Articles tagged with Telescopes
The U.S. Planck Team, led by NASA and DOE, generates a massive simulation suite using NERSC's resources to analyze the flood of data from the Planck mission. This allows for precise cosmology results, with 250,000 maps of the sky produced in just 1,000 realizations.
Researchers have discovered vigorous starbursts in young galaxies, indicating the universe produced stars much earlier than thought. The findings reveal a rate of star formation 1,000 times greater than today's Milky Way and provide new insights into the history of the universe.
Astronomers found dust-enshrouded, star-forming galaxies that were previously unknown in the universe. The newly discovered galaxies produce stars at a prodigious rate, creating thousands of new suns annually.
The NASA grant will support the U.S. institutions in building lasers and monitoring equipment for calibrating the telescope's optics from around the globe. The Extreme Universe Space Observatory aims to discover the sources of ultra high-energy cosmic rays by observing their traces in the atmosphere.
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.
Researchers have discovered important prebiotic molecules in interstellar space, including a precursor to DNA's adenine component and an intermediate step in alanine formation. The findings suggest that these chemicals could have seeded newly-formed planets with the necessary building blocks for life.
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.
CREPT will measure energetic electrons and protons in Van Allen Belts, gaining a better understanding of electron microbursts. The instrument demonstrates two new technologies that make it four times faster than its predecessor.
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.
New techniques using ALMA and laboratory technology identify specific molecules in star-forming regions. Scientists can now analyze the unique patterns of wavelengths emitted or absorbed by molecules, enabling studies that were previously impossible.
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.
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 will observe the Arc of Venus, a glowing rim around Venus, to learn about its atmosphere and super-rotation. The phenomenon reveals temperature and density structures in Venus' middle atmosphere, shedding light on the planet's mysterious evolution.
Astronomers captured a unique image of over 10,000 stars in the Milky Way's centre, revealing large structures like gas and dust clouds. The image, created by combining infra-red light data from two telescopes, offers new insights into the galaxy's structure.
The CalTech-led Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey has released a massive dataset of 200 million celestial objects, including stars, supernovae, and asteroids. This unprecedented data set will enable scientists to study the evolution of stars, massive black holes, and the structure of the Milky Way.
The new data set contains the brightness histories of two hundred million stars and other objects, incorporating over 20 billion independent measurements. This extensive dataset enables numerous studies by the astronomical community.
Researchers used the VLBA and RXTE satellite to study a 2009 outburst from a black hole system. The collaboration gathered detailed images of
Researchers mapped dark matter using images of 10 million galaxies in four regions, studying distortion of light as it passes massive clumps of dark matter. The study reveals a vast network of dense and empty regions, providing the first direct glimpse at dark matter on large scales.
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.
Researchers confirm detection of antimatter positron excess with assistance from Earth's magnetic field, casting doubt on dark matter explanation. The Fermi Gamma-ray Telescope's unique approach utilizes the Earth's magnetic field to separate charged particles, providing valuable insight into the universe.
Astronomers have captured a new image of a star's disk, revealing spiral-arm-like structures that could indicate the presence of hidden planets. The Subaru Telescope's advanced imaging capabilities have revealed these dynamic features for the first time.
Researchers found two moons orbiting the triple asteroid Minerva, offering insights into its formation and structure. The discovery sheds light on how large asteroids in the main-belt form, suggesting they are composed of rubble held together by gravity.
The project aims to organize and share celestial observations, linking them to experiments and models. AstroShelf will facilitate real-time reporting and interactive analysis of images from various telescopes.
The University of Arizona has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to polish a 4.2-meter primary mirror for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope in Hawaii. The mirror will be the world's largest solar telescope, allowing researchers to study the sun in unprecedented detail.
A recent study by Schepens Eye Research Institute found that a bioptic telescope on one lens of glasses used for low vision driving may not prevent the wider view of the road with the second eye. The study, published in May 2011 Archives of Ophthalmology, suggests that individuals wearing such telescopes can detect targets in the area ...
Two new observations reveal detailed structures in protoplanetary disks of two young stars, including a large gap similar to our solar system's. The images suggest the presence of one or more massive planets sweeping up material from the disk, potentially forming an entire planetary system.
Physicists propose beaming laser at atmospheric sodium to measure global magnetic field, offering cheaper alternative to satellites. Ground-based measurements can avoid problems caused by satellite movement and electronic instrument effects.
Researchers have discovered that partition numbers behave like fractals, unlocking their infinitely repeating superstructure and developing a mathematical theory to 'see' them. A new finite formula has been devised to calculate the partitions of any number, bringing completely new ideas to the problems.
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.
Astrophysicists can now obtain accurate answers to the mystery of accelerating universe expansion thanks to a calibrated Pan-STARRS telescope. The telescope's performance was fine-tuned at many individual wavelengths, allowing for consistent information about supernovae.
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.
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 new system corrects for atmospheric distortion, allowing for higher resolution images. The technology is scalable and suitable for large telescopes like the E-ELT, and can be integrated into existing ones.
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 are expanding their search for extraterrestrial life by moving beyond traditional radio signals. Paul Davies suggests using various scientific methods to scrutinise the solar system and galaxy for signs of past or present cosmic company.
Astronomers discovered a distant star that exploded 7 billion years ago when its center became unstable and created matter and anti-matter particle pairs. The Y-155 supernova was 100 billion times brighter than the sun, releasing an enormous amount of energy.
Scientists have measured magnetic fields in the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst for the first time using a specialized camera on a telescope. This breakthrough observation opens up the study of magnetic fields in these cosmic events, potentially changing our understanding of their role in powering and collimating gamma-ray bursts.
Ray Jayawardhana, a University of Toronto astronomer, has been awarded the 2009 Steacie Prize for his exceptional contributions to astrophysics research. His discoveries have made headlines on several occasions, including capturing the first direct image of a giant planet revolving around a young sun-like star.
An international team of scientists has made the first direct observation of a planet-like object orbiting a star similar to the sun. The object, GJ 758 B, is estimated to be 10-40 times as massive as Jupiter and orbits its star at a distance of approximately 300 trillion miles.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing automated methods to discover astrophysical phenomena by analyzing massive amounts of cosmological data. These methods will enable scientists to identify larger patterns in observational data, providing insights into the evolution of the universe. The initiative aims to capitaliz...
Most dark gamma-ray bursts are found in normal galaxies that can be detected by large ground-based optical telescopes, contradicting previous theories. The study suggests that dark bursts may represent stars that never drifted far from the dusty clouds that formed them.
Astronomers have discovered a gamma-ray burst from a star that died 630 million years ago, marking the most distant cosmic explosion ever seen. The burst, dubbed GRB 090423, is approximately 13 billion light-years away.
Researchers from the University of Sheffield and Queen's University Belfast have made a groundbreaking discovery about the Sun's corona. They found evidence for the existence of Alfvén waves, which transport energy to heat the Sun's outer atmosphere, reaching temperatures of over a million degrees.
New research demonstrates how laser-based techniques can create micron-sized light pathways in three dimensions, enabling the detection of faint light from extrasolar planets and galaxies. This technology has the potential to improve the sensitivity and precision of future telescopes, such as the planned European ELT.
Peter Serlemitsos, a NASA astrophysicist, has made significant contributions to the development of X-ray detectors and telescopes. His work enabled decades of scientific advances in high-energy astrophysics, including pioneering instruments aboard OSO-8 and ASCA missions.
Two independent groups successfully detected the thermal emissions of exoplanets OGLE-TR-56b and TrES-3b using ground-based telescopes. The detections are significant because they will continue to study hot Jupiters beyond the capabilities of the soon-to-be-retired Spitzer telescope.
The University of Delaware is part of an international team building the IceCube neutrino telescope, which will study high-energy cosmic events. The $150 million project will detect neutrinos passing through the Antarctic ice, opening new insights into astrophysics.
Researchers will use chromospheres to measure star ages by studying sunspots and solar cycles. The team aims to extend the activity-age relation for solar-type stars up to the Milky Way's age, about 10 billion years.
Rochester Institute of Technology will develop a zero-noise detector with the Moore Foundation's $2.8M award, promising to enhance telescope sensitivity and astrophysics discoveries. The project aims to resolve noise limitations in existing detectors.
Researchers used VLBI technique to combine signals from multiple telescopes and detected structure 30 million miles away from the galactic center. The observations provide unprecedented view of the region near the black hole event horizon.
The new telescope glasses offer a wide-field telescope made of straight and curved mirrors built completely within the spectacle lens, reducing the appearance of the device. This design enables the wearer to simultaneously view the magnified field above the unmagnified view of the uninterrupted horizontal field.
Scientists from UK and international teams have been part of the Swift satellite project, which has discovered over 292 gamma-ray bursts since its launch in 2004. The satellite's rapid response capabilities have been instrumental in understanding these cosmic events, with recent discoveries pinpointing the origins of black holes.
A new system of planets has been discovered with striking similarities to our Solar System, revealing giant planets that favour family groups over lone objects. The discovery uses a world-wide net of telescopes and challenges the single-life theory of gas-giant planets.
The Sunrise project successfully launched a solar telescope to an altitude of 120,000 feet, enabling scientists to view features of the Sun that were previously unseen. The telescope will capture stable images in the ultraviolet range, allowing for higher resolution than can be obtained from Earth's surface.
The W.M. Keck Foundation has pledged $1.5 million to support the final phase of research and development for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope's (LSST) three-billion pixel digital camera. The LSST will survey the entire visible sky deeply in multiple colors every few nights, probing dark matter and dark energy.
Astronomers have measured the age of a star in our Galaxy using ESO's VLT, finding it to be 13.2 billion years old, nearly as old as the Universe itself. This discovery was made possible by a new technique that combines radioactive elements thorium and uranium to accurately determine a star's age.
Astronomers have described the double asteroid Antiope in unprecedented detail, revealing its unique orbit and shape. The asteroid consists of two rubble-pile chunks of material, tidally locked and rotating around each other at the same speed as they orbit.
A team of scientists observed the speeding up of an asteroid's rotation, showing it is due to the heating of its surface by the Sun. The YORP effect, a theoretical prediction, was directly detected in action on a small near-Earth asteroid.
The VISTA camera, Europe's largest infrared camera, will survey large areas of the southern sky at near-infrared wavelengths, studying cool objects, dust, and high-redshift galaxies. The camera's 67 million pixels will enable it to map the infrared sky faster than any previous telescope.
Researchers have developed an 'audio telescope' system that uses microphone arrays to locate and identify birds by their unique calls. The system can distinguish between different species within seconds, improving airport safety and reducing costly collisions.