Astronomers used the VLT to observe SN2010jl nine times soon after its explosion and found that dust grains form rapidly in the dense material surrounding the star. The observations revealed surprisingly large grain sizes that are resistant to destruction, answering a long-standing question about cosmic dust formation.
Scientists have used ALMA to detect radio emission from molecular gas in two dark LGRB hosts, revealing a dust-rich environment with low molecular gas levels. This supports the hypothesis that dust absorbs afterglow radiation, causing dark gamma-ray bursts.
Astronomers from Leiden University and SRON have measured the spin of Beta Pictoris b, an exoplanet orbiting a naked-eye star 63 light-years from Earth. The planet's day length is just 8 hours, despite being over 16 times larger and 3000 times more massive than Earth.
The asteroid Chariklo is found to have a ring system consisting of two sharply confined rings, separated by a clear gap. The team reconstructed the shape and size of the object itself as well as the properties of the newly discovered rings using observations from multiple sites.
The ALMA observations revealed a compact clump of carbon monoxide gas in the debris disc around Beta Pictoris, which is surprising given its short lifetime. The team suggests that cometary collisions are replenishing the carbon monoxide, with one large comet collision every five minutes needed to achieve this amount.
A team of astronomers has successfully mapped the surface features of Luhman 16B, a brown dwarf located six light-years from Earth. The new results reveal dark and light patches on the surface, which can be used to study weather patterns in other solar systems.
Astronomers have observed a recently formed dust factory in the remnant of Supernova 1987A using ALMA. The findings suggest that significant amounts of dust are being created by supernovae explosions, which could explain the dusty appearance of many galaxies in the early Universe.
Astronomers used ESO's VISTA telescope to create the best 3D map yet of the Milky Way's central bulge, revealing an X-shaped structure. The galactic bulge is composed of 22 million red giant stars that can be used as standard candles to measure distances.
Astronomers have discovered an ancient solar twin that is 8.2 billion years old, providing insights into the Sun's life-giving properties and lithium content. The star, HIP 102152, has low levels of lithium, supporting the theory that stars destroy their lithium as they age.
Researchers using ALMA discovered that Sculptor Galaxy is expelling massive concentrations of cold gas through galactic winds, depriving the galaxy of fuel for new stars. This phenomenon may explain why few high-mass galaxies are observed in the cosmos, as starburst-driven winds recycle rather than remove star-forming material.
Astronomers have imaged the carbon monoxide snow line around a young star, TW Hydrae, for the first time. The discovery sheds light on planet and comet formation, with implications for the origin of life.
Astronomers observe VLT's real-time data of a gas cloud accelerating towards the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. The cloud is being grossly stretched by the black hole's extreme gravitational field, with its light becoming harder to see.
Astronomers have observed a galaxy feeding on material from its surroundings, shedding light on galaxy formation. The study used ESO's VLT to analyze the properties of gas around the galaxy, providing unique insights into the growth of galaxies.
Astronomers have discovered a 'dust trap' around a young star that is likely a comet factory, allowing particles to grow from millimetre size to comets. The observations, made using ALMA, reveal a ring of gas with a central hole created by an unseen planet or companion star.
Researchers found that 70% of stars in a globular cluster do not undergo the final nuclear burning and mass-loss phase, contradicting previous theories. The team discovered that these stars have low levels of sodium, suggesting a link between sodium content and stellar evolution.
A team of scientists discovered a unique double object consisting of a massive neutron star and its white dwarf companion, pushing the limits of physical theories. The discovery offers an opportunity to test Einstein's general relativity with unprecedented precision.
Astronomers use ALMA to observe distant starburst galaxies, detecting water in one for the first time. The team finds that these galaxies formed stars at a furious pace 12 billion years ago, earlier than previously thought.
A team of astronomers has measured the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud with unprecedented accuracy, pinning down its value at 163,000 light-years. This breakthrough improves distances for Cepheid variable stars and the Hubble Constant, enabling more precise surveying of the Universe.
An international team led by Sascha Quanz has studied the disc of gas and dust around young star HD 100546, spotting a candidate protoplanet that could be a giant similar to Jupiter. The discovery provides an unique laboratory for studying the formation process of a new planetary system.
A team of astronomers used the VIMOS instrument on the VLT to study a one-thousand-year-old supernova remnant. They found evidence of rapidly moving protons in the gas, which could be the necessary seed particles for cosmic rays to form.
Astronomers using ALMA have observed the first direct evidence of vast gas streams flowing across a gap in a young star's disc, thought to be created by giant planets guzzling gas as they grow. The discovery provides insight into planet formation theories.
Researchers used the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope and Hubble Space Telescope to study 21 globular clusters, finding that a few were young with blue stragglers distributed throughout, while others were old with the stars clumped in the centre. This reveals big differences in the speed of evolution from cluster to cluster.
Astronomers have identified a new class of galaxies, known as green beans, which are rare and display the largest and brightest glowing regions ever found. These giant glows are thought to be echoes from when the central black hole was more active in the past, providing valuable insights into galaxy evolution.
Astronomers have discovered that dwarf planet Makemake lacks a significant atmosphere, revealing new insights into its composition. The study used observations of Makemake passing in front of a star to determine its size, density, and albedo, with findings comparable to dirty snow.
Astronomers detect the lightest exoplanet ever found around a Sun-like star, orbiting about six million kilometers away from the star. The newly discovered planet has a mass similar to Earth and orbits Alpha Centauri B every 3.2 days.
A team using ALMA discovered a surprising spiral structure in the gas around red giant star R Sculptoris, suggesting a previously unseen companion star. The astronomers found that far more material than expected had been ejected by the star, contributing to the dust and gas that form future stars.
Astronomers using ALMA detected glycolaldehyde, a simple form of sugar, in the gas surrounding a young binary star. This discovery suggests that the building blocks of life existed in this system at the time of planet formation.
A study using the VLT found that 75% of O-type stars are in binary systems, with a higher proportion of interacting pairs than previously thought. This discovery has profound implications for galaxy evolution, as these heavyweights play a key role in shaping galaxies through violent phenomena such as stellar mergers and gamma-ray bursts.
Astronomers have spotted the first direct detection of dark galaxies in the early Universe, shedding light on these elusive objects. The team used a bright quasar to illuminate gas-rich galaxies, revealing their existence and properties, including suppressed star formation efficiency.
Researchers use CRIRES instrument on VLT to study Tau Bootis b's atmosphere, measuring mass and carbon monoxide levels. The new technique allows for the detection of non-transiting exoplanets' atmospheres, enabling scientists to learn more about their atmospheric conditions.
Astronomers use VLT to analyze earthshine light, detecting biosignatures of vegetation and ocean cover, suggesting life on Earth. The study establishes a benchmark for future exoplanet life searches using spectropolarimetry technique.
A team of astronomers using gravitational microlensing detected three exoplanets, including a super-Earth and planets comparable to Neptune and Jupiter. Combining this data with previous findings, the researchers conclude that planets are more common than stars in the Milky Way.
A team of astronomers has discovered the largest galaxy cluster ever seen in the distant Universe, nicknamed El Gordo. The cluster consists of two separate subclusters colliding at high speeds and is so far away that its light has travelled for seven billion years to reach Earth.
Astronomers have discovered a unique new object, a dusty ionized gas cloud, nearly doubling its speed in seven years and approaching the event horizon of the black hole. The cloud will break apart completely over the next few years due to external pressure and gravitational pull.
New study reveals two young galaxies at 12 billion years old with super-solar metal abundances, challenging our understanding of the universe's chemical evolution. The findings support the idea that gamma-ray bursts are associated with vigorous massive star formation and provide insights into the history of the early universe.
A recent study using the TRAPPIST telescope has accurately measured the shape and size of dwarf planet Eris, confirming its status as Pluto's twin. The findings show that Eris is approximately 2326 kilometers in diameter, with an accuracy of 12 kilometers.
Astronomers have discovered a planet from another galaxy orbiting a star that has entered our Milky Way, providing the first confirmed detection of an extragalactic exoplanet. The planet, HIP 13044 b, was detected using high-resolution spectrograph FEROS attached to the MPG/ESO telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory.
A European team of astronomers has confirmed that the UDFy-38135539 galaxy is the most remote object identified so far in the Universe. By analyzing its light's redshift, they found that it was seen just 600 million years after the Big Bang, providing valuable insights into the era of reionisation and galaxy formation.
A team of astronomers has discovered that young galaxies can grow by sucking in cool streams of hydrogen and helium gas, forming new stars. This process, known as accretion, provides a gentler alternative to galaxy mergers, which are thought to be the primary mechanism for galaxy growth.
Scientists have discovered a star with a mass of 265 solar masses in the Large Magellanic Cloud, exceeding previous records. This finding raises questions about the formation process of such massive stars and their role in shaping the universe.
Astronomers have discovered the most powerful pair of jets from a stellar black hole, blowing a huge bubble of hot gas. The discovery reveals that some black holes can release at least as much energy in the form of collimated jets as radiation, leading to an expansion of the surrounding interstellar gas.
The discovery of exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, located 60 light-years from Earth, confirms that giant planets can form in time-spans as short as a few million years. The planet has a massive nine-Jupiter-mass orbit, challenging previous theories on planetary formation.
Astronomers discover six exoplanets orbiting their stars in the opposite direction to the star's rotation, contradicting conventional wisdom. This finding sparks alternative migration theories, suggesting that hot Jupiters may form far from their stars and migrate inward due to gravitational interactions with distant companions.
A new survey using ESO's Very Large Telescope discovered that most Lyman-alpha light is trapped within galaxies, making 90% of galaxies invisible to traditional surveys. This breakthrough highlights the limitations of current methods and paves the way for more accurate representations of the cosmos.
Researchers have made direct measurements of the size and brightness of regions of star-birth in a very distant galaxy using the APEX telescope. The galaxy is so bright due to massive dust grains heated by starlight, revealing star formation at a rate equivalent to about 250 Suns per year.
Astronomers have discovered a temperate exoplanet, Corot-9b, with a mass about 80% that of Jupiter and an orbit similar to Mercury's. The planet is thought to have a temperature range of -20°C to 160°C, making it a significant finding in the study of exoplanets.
Researchers have observed a warm core at the center of the Great Red Spot, with temperatures varying by up to 3 degrees compared to surrounding areas. This temperature difference affects wind velocities and cloud patterns in Jupiter's belts and zones.
Astronomers have unveiled an extraordinary cosmic relic, Terzan 5, which formed in at least two different epochs, providing insights into the origin of the galactic bulge. The discovery suggests that Terzan 5 might be the surviving remnant of a disrupted dwarf galaxy contributing to the Milky Way's formation.
Astronomers have discovered that Sun-like stars with planetary systems tend to have lower levels of lithium than those without planets. The study, which analyzed 500 stars, found that planet-bearing stars had less than 1% of the lithium present in other similar stars.
Astronomers have found that magnetic fields are essential for black holes to swallow matter. The variations in visible light and X-rays were found to follow a repeated pattern, indicating that strong magnetic fields store energy near the black hole.