Bluesky Facebook Reddit Email

Cells, data, stars: Three new ERC Projects at ISTA

ISTA's Lisa Bugnet, Alicia Michael, and Marco Mondelli have been awarded ERC Starting Grants to develop new methods for extracting information from data, studying gene regulation, and understanding time-keeping in cells. Their projects aim to simplify data analysis, accelerate personalized medicine, and uncover the secrets of biologica...

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

High-precision measurements challenge our understanding of Cepheids

A new dataset from the VELOCE project has collected over 18,000 high-precision measurements of Cepheid radial velocities, providing insights into the structure and evolution of these stars. The data reveal complex patterns in pulsations that cannot be explained by traditional models, suggesting intricate processes within the stars.

Tiniest ‘starquake’ ever detected – new study

A team of scientists detected the tiniest 'starquakes' ever recorded in the smallest and coolest dwarf star, Epsilon Indi. The detection was made possible by the ESPRESSO spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory's VLT, allowing for unprecedented precision levels.

The Radcliffe Wave is waving

Astronomers have discovered a massive, wave-shaped structure in the Milky Way, which is oscillating through space-time. The Radcliffe Wave is approximately 9,000 light years long and moves like a traveling wave, with star clusters along its path moving up and down.

Scientists measure the distance to stars by their music

Researchers from EPFL and University of Bologna used asteroseismology to calculate star distances, providing accurate measurements and validating Gaia's parallax data. The study analyzed over 12,000 oscillating red giant stars, measuring their vibrations and oscillations to determine stellar properties.

Volcano-like rupture could have caused magnetar slowdown

A study published in Nature Astronomy suggests that a volcano-like rupture on the surface of a neutron star could have caused its sudden slowdown. The research used X-ray data from orbiting telescopes to analyze the magnetar's rotation and found evidence supporting this theory.

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Astronomers discover clues about stellar ‘glitching’

Researchers found that 24% of surveyed red giants experienced structural discontinuities, affecting their oscillations and star's internal composition. The study aims to refine stellar models and uncover the history of the universe through detailed stellar fossil records.

Exploring globular clusters with the lens of asteroseismology

Asteroseismology helps determine mass, age, and features of stars in globular clusters, such as M4. A sample of 37 stars was analyzed, with most being red giants and others horizontal branch stars. The study provides an asteroseismic characterization of the stellar populations, shedding light on their origins and chemical characteristics.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Giant stars undergo dramatic weight loss program

Astronomers at the University of Sydney have discovered slimmer red giant stars, which have undergone dramatic weight loss. The unusual stars are thought to have lost mass due to their stellar neighbors, providing valuable insights into star evolution and life in the Milky Way.

New evidence of how and when the Milky Way came together

Using new methods in astronomy, researchers have identified the most precise ages of red giant stars in the galaxy, shedding light on the timing of the early Milky Way's formation. The study suggests that the merger with the satellite galaxy Gaia-Enceladus occurred around 10 billion years ago.

Dating the stars -- Scientist provide most accurate picture yet

Researchers have dated the oldest stars in our galaxy with unprecedented precision by combining data from their oscillations with information about their chemical composition. The team found that these ancient stars were originally part of a satellite galaxy called Gaia-Enceladus, which collided with the Milky Way early in its history.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Mixing massive stars

A team of astronomers has measured internal mixing within an ensemble of massive stars using observations of stellar oscillations. The results show that the mixing is diverse, unrelated to star mass or age, and influenced by internal rotation. This study provides new insights into the evolution and structure of massive stars.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

NASA's planet Hunter completes its primary mission

TESS has found 66 new exoplanets, including an Earth-size world in the habitable zone of a star. The satellite has also observed comets, exploding stars, and black holes, contributing to our understanding of astrobiology.

New gravitational-wave model can bring neutron stars into even sharper focus

Researchers have developed a new model that enables direct measurement of vibrations inside neutron stars from gravitational-wave signals. This will provide fresh insights into the fundamental nature and composition of these mysterious objects, unlocking new avenues for studying extremely dense nuclear matter.

Astronomers find regular rhythms among pulsating stars

Researchers have discovered a class of pulsating stars with remarkably regular high-frequency pulsation modes, opening up new ways to determine the masses and internal structures of these intermediate-sized stars. This breakthrough uses precise data from NASA's TESS mission to cut through noise and reveal clear patterns.

Mysterious delta Scuti stars start to surrender secrets

A new study by an international team of astrophysicists has discovered a subset of delta Scuti stars with simpler and more understandable pulsation spectra. This breakthrough could provide valuable insights into the internal structures of these stars, which have long been challenging to study due to their random spectra.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

UH astronomers decipher rhythm among young stars

Researchers used TESS data to detect regular patterns in delta Scuti star pulsations, allowing them to understand the internal structure of massive nuclear furnaces. The findings provide a window into the past, enabling scientists to study how stars and their planets form and change over time.

New type of pulsating star discovered

Astronomers have discovered a one-sided pulsator in the Milky Way, with citizen scientists providing crucial clues. The star's unusual single-sided pulsation is caused by its location in a binary star system with a red dwarf companion.

Two stars merged to form massive white dwarf

Astronomers have identified a massive white dwarf star with a unique carbon-rich atmosphere, suggesting it was formed from the merger of two white dwarfs. The discovery raises questions about the evolution of massive white dwarf stars and the number of supernovae in our galaxy.

Dating a galaxy crash

A team of researchers used a single star affected by the Milky Way-Gaia-Enceladus collision to determine its age and date the event to approximately 11.5 billion years ago. The study provides insights into the impact of galaxy collisions on their evolution.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

TESS dates an ancient collision with our galaxy

A team of scientists has used data from the TESS satellite and ground-based telescopes to determine an ancient collision between our galaxy and Gaia-Enceladus occurred early in its history. The study reveals new insights into the history of the Milky Way, providing a timeline for the collision.

Collision helped make the Milky Way -- and now we know when

Astronomers have pinpointed an early galactic merger that helped shape the Milky Way, occurring 11.5 billion years ago when Gaia-Enceladus slammed into what then existed of the galaxy. This discovery provides important insights into the accretion process that formed the Milky Way.

Planet WASP-12b is on a death spiral, say Princeton scientists

A Princeton-led team of astrophysicists has shown that WASP-12b, a 'hot Jupiter' exoplanet, is spiraling inward toward its host star due to tidal forces. This process converts the planet's orbital energy into heat within the star, causing it to dissipate rapidly.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Old at heart: Solution to red giants' age paradox

Researchers discover that some red giants contain less iron and more elements like magnesium and calcium, suggesting an ancient age. The study reveals that these stars may have merged with others during their transformation into red giants, explaining the apparent paradox.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Three exocomets discovered around the star Beta Pictoris

The discovery of three exocomets in the Beta Pictoris system provides significant evidence for their existence. The exoplanet-hunting space telescope TESS revealed a signal from darkening objects in the star's orbit, which were later confirmed as comets.

Secrets of the 'blue supergiant' revealed

Astronomers observed blue supergiants for the first time using data from NASA space telescopes, discovering wave patterns on their surface that reveal properties of these stars. The discoveries confirm two types of waves, providing new prospects for studying massive stars.

Blue supergiant stars open doors to concert in space

Researchers discovered that almost all blue supergiants shimmer in brightness due to waves on their surface, enabling the study of their internal physics and chemistry. This breakthrough enables astronomers to probe the progenitors of supernovae from a novel perspective.

Evidence for a new fundamental constant of the sun

A team at Northumbria University discovered a distinctive marker on magnetic waves in the Sun's corona, indicating that sound waves from inside the Sun excite these waves. This finding suggests a new fundamental constant of the Sun and has significant implications for our understanding of stellar atmospheres.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Massive collision in the planetary system Kepler 107

The Kepler 107 system's inner planets may have formed from a massive impact that stripped away their outer layers. This study uses seismic analysis to support the hypothesis that Kepler 107c, the densest planet, was created by such an event. The findings highlight the importance of stellar physics in understanding exoplanetary research.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

A better way to weigh millions of solitary stars

Astronomers have developed a novel method to measure the masses of solitary stars with an accuracy of 10-25 percent. This technique combines light fluctuations and parallax data to infer surface gravity and diameter, providing critical information for understanding star formation, evolution, and planetary systems.

Neutron stars on the brink of collapse

A team of scientists used computer simulations based on recent observations to determine the radius of neutron stars. The calculations suggest a minimum radius of 10.7 km for these dense objects.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Kepler satellite discovers variability in the Seven Sisters

The Kepler Space Telescope's K2 Mission has observed detailed variations in the brightness of stars in the Seven Sisters star cluster. The team developed a new algorithm to measure relative changes in brightness, overcoming instrumental effects and revealing slow-pulsating B stars.

The mystery of the pulsating blue stars

A team of Polish astronomers identified a new class of variable dwarf stars with shorter oscillation periods and higher surface temperatures than known classes. The newly discovered BLAPs are hotter and more compact than previously thought, posing an enigma in the field of astronomy.

The sun's core makes a complete rotation in one week

Researchers have accurately measured the Sun's core rotation rate, discovering it takes just one week for the core to complete a full rotation. This groundbreaking finding has the potential to refine models of the Sun's birth, evolution, and structure, shedding new light on its internal dynamics.

The heart of a far-off star beats for its planet

Scientists have observed the first time a star pulsates in response to its orbiting planet, HAT-P-2b. The star's brightness oscillates ever so slightly every 87 minutes, suggesting that the massive exoplanet may periodically distort its star, causing it to flare or pulse.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Distant star is roundest object ever observed in nature

Researchers used asteroseismology to determine the oblateness of a slowly rotating star, revealing a difference of only 3 kilometers between equatorial and polar radii. The star's small oblateness is surprising, as it rotates three times more slowly than the Sun.

Asteroseismologists listen to the relics of the Milky Way

Researchers from the University of Birmingham detected resonant acoustic oscillations in 'M4', a 13 billion-year-old star cluster, using data from NASA's Kepler/K2 mission. This breakthrough enables asteroseismology to study the Milky Way's very early history.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Stellar revelations

A team of astronomers has discovered that up to 60 percent of stars host strong magnetic fields, which can significantly alter the physical processes taking place in the core. The researchers used asteroseismology to detect these hidden fields and found that they are prevalent in intermediate mass stars.

Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars

An international team of astronomers found strong magnetic fields are common in stars, contradicting previous assumptions. The study used data from NASA's Kepler mission to analyze over 700 red giant stars and discovered that many host internal magnetic fields up to 10 million times stronger than Earth's.

Monster planet is 'dancing with the stars'

Astronomers have discovered a planetary system with an enormous planet sandwiched between a Sun-like star and a dwarf star. The planet's massive eccentric orbit indicates gravitational influence from the dwarf star, leading to Kozai oscillations that cause it to 'dance' between the two stars.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.