter at high densities.
M82's rapid star formation is believed to have been triggered by a close encounter with neighboring galaxy M81. The Chandra image reveals a unique opportunity to study conditions similar to those of the early universe and the consequences of supernovas in starburst galaxies.
Researchers use NASA X-ray satellites to monitor a binary system with a massive black hole, discovering its rhythmic cycles, which drive the black hole's intake and growth. The study reveals the importance of radiation in preventing the black hole from ingesting too much material.
Astronomers have found evidence for stellar cannibalism in the star BP Piscium, which appears to be an old red giant. The discovery suggests that stars like our Sun may engulf companion stars or planets as they age.
Astronomers studying a galactic black hole have found similarities between its eruption and the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on Earth. The cosmic eruption prevents hundreds of millions of new stars from forming by lifting cooler gas upwards.
Astronomers discovered a giant black hole with its spin axis pointing in a different direction after two collisions with smaller galaxies. The observations suggest that the black hole was jerked around twice, creating cavities and radio jets.
A new study of supernova remnants shows that their symmetry reveals how a star exploded, allowing astronomers to classify supernovas more accurately. The analysis found circular remnants from Type Ia explosions and asymmetric remnants from core-collapse supernovas.
Scientists confirm ultra-thin coating of carbon on neutron star using Chandra's X-ray spectrum and theoretical models. The discovery resolves a ten-year mystery surrounding the object, explaining its lack of pulsations.
The mosaic image reveals stellar evolution, bright young stars, and a supermassive black hole at the Galactic center. Giant X-ray flares from Sgr A* have occurred about 50 and 300 years earlier.
Astronomers study SNR 0104, a Type Ia supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud, showing an unusual structure. The object's two bright lobes of emission suggest strong asymmetry in its formation.
Astronomers observe a high-energy apparition, known as an X-ray ghost, lingering around a supermassive black hole in the Chandra Deep Field-North. The source, HDF 130, is 10 billion light years away and existed 3 billion years after the Big Bang.
A deep Chandra X-ray image has resolved a long-standing mystery about an X-ray glow along the plane of the Galaxy. The image reveals hundreds of point-like X-ray sources causing the glow, implying millions of such sources are responsible.
Astronomers have identified a triple merger of four separate galaxy clusters, the first time such a phenomenon has been documented. The galaxy clusters are involved in a cosmic free-for-all, with one collision after another occurring as galaxies pour into a region already full of galaxies.
Researchers discovered a mechanism for regulating the rate at which stellar-mass black holes grow, suggesting that they can regulate themselves. The study found that the black hole in GRS 1915+105 toggles between expelling mass via a jet and a wind from its accretion disk.
The AAS High Energy Astrophysics Division has awarded the 2009 Rossi Prize to Charles D. Bailyn, Jeffrey E. McClintock, and Ronald A. Remillard for their work on measuring black hole masses in binary pairs with companion stars.
A team of scientists has created a movie tracking the expansion and changes of Cassiopeia A over time, revealing slower-than-expected energy loss. The visualization also shows high-velocity plumes from the explosion, challenging current theoretical models.
Researchers used data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Compton Gamma Ray Observatory to study the Bullet Cluster, where two large clusters of galaxies collided. The results show that the antimatter fraction in the cluster is less than three parts per million, ruling out significant amounts of antimatter on scales of about 65 m...
Astronomers have tracked a recent supernova explosion in the Milky Way galaxy using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and NRAO's VLA. The discovery confirms the supernova is about 140 years old, making it the youngest recorded in the galaxy.
Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory data have reported a possible detection of a binary star system that was later destroyed in a supernova explosion. The new method provides great promise for finding the detailed origin of these cosmic events.
A new study using Chandra X-ray Observatory results provides evidence that many supermassive black holes are spinning extremely rapidly. The research suggests that these fast-spinning black holes can drive powerful jets, pumping energy into their environment and affecting galaxy growth.
Astronomers study G292.0+1.8 supernova remnant to understand complex star death and dispersal of elements like oxygen into next generation of stars and planets. The new Chandra image shows an intricately structured debris field with varying temperatures, indicating lopsided explosion.
Astronomers have found an exceptionally massive black hole in orbit around a huge companion star in the nearby galaxy M33, with a mass of 15.7 times that of the Sun. The discovery raises questions about how such a big black hole could have formed.
A new study using Chandra finds that younger, more distant galaxy clusters contain far more actively growing supermassive black holes than older, nearby ones. This rapid growth allows these black holes to thrive and influence their host galaxies.
The discovery reveals how efficient neutron stars can be as cosmic power factories and shows they rival black holes in generating powerful jets. The X-ray jet is found to be almost as efficient as one from a black hole, with a surprising high percentage of energy converted into powering the jet.
Astronomers discover a bright arc of extremely hot gas in a massive galaxy cluster, suggesting an exceptionally dramatic event, such as a collision between two clusters. The temperature and mass of the cluster make it a giant among giants, with a quadrillion suns' worth of mass bound by its hot gas.
Scientists confirm size of hot gas disk around supermassive black hole, measuring its size as seven times the distance between Earth and Sun. The disk is found to be 10 times smaller than predicted event horizon, consistent with theoretical predictions.
Astronomers have discovered a powerful outburst from the giant black hole at the Milky Way's center using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The light echo revealed by the X-ray echo was about 1,000 times brighter and lasted well over 1,000 times longer than recent outbursts.
A team of astronomers has solved the long-standing mystery of Kepler's supernova remnant using Chandra's latest image, revealing it as a Type Ia supernova. The discovery sheds light on how stars can end catastrophically and expands our understanding of the universe.
Astronomers have mapped the rate of acceleration of cosmic ray electrons in a supernova remnant, showing close to maximum theoretical rates. The discovery provides evidence that supernova remnants are key sites for energizing charged particles.
Scientists have detected loops and rings of hot gas surrounding the supermassive black hole, indicating periodic eruptions that generate pressure waves and sound. The sound waves are found to be more discordant and complex than previously detected, with a range of frequencies below middle C.
Black holes are surprisingly efficient at producing energy, with most of the energy released by matter falling toward a supermassive black hole going into high-energy jets. The study also shows that these jets create huge bubbles in the hot gas of galaxies, preventing new stars from forming.
Astronomers detect a vast hot halo extending over 60,000 light years around the massive spiral galaxy NGC 5746. This discovery resolves a long-standing issue in galaxy formation theory, suggesting that large spiral galaxies should be immersed in halos of hot gas left over from the galaxy formation process.
Astronomers have discovered that massive clouds of hot gas in elliptical galaxies are being stirred up by intermittent explosive activity from central super-massive black holes. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that these galaxies are quiet and stable, revealing a more dynamic and stormy reality.
Scientists use Chandra to observe the Northern Lights dancing in X-ray light, revealing changing bright arcs of energy above the Earth's surface. The team detects low-energy X-rays generated during auroral activity, expanding our understanding of solar storms and their impact on the planet.
Scientists have discovered energetic plumes extending 300,000 light years into a massive galaxy cluster. The plumes are caused by explosive venting from a supermassive black hole and demonstrate the far-reaching influence of a black hole on intergalactic distances.
Astronomers find a dense whirling ball of neutrons in an extremely young star cluster, challenging the idea that nature can make black holes. The discovery shows massive stars may not collapse into black holes as predicted, but instead create neutron stars with a greater influence on future generations of stars.
Astronomers find massive stars forming close to super-massive black holes, challenging previous theories about their role in galaxy evolution. Researchers used Chandra X-ray Observatory data to study the Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) star cluster near the Milky Way's central black hole.