Articles tagged with Space Telescopes
Astronomers have discovered that the most powerful fast radio burst (FRB) ever observed originated from a rare compact group of at least seven interacting galaxies. This finding challenges scientific models of how FRBs are produced and may indicate that star formation triggered the burst.
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the atmospheric composition of HAT-P-18 b, detecting water vapour and carbon dioxide. They also found a cloud deck that mutes the signals of many molecules, and their findings suggest the star's surface is covered by dark spots. The study highlights the importance of considerin...
Researchers have identified a population of massive stars stripped of their hydrogen envelopes by their companions in binary systems. These hot helium stars are believed to be the origins of hydrogen-poor core-collapse supernovae and neutron star mergers, shedding new light on a long-theorized phenomenon.
New research from the Max Planck Institute challenges previous claims of giant exomoons around Kepler-1625b and Kepler-1708b. The study uses a computer algorithm to analyze observations, finding that 'planet-only' interpretations are more conclusive than initially thought.
Researchers discover substantial presence of frozen carbon monoxide in 'The Brick', a mysterious dark region at the Milky Way's center. The findings indicate a critical need to re-evaluate established theories regarding star formation.
Astronomers identify AzTECC71 as a dusty star-forming galaxy, forming hundreds of new stars every year. The discovery suggests the early universe was much dustier than previously thought and may reveal a population of hidden galaxies.
A team of astronomers used Webb to observe water and molecules in a highly irradiated disk in one of the most extreme environments in our galaxy. The results suggest that terrestrial planet formation conditions can occur in a broader range of environments than previously thought.
Researchers analyzed the chemistry of distant teenage galaxies, finding they are unusually hot and contain unexpected elements like nickel. The study provides insight into galaxy formation and evolution, shedding light on why some galaxies appear 'red and dead' while others continue to form stars.
Astronomers using the JWST have created the deepest spectrum of a distant galaxy ever seen, revealing the presence of eight distinct elements including nickel. The study helps scientists understand how galaxies mature and evolve over time, with surprising findings on the chemical composition of ancient galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope reveals the presence of water vapour, sulfur dioxide, and silicate sand clouds in the atmosphere of WASP-107b. The discovery sheds light on the dynamic atmosphere and potential temperature variations that enable these cloud formations.
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected distinct neon signatures in the dusty disk surrounding the young Sun-like star SZ Chamaelontis, indicating a change in high-energy radiation that reaches the disk and limits planet formation time. This difference points to a variable wind absorbing UV light and leaving X-rays to pummel the disk.
A new recovery system designed by University of Sydney scientists allowed the retrieval of gigabytes of information after a NASA telescope was damaged in landing. The system, which includes parachutes and SD cards, proved essential to the mission's success and has been tested for use in future science missions.
Researchers confirmed the distance of two galaxies in Pandora's Cluster, which are larger than other galaxies at such extreme distances. The ancient galaxies offer insights into how the earliest galaxies might have formed and provide a window into the past.
The combined image reveals galaxies outside the cluster, varied sources over time likely due to gravitational lensing, and transients varying in brightness. The team identified 14 such transients across the field, including highly magnified stars or multiple-star systems and supernovae.
Astronomers combined the Webb and Hubble telescopes to capture a detailed portrait of the cosmos, revealing a galaxy cluster about 4.3 billion light-years from Earth. The image showcases magnified supernovae and individual stars, providing insights into the universe's first stars and the forces driving its expansion.
Researchers found a barred spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way at a redshift of 3, challenging previous understanding of galaxy evolution. The discovery suggests that galaxies matured and became ordered much faster than thought, with implications for theories of galaxy formation and evolution.
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a breakthrough discovery in planet formation, confirming the drifting of ice-coated solids into rocky-planet zones. The study found excess cool water in compact disks, consistent with pebble drift theory.
A team of researchers has detected ammonia isotopologues in the atmosphere of a cold brown dwarf, providing new clues to understanding gas giant formation. The ratio of two isotopologues reveals that the exoplanet formed through gravitational collapse, challenging traditional theories.
A new jet stream has been discovered in Jupiter's upper atmosphere by the James Webb Space Telescope, showing winds reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h. The discovery provides new insights into the atmospheric dynamics of gas giants and could shed light on global temperature variations.
A new computer simulation of the early universe aligns with JWST observations, showing no discrepancy with theoretical expectations. The 'Renaissance simulations' track dark matter clumps and galaxy formation, consistent with models that dictate cosmic physics.
The James Webb Space Telescope has made its first detection of a heavy element, tellurium, in a star merger. This breakthrough allows scientists to better understand the process by which rare elements are created, and may shed light on other elements near tellurium that could be present.
The discovery reveals insights into how the layers of Jupiter's atmosphere interact with each other and how the planet's fast rotation affects the wind patterns. The research team analyzed data from Webb's NIRCam to track the jet stream, which is located around 25 miles above the clouds in Jupiter's lower stratosphere.
Astronomers detected two ice giant exoplanets colliding, creating a blaze of light and plumes of dust that moved in front of the parent star, dimming it over time. The study suggests the collision occurred three years before the star started to fade in visible light.
A young star cluster, IRS13, has been found to be significantly younger than expected, with stars only 100,000 years old, despite being near the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The cluster's turbulent history suggests it was 'captured' by the black hole's gravity, leading to a bow shock and increased star formation.
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe TRAPPIST-1 b, finding strong stellar contamination in its transmission spectra. The team discovered that stellar activity can create 'ghost signals' that may fool observers into thinking they have detected specific molecules in the exoplanet's atmosphere.
Astronomers used James Webb Space Telescope to discover that Milky Way-like galaxies are surprisingly common and dominated throughout the universe's history. These 'disk' galaxies formed 10 billion years ago or longer and were previously thought to be fragile in early Universe.
Researchers confirmed that Maisie's Galaxy is at a high redshift of z ≈ 11.5 and disproved the existence of a previously thought-to-be-most-distant galaxy. The study also revealed another galaxy at a lower redshift, contradicting initial theories.
The James Webb Space Telescope has refined measurements of the Hubble constant using Cepheid variables. The observations provide new insights into the universe's expansion rate and its implications for the cosmos.
Saturn's north pole is experiencing a cooling trend as autumn approaches, with the warm polar vortex filled with hydrocarbon gases disappearing. The new observations provide insights into the changing seasons on the massive outer planet, using data from the James Webb Space Telescope.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of K2-18 b, an exoplanet with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and potential for a water ocean surface. The findings support the hypothesis that K2-18 b could be a Hycean exoplanet, making it a promising environment to search for life.
Astronomers have confirmed that Maisie's galaxy is among the earliest galaxies detected by the James Webb Space Telescope. The galaxy, first spotted last summer, is estimated to be 390 million years after the Big Bang, making it one of the four earliest confirmed galaxies observed.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a new image of the 'El Gordo' galaxy cluster, revealing dusty objects and distorted background galaxies. Gravitational lensing provides a unique window into the distant universe, allowing scientists to study star formation history and assembly of galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected hydrogen peroxide on Ganymede's poles and sulfur monoxide on Io, revealing new secrets about Jupiter's Galilean satellites. These findings suggest that charged particles from Jupiter's magnetosphere can alter the surface chemistry of icy moons.
Researchers used a new code to test the capabilities of future giant telescopes, which could help identify potentially habitable planets. The study found that ELT and TMT can make high-resolution observations of brown dwarfs and exoplanets over a single rotation, while GMT's instruments require multiple rounds.
A new study by NASA and Japan's Osaka University suggests that rogue planets, drifting through space without a star, may outnumber stars with orbiting worlds. The Roman Space Telescope could discover up to 400 Earth-mass rogue planets, according to the findings.
Researchers have found a source for the mysterious alignment of planetary nebulae near the Galactic Centre, attributing it to close binary stars. The study confirms the alignment but also reveals that specific groups of planets are responsible.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole to date, existing about 570 million years after the big bang. The galaxy, CEERS 1019, is less massive than other identified black holes in the early universe, with a mass of around 9 million solar masses.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole to date in galaxy CEERS 1019, which existed 570 million years after the big bang. This smaller black hole is less massive than previously detected behemoths and provides insight into the early universe's formation.
Scientists discover threadlike arrangement of galaxies, anchored by a quasar, which marks the first time such a structure has been observed at 6% of its current age. The findings provide clues about the fundamental architecture of the universe and the formation of supermassive black holes.
Astronomers have discovered the earliest strands of the cosmic web, comprising 10 galaxies that existed just 830 million years after the big bang. The 3 million light-year-long structure is anchored by a luminous quasar, with team members believing it will eventually evolve into a massive cluster.
A new study detects starlight from two massive galaxies hosting actively growing black holes, seen less than a billion years after the Big Bang. The findings suggest that the relationship between black holes and their host galaxies was already in place 860 million years ago.
A team of international scientists has detected methyl cation, a crucial carbon compound, in a young star system using the James Webb Space Telescope. The discovery confirms the importance of CH3+ in interstellar chemistry and suggests that UV radiation may play a critical role in the early chemical stages of life.
Researchers from UNIGE have developed a new method to test the validity of Einstein and Euler's theories on the accelerating Universe expansion and dark matter. The study uses time distortion as a never-before-used measure, allowing for differentiation between the two equations.
Researchers found high amounts of tryptophan in a nearby star-forming region using data from the Spitzer space observatory. The presence of this protein-building agent in the gas and dust from which stars form suggests it may be common in planetary systems.
A team of physicists and astronomers discovered a multiply-imaged lensed Type Ia supernova, dubbed SN Zwicky, which offers a unique opportunity to explore the properties of foreground galaxies and dark matter. The extreme magnification of SN Zwicky provides an unprecedented chance to study distant Type Ia supernova explosions.
Researchers have identified a second circumbinary planet, BEBOP-1c, in the TOI-1338/BEBOP-1 system using state-of-the-art instruments. The newly discovered planet has a mass 65 times larger than Earth and orbits both stars at once.
A team of astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope has detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy over 12 billion light-years away. The discovery suggests that the presence of these molecules does not necessarily indicate star formation, contradicting a long-held assumption.
Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earth. The study used the James Webb Space Telescope and gravitational lensing to observe the galaxy's atomic and molecular composition, revealing insights into the formation of galaxies, their lifecycle, and how they evolve.
Astronomers have detected a surprisingly large water vapor plume spanning over 6,000 miles from Saturn's moon Enceladus using the James Webb Space Telescope. The plume extends far beyond its release region at the southern pole and feeds the torus of Saturn's outermost ring, with 30% of the water staying within it.
Researchers used the NIRISS instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope to create a temperature map of the exoplanet WASP-18 b, revealing a huge temperature change from day to night sides. Water vapor was also detected in the atmosphere at various elevations.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a massive plume of water vapor on Saturn's moon Enceladus, stretching over 6,000 miles. This finding has significant implications for the search for life beyond Earth, as it suggests that Enceladus may have the necessary ingredients for habitability.
A team of astrophysicists and citizen scientists have identified three potentially habitable exoplanets discovered during NASA's Kepler space telescope's final days of operation. The planets, including K2-416 b and K2-417 b, are between the size of Earth and Neptune and orbit their stars closely.
Astronomers at MIT and University of Wisconsin have discovered two validated planets, K2-416 b and K2-417 b, in Kepler's last week of high-quality data. The third planet candidate, EPIC 246251988 b, orbits its star every 10 days and is slightly farther away from Earth than the other two.
Astronomers using Hubble have found evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in the globular star cluster Messier 4, weighing approximately 800 solar masses. The discovery uses precise measurements of stellar motion to rule out alternative theories and suggests a single, compact black hole at the center.
A research group led by NCKU professor I-Non Chiu conducted the first cosmological study on galaxy clusters identified by eROSITA, analyzing 550 galaxy clusters. The results suggest that Dark Energy occupies up to 76% of the total energy density in the Universe.
A team of scientists led by NYU Abu Dhabi researcher Mohamad Ali-Dib discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet named LP 791-18 d. The planet may be carpeted with volcanoes and sustain water in liquid form, making it potentially habitable.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet, LP 791-18d, with active volcanoes that could sustain an atmosphere, potentially allowing for liquid water and life. The planet's unique tidal locking creates a permanent day and night side, with the night side possibly experiencing condensation of water vapor.
A team of astronomers has discovered chemical traces of supermassive stars in globular proto-clusters, born 440 million years after the Big Bang. The study suggests that these 'celestial monsters' enriched the original gas cloud with chemical elements, explaining abundance anomalies in their stars.
Researchers have found that supermassive black holes are more likely to grow and release energy when inside galaxies expected to collide. The study used a new technique to determine galaxy distances, providing insight into the growth of these black holes during cosmic noon.
A team of researchers used JWST to observe GJ 1214b's atmosphere, discovering water vapor and a reflective haze. The findings suggest the planet is too hot to be habitable but likely contains significant amounts of water.