Articles tagged with Infrared Astronomy
Astronomers have discovered water molecules in the envelope of star IRS 3, located near the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The star's enormous envelope, fueled by rapid mass loss, has allowed water to thrive in its vicinity. This finding suggests that Sgr A* is being enriched with fundamental building blocks of life.
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to measure how star light absorption changes as WASP-121 b rotates, probing its atmosphere longitude by longitude. The data indicate that hot winds heat the evening terminator region, causing it to absorb more stellar radiation and expand.
The discovery reveals a surprisingly mature black hole at just 850 million years old, with an accretion disk resembling a flat pancake. This challenges the understanding of how supermassive black holes can grow and mature in a short amount of cosmic time.
A team of astronomers used JWST to detect the motion of stars near a galaxy's center affected by a dormant black hole's gravity. The findings suggest that densest galaxies were sites of rapid black hole growth early in cosmic history.
The study reveals that more massive young star clusters clear away their natal gas faster than lower-mass clusters. This has implications for our understanding of star formation and how the young stars affect their surroundings.
The team analyzed LHS 3844 b's infrared radiation, finding it doesn't match Earth-like silicate-rich minerals. Instead, the spectrum suggests a dark, rocky surface composed of basaltic or magmatic minerals, possibly with a recently active geological history.
Researchers created the highest resolution map of dark matter, showing its interaction with normal matter through gravity. The new data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope confirms previous research and provides new details about dark matter's influence on the Universe.
Astronomers at Northwestern University have directly imaged a Tatooine-like exoplanet orbiting two suns, revealing unique insights into how planets form around multiple stars. The discovery provides an unprecedented look at the complex dynamics of binary systems and offers new opportunities to test theories of planet formation.
Astronomers discover galaxy Virgil with dual personality – ordinary in visible light but harboring massive black hole. JWST observations reveal hidden nature of Virgil, challenging current models of black hole formation.
Two new research projects will bring advanced tools to Lick and McDonald Observatories, studying planet and star formation. The programs aim to extend the scientific reach of mid-sized telescopes, delivering new insights and demonstrating technologies for larger observatories.
The SPHERE instrument has produced an unprecedented gallery of debris disks in exoplanetary systems, allowing for deductions of smaller bodies. These observations provide a glimpse of the earliest history of the solar system, with small bodies serving as remnants from planetesimals that did not evolve into larger planets.
The team discovered a flat, spherical gas and dust structure resembling a diamond ring, formed by a massive star's radiation and winds. The 'Diamond Ring' is around 20 light years in diameter and shines strongly in infrared light.
A team of astronomers has discovered a mysterious dark object in the distant universe with a mass about 1 million times that of our Sun. The discovery is significant as it could confirm or refute theories about the nature of dark matter.
Recent JWST observations revealed a new population of astronomical objects, known as black hole stars, which are emitting light predominantly at longer wavelengths. These objects, located extremely far away, have raised questions about galaxy evolution and the formation of stars on a massive scale.
A study by Stockholm University revealed a planet-forming disk with an unexpectedly high abundance of carbon dioxide, challenging long-standing assumptions about planetary birthplaces. The discovery was made using the James Webb Space Telescope and suggests intense ultraviolet radiation may be reshaping the chemistry of the disk.
Researchers used infrared images to spot bright objects, then applied the 'dropout' technique to confirm their nature. The study could challenge current ideas about galaxy formation in the early universe if confirmed.
Complex organic molecules, precursors to life's building blocks, have been found in a planet-forming disc around the outbursting protostar V883 Orionis. This discovery supports the idea that life's seeds are assembled in space and are widespread.
Astronomers have created a detailed 3D map of dust in the Milky Way galaxy, providing new insights into the effects of dust on celestial observations. The map reveals unexpected properties of interstellar dust clouds, including a steepening extinction curve in areas of intermediate density.
Astronomers observed a bright and chemically complex galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0, when the universe was just 2% of its current age. The discovery reveals significant amounts of oxygen, suggesting the galaxy had formed stars for potentially 100 million years before observation.
A new study using the James Webb Space Telescope has reevaluated the atmospheric composition of Trappist-1 b, finding conditions that could support a thick CO2-rich atmosphere. Researchers propose that haze from hydrocarbon compounds in the upper atmosphere may explain this scenario.
A new study using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed the presence of proplyds around brown dwarfs in the Orion Nebula. The team discovered 20 cool objects that are too small and cool to undergo hydrogen fusion, with two faint proplyds detected by Hubble previously.
Two UMD Astronomy space probes, AXIS and PRIMA, have advanced to the next round of consideration for a $1 billion NASA mission. AXIS will study X-rays from stars and black holes, while PRIMA will explore far-infrared radiation to understand galaxy formation.
Researchers have observed the circumgalactic medium of a star-bursting galaxy 270 million light years away, revealing its vastness and influence on gas formation. The study provides new insights into galaxy evolution, how galaxies acquire gas, and where it goes.
Astronomers have imaged the coldest exoplanet ever detected using JWST, which agrees with models of planet evolution and solar system ages. The exoplanet orbits a super-Jupiter in the Epsilon Indi triple star system and has a mass six times that of Jupiter.
The MIRI Mid-INfrared Disk Survey (MINDS) discovered a large variety of carbon-rich gases in the disk surrounding a very low-mass star. This finding suggests that rocky planets with Earth-like characteristics may form more efficiently than Jupiter-like gas giants in such disks.
A research team led by UCF's Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso discovered carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices on 59 trans-Neptunian objects using the James Webb Space Telescope. The findings suggest that carbon dioxide was abundant in the protoplanetary disk, while the origin of carbon monoxide remains uncertain.
A massive ancient galaxy, JWST-ER1g, has been found to have a high dark matter density, puzzling physicists. Researchers offer an explanation that suggests a mechanism compressing the dark matter halo could be responsible for the high density.
Scientists detected water molecules on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, indicating a distribution of water in our solar system that can inform searches for life beyond Earth. The discovery was made possible by using the FORCAST instrument to isolate mid-infrared spectral signatures indicative of molecular water.
Astronomers studying two distant galaxies in the early universe reveal unprecedented molecular diversity, shedding light on the lives of prodigious star factories. By analyzing light from over 13 molecules, researchers gain insights into the physical and chemical conditions in these galaxies.
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.
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 observed the core region of the protocluster A2744z7p9OD using JWST and detected ionized oxygen-ion light from four galaxies at a distance of 13.14 billion light-years away. The team also detected cosmic dust emissions from three of the four galaxies, indicating that many first-generation stars have completed their lives.
Astrophysicists analyze James Webb Space Telescope images to find three bright objects that might be 'dark stars,' powering themselves with annihilating particles of dark matter. The discovery could reveal the nature of dark matter and solve the puzzle of galaxy formation.
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.
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.
Astronomers have developed a more accurate method to measure the composition of galaxies using data from telescopes on Earth and in space. By correcting for temperature fluctuations, researchers found that the result from collisionally excited infrared lines is still 50% less than that from recombination line method.
The Swift Observatory team, led by Maia Williams, detected the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded, GRB 221009A. The burst was incredibly bright and had an afterglow that was more than 10 times brighter than any previous observation.
Astronomers have discovered a galaxy with a unique activity in its core, leading to a reclassification as a giant radio galaxy. The PBC J2333.9-2343 galaxy has a blazar at its center with jets that changed direction drastically by up to 90 degrees.
An international team of astrophysicists has discovered six potential galaxies emerging in the universe's earliest moments, containing as many stars as the Milky Way. These ancient structures are gigantic and massive, contradicting current cosmological theory, with calculations suggesting they formed hundreds of new stars a year.
A team of scientists observed the dynamic formation process of interstellar gas clouds, revealing speeds of up to 20 km/s that compress gas into denser regions where massive stars form. The findings challenge previous assumptions of slow and quasi-static star formation processes in this region.
UC San Diego researchers study smallest dust particles in interstellar medium using JWST, gaining insights into star formation and ISM physics. High-resolution images reveal details of gas filaments and 'bubbles' blown by newly formed stars.
A team of astronomers discovered 87 galaxies that could be the earliest known galaxies in the universe using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. This finding suggests a revision to our understanding of galaxy formation, indicating that more galaxies may have formed earlier than previously thought.
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected galaxies with stellar bars, similar to the Milky Way, at a time when the universe was just 25% of its present age. This discovery shakes up galaxy evolution scenarios and challenges theoretical models.
The event challenged scientists' understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which are the most powerful events in the universe. The burst's high-energy light and kilonova visible and infrared light were detected by NASA's Swift Observatory and Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, providing new insights into how heavy elements are created.
Researchers from the University of Sydney explain that the James Webb Space Telescope's 'spiderweb' image is not an alien megastructure but rather a series of concentric dust shells created by a binary system. The team discovered that the stars in the system interact through stellar winds, producing shock fronts and spiral-shaped plumes.
An international team analyzed five ultraluminous galaxies with dim visible wavelengths, finding no significant metal deficiency when observed in infrared wavelengths. The study reveals that these galaxies have a metallicity consistent with the fundamental metallicity relation determined by stellar mass and star formation rate.
Researchers have discovered a uniquely shaped hot spot on a baby star 450 million light-years away, providing new clues about the formation of our solar system. The discovery confirms accretion models and sheds light on how young stars grow.
A new study of the Ophiuchus star-forming complex offers an analog for the formation of our solar system, suggesting that short-lived radioactive elements were enriched through supernovas in a nearby cluster. The research provides new insights into the conditions in which our solar system was born.
New work from the Carnegie Supernova Project provides precise calibrations for using type Ia supernovae to measure cosmic distances. This improvement helps astronomers better understand how fast the universe is expanding and the potential impact of dark energy on this process.
Astronomers have discovered three young stars that were ejected from an unstable multi-star system, providing new clues to the breakup of such systems. The stars are moving at speeds of up to nearly 30 times faster than most other stars in the same region.
Alan Dressler, chair of the AURA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Beyond Committee, received the 2017 Carl Sagan Memorial Award for his leadership in research and policies advancing exploration of the Cosmos. The award recognizes the committee's influential report that led to the development of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
Researchers have detected linear polarisation in the light passing through the vacuum surrounding a neutron star, suggesting that strong magnetic fields can affect the properties of empty space. This finding provides experimental support for predictions made 80 years ago about vacuum birefringence.
A new image of the Orion Nebula reveals an unexpected abundance of low-mass objects, including brown dwarfs and planetary-mass objects, providing insight into star formation history. This discovery challenges current theories and suggests a higher proportion of low-mass objects than previously thought.
The NIST/CU laser frequency comb has been used to calibrate measurements of starlight from stars other than the Sun, achieving precision comparable to established techniques. This technique may help detect Earth-like planets, which are hard to detect with conventional technology.
Astronomers observe Jupiter's new scar, a dark bruise about the size of the Pacific Ocean. The impact is believed to have been caused by a comet or asteroid, with reflective particles propelled high into the stratosphere.
A team of researchers led by UC Riverside astronomer Gillian Wilson has completed the largest ever survey of very distant galaxy clusters. The SpARCS survey detects galaxy clusters using deep optical observations and infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, revealing about 200 new cluster candidates.
Astronomers using gravitational lensing to study distant galaxies behind massive clusters, which act as giant cosmic telescopes. The ACS team has found three candidate galaxies that could provide the clearest view yet of the youngest galaxies ever seen.