Articles tagged with Interstellar Clouds
Astronomers used Hubble data to find a surplus of incoming gas in the Milky Way, with unknown sources contributing to the excess. The galaxy's balance regulates star and planet formation.
Scientists at Hokkaido University detected nucleobases in a simulated interstellar cloud environment, essential building blocks of DNA. The findings suggest that the processes could lead to the formation of molecular precursors of life.
Molecular clouds in distant galaxies have higher mass, density, and internal turbulence than those in nearby galaxies, producing more stars. The international team used ALMA to detect clouds in a Milky Way progenitor 8 billion light-years away.
A TUM research team discovered iron-60 in Antarctic snow, ruling out cosmic radiation and nuclear sources. The isotope's presence suggests the solar system recently passed through an interstellar gas cloud.
A Yale-led team of astronomers has simulated a large patch of the intergalactic medium (IGM), revealing how cold, dense gas clouds organize themselves within larger sheets or pancakes of matter. The findings suggest that these gas clouds can be pristine and metal-free, challenging previous assumptions about their formation and composit...
New observations of the NGC 300 spiral galaxy reveal that molecular clouds are short-lived structures undergoing rapid lifecycles driven by intense stellar radiation. The positions of young stars rarely coincide with those of their parent molecular clouds, indicating rapid star formation and gas dispersion.
Astronomers have discovered an intermediate-mass black hole, 30,000 times the mass of the Sun, hidden within a gas cloud near the Galactic center. The finding provides new insight into black hole growth and evolution, suggesting that small black holes can merge to form larger ones.
Researchers propose that small dust clouds can partially obscure the innermost regions of AGNs, causing changes in light emissions. This explanation resolves long-standing puzzles in astrophysics.
Case Western Reserve University astronomers detected a massive cloud of ionized hydrogen gas spewed from a nearby galaxy and consumed by its central black hole. The discovery provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the behavior of a black hole and associated galaxy as it consumes and 'recycles' hydrogen gas.
Reconstructing the 3D structure of an interstellar cloud is critical for understanding the processes occurring within it. The authors successfully modelled the cloud's density using fast magnetosonic waves, showing that Musca is a vast sheet-like structure, not a long filament.
Researchers challenged the existing understanding of star formation by observing a distant molecular cloud, W43-MM1, with ALMA. Contrary to previous findings, they discovered an overabundance of massive cores and underrepresentation of less massive cores.
Researchers used a high-resolution 3D calculation program to study the interaction between a shock wave and molecular clouds in interstellar space. The results show that filament formation and density irregularities depend on cloud compression under the impact of the shock wave, with three phases of collision identified.
The James Webb Space Telescope will study the chemical complexity of molecular clouds to understand the origin and evolution of water and other key molecules. By observing icy layers, protoplanetary disks, and individual stars, scientists aim to determine whether life-building blocks exist in every star system.
The discovery reveals that chemical desorption is more efficient than previously believed, releasing particles and advancing our understanding of star formation in molecular clouds. This finding has significant implications for the study of interstellar chemistry.
A team of astronomers found fullerenes in the interstellar medium using data from the VLT telescope. The discovery could lead to breakthroughs in producing these carbon nanostructures, which are currently expensive and produced in limited quantities.
Researchers found a strong inverse relation between magnetic field strength and star formation rate in molecular cloud complexes. This suggests that magnetic fields slow down or stop the collapse of gas clouds to form stars, leading to fewer massive stars in galaxy centers.
Astronomers have discovered eleven low-mass protostars forming close to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, defying predictions of hostile environment. These newly formed stars are about 6,000 years old and represent the earliest phase of star formation in this highly turbulent region.
Using ALMA's unparalleled sensitivity and resolution, the team identified eight massive dusty clouds along the center of the galaxy, each with a unique chemical signature. The clouds are thought to be aggregates of dense, warm cocoons around young stars, driving complex chemical reactions and molecule formation.
Researchers observe intense gas motions at filament junctions, indicating strong acceleration gradients and massive core formation. The study reveals that interstellar filaments and hub systems are privileged locations for forming the most massive stars in the Galaxy.
The NASA-funded CHESS mission will study the earliest stages of star formation by analyzing light filtering through the interstellar medium. The mission aims to understand the lifecycle of stars and the structure of these vast clouds, which can help scientists pinpoint where they stand in the process of star formation.
Researchers use Gaia data to detect pulsating stars and trace the extent of the Large Magellanic Cloud, revealing a fuzzy halo stretching 20 degrees from its center. The discovery provides insights into the clouds' mass and interaction with the Milky Way, shedding light on their role in galaxy formation.
An international team of scientists has discovered that the biggest galaxies in the universe develop in cosmic clouds of cold gas. The study used radio telescopes to investigate an embryonic galaxy cluster, where they found a cloud of very cold gas where galaxies were merging.
A rare triple-star system has been discovered by a University of Oklahoma-led research team using ALMA observations, providing insights into the formation of young binary and multiple star systems. The team found that the disk surrounding the tri-star system appeared susceptible to fragmentation, leading to the creation of newborn stars.
A team of astronomers using ALMA observed a supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy Abell 2597 feeding on chaotic downpour of cold, clumpy clouds. The discovery provides evidence for 'cold, chaotic accretion', a process that challenges traditional models of how black holes grow.
A team of scientists has discovered the first complex organic chiral molecule in interstellar space, propylene oxide, near the center of our Galaxy in a star-forming cloud. The detection opens the door for further experiments to determine how molecular handedness emerges and why one form may be more abundant than the other.
Researchers have detected a chiral molecule called propylene oxide in Sagittarius B2 North, a cloud of gas and dust in the Milky Way galaxy. This discovery sheds light on the origin of homochirality on Earth, which is a phenomenon where life forms predominantly use left-handed molecules.
Researchers detected cold gas clouds traveling at 1 million km/h toward a black hole in the Abell 2597 Cluster. The discovery offers new understanding of how black holes ingest fuel, with implications for our knowledge of accretion processes.
A team of astronomers used ALMA to observe a cluster of towering intergalactic gas clouds raining in on the supermassive black hole at the center of an elliptical galaxy. The new findings reshape our understanding of how supermassive black holes feed, revealing a previously unknown process known as cold, chaotic accretion.
A new ALMA observation reveals that cold dense clouds can coalesce from hot intergalactic gas and feed a galaxy's central supermassive black hole. This challenges previous views of how supermassive black holes acquire mass, indicating a chaotic and dynamic feeding process.
For the first time, astronomers have detected billowy clouds of cold, clumpy gas streaming towards a supermassive black hole at speeds of up to 800,000 miles per hour. The observation provides direct evidence to support the theory that black holes feed on clouds of cold gas.
Researchers detected billowy clouds of cold, clumpy gas streaming toward a black hole, suggesting two dinner modes for black holes: slow grazing on diffuse hot gas and quick consumption of clumps of cold gas. The findings represent the first direct evidence to support the hypothesis that black holes feed on clouds of cold gas.
Researchers discovered that stars undergo sharp stellar brightening caused by gravitational instabilities in massive gaseous disks, leading to a new understanding of star formation and evolution. The discovery may imply that our Sun experienced several such episodes, affecting the formation of giant planets.
Researchers have determined that the Smith Cloud, a high-velocity cloud in the galaxy, contains heavier elements similar to those found in our sun, suggesting it originated from the Milky Way's outer edges. The cloud is now expected to crash into the galaxy's disk in 30 million years, potentially generating two million suns.
The Smith Cloud, a massive cloud of hydrogen gas, is plummeting towards the Milky Way at nearly 700,000 miles per hour. Astronomers believe it will ignite a spectacular burst of star formation upon impact, potentially providing enough gas to create 2 million suns.
Researchers detected radio absorption by gas clouds in front of bright radio sources, revealing the composition and conditions of diffuse gas in the Milky Way galaxy. The discovery of three new absorption systems and confirmation of one previously known system provides insight into tenuous gas clouds and their role in the universe.
Researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to locate compact regions within the nearby dwarf irregular galaxy Wolf--Lundmark--Melotte that can emulate larger galaxies' star-forming environments. These discoveries shed light on how dense star clusters can form in low-density, gas-poor galaxies.
Astronomers have found a similar percentage of newborn stars with specific masses in young clusters of the Andromeda galaxy compared to our own. This study, utilizing Hubble images and citizen scientist contributions, helps interpret distant galaxy light and understand star formation history.
Researchers at the University of Basel have identified Buckminsterfullerene as a molecule that absorbs starlight and produces diffuse interstellar bands. The study used lab conditions similar to outer space to confirm the presence of ionized Fullerenes in space.
Researchers have developed a new method to estimate distances to X-ray sources using the geometry of light echoes and dust clouds. By analyzing the timing and deflection of X-rays as they pass through interstellar space, astronomers can calculate the distance to Circinus X-1, a binary system located in the plane of the galaxy.
A team of astronomers has discovered a massive star cluster in the NGC 5253 dwarf galaxy, containing over 7,000 massive O-type stars. The cluster, dubbed Cloud D, is incredibly efficient at forming stars and creating dust, with a gas cloud rate that is ten times greater than in our own Milky Way.
An international team of astronomers has discovered a hot, dusty cloud of molecular gases in a dwarf galaxy near our own, where over 1 million young stars are forming. The star cluster is buried within a supernebula and contains massive 'O' stars that are a million times brighter than the sun.
A new survey of Carina Nebula helps astronomers understand the processes that may have contributed to the formation of our sun. The region contains dozens of examples of forming stars at various stages of development, providing insights into how solar-type stars evolve.
A team of astronomers used ALMA to study a star-forming region in the Sculptor Galaxy, revealing that it is much more massive and dense than similar regions in normal spiral galaxies. This suggests that starburst galaxies are better at forming stars due to their unique stellar nurseries.
Astronomers at Cornell University have detected an unusual carbon-based molecule, isopropyl cyanide, with a branched structure in a giant gas cloud 27,000 light years away. The discovery suggests that complex molecules needed for life may originate in interstellar space.
Researchers believe a high-velocity hydrogen cloud, known as the Smith Cloud, contains and is wrapped in a substantial halo of dark matter, allowing it to survive a collision with the Milky Way. The discovery could provide insights into the formation of galaxies and the earliest star formation in our galaxy.
Researchers at Northwestern University are observing the closest approach between Sgr A*, a supermassive black hole, and gas cloud G2, which could reveal insights into black hole growth. The data from Chandra X-ray Observatory and Very Large Array may provide clues about the feeding habits of these massive objects.
Astronomers using data from NASA's RXTE satellite discovered a dozen cloud events where gas clouds moved across the line of sight, dimming X-ray light produced by supermassive black holes in active galaxies. The study triples previous cloud event counts and provides new insights into the environments around supermassive black holes.
Astronomers have observed huge clouds of gas circling supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, revealing a previously unknown phenomenon. These clouds can intermittently dim X-ray sources, providing evidence for their existence and confirming predictions made by recent models.
A team of researchers has identified a giant gas cloud in the Milky Way galaxy, shaped like a long filament and about 50,000 times the mass of our sun. The discovery was made using the High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz telescope, which detects atomic carbon and is located at Ridge A in Antarctica.
Researchers used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to discover measurable shifts in giant gas clouds around galaxies in a span of just five years. The findings suggest that these clouds are much smaller than previously thought, with implications for how galaxies form and evolve over time.
A massive gas cloud called the Smith Cloud is hurtling towards our Galaxy, and may be a key source of fuel for star formation. The cloud has been found to have a magnetic field that helps keep it intact, protecting it from disintegrating as it approaches the Galaxy's disk.
A team of astronomers reports key observations that confirm a theory describing how dust grains in interstellar space align themselves in the presence of magnetic fields. The findings have significant implications for understanding interstellar medium and novel observational tactics to probe magnetic fields.
Researchers propose a new spatio-temporal model to investigate molecular cloud fluctuations and their pulsational dynamics. The model takes into account nonlinear gravito-electrostatic coupling, helping elucidate basic features of cloud collapse, star formation, and galactic structures.
A UNSW-led team is mapping the location of giant gas clouds in our galaxy, which can be up to 100 light years across. The research aims to understand how these clouds form and play a key role in the cosmic cycle of birth and death of stars.
Scientists mapping our location in the Milky Way galaxy discover interstellar wind changes over decades, impacting our sun's heliosphere and cosmic radiation protection. The study's findings provide deeper insight into dynamic interstellar winds, crucial for understanding our place in the cosmos.
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.
A team of researchers studied an early galaxy using the ESO Very Large Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope, determining its size, mass, element content, and star formation rate. The study found that the galaxy contained a high proportion of heavier elements, similar to those in the centre and outer parts of the galaxy.
Researchers led by CU-Boulder's John Stocke discovered normal spiral galaxies are surrounded by massive gas halos extending up to 1 million light-years in diameter, much larger than previously estimated. These findings have significant consequences for galaxy evolution and provide new insights into the formation process of stars.
Researchers detected a surprising clutch of hydrogen clouds, each as massive as a dwarf galaxy, in the space between M31 and M33. The clouds were found to be traveling through space at velocities similar to their parent galaxies, suggesting they are independent entities.
The iconic Horsehead Nebula is seen in a new infrared image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing its ethereal and transparent appearance at this wavelength. The nebula, located about 1,500 light-years away, is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud and is being formed by massive stars.