Stellar Physics
Articles tagged with Stellar Physics
Announcing the 2026 Laureates of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel
Three young scientists in Israel have been awarded the prestigious Blavatnik Awards for their innovative research in chemistry, cancer biology, and astrophysics. Sergey Semenov, Uri Ben-David, and Paz Beniamini will each receive US$100,000 to advance their projects on complex materials, cancer treatments, and extreme cosmic events.
Texas A&M opens world’s largest academic controlled-explosions lab
The new facility enables scientists to observe and measure detonation forces in unprecedented detail, shedding light on industrial safety risks and potential breakthroughs. Researchers aim to develop safer designs and protocols by examining detonation disasters like the Buncefield Fire.
Starquakes and the archaeology of stellar magnetism
Researchers at ISTA team present theoretical evidence that magnetic fields in stars can persist through all stages of evolution, emerging as 'fossil fields' at the surfaces of older remnants. This discovery sheds new light on our understanding of stellar magnetism and its relation to starquakes.
Found: Most pristine star in the universe
Astronomers have identified the most pristine star in the known universe, SDSS J0715-7334, with a metal content of less than 0.005%. This ancient immigrant was born about 80,000 light-years from Earth and has been pulled into the Milky Way galaxy over time.
Study: New explanation for unique ‘negative superhump’ features of deep-space binary star systems
A team of astrophysicists offers a new explanation for negative superhumps in cataclysmic variable star systems, proposing an eccentric accretion disk model. This theory explains the prevalence of negative superhumps across a wide range of binary star masses and may also explain positive superhumps in high mass ratio systems.
UCSB researcher bridges the worlds of general relativity and supernova astrophysics
A team of international researchers led by a UC Santa Barbara graduate student has confirmed a long-standing theory of stellar death by applying the principles of general relativity to a superluminous supernova. The discovery suggests that a magnetar, a rapidly spinning neutron star with a massive magnetic field, powers the supernova, ...
Kissing the sun: Unraveling mysteries of the solar wind
A University of Arizona-led research team has measured the dynamics and ever-changing hot gas shell from where the solar wind originates. The study helps scientists answer fundamental questions about energy and matter moving through the heliosphere, affecting space weather events and planetary orbits.
Astronomers surprised by mysterious shock wave around dead star
Researchers have imaged a beautiful shock wave around a dead star, RXJ0528+2838, which challenges our current understanding of how dead stars interact with their surroundings. The team found that the white dwarf has been expelling a powerful outflow for at least 1000 years, driven by its strong magnetic field.
Uranus and Neptune might be rock giants
A new study by the University of Zurich suggests that Uranus and Neptune may be more rocky than icy, challenging their classification as ice giants. The researchers developed a unique simulation process to model the planets' interiors, which found that the two planets could have either water-rich or rock-rich compositions.
New research on flares from a hot-tempered star could inform the search for habitable planets
A new study on TRAPPIST-1's flares could help scientists unravel how the star shapes its nearby planets, potentially in drastic ways. The researchers used observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and computer simulations to understand the physics behind TRAPPIST-1's temper tantrums.
Close brush with two hot stars millions of years ago left a mark just beyond our solar system
Scientists studied the effects of two hot stars, Epsilon and Beta Canis Majoris, on the local interstellar clouds around our solar system. The team found that these stars' ultraviolet radiation ionized about 20% of the hydrogen atoms and 40% of the helium atoms in the clouds.
Irish astrophysicists join satellite mission to study the hidden lives of stars
A team from Maynooth University is using the Mauve telescope to investigate how stars and planets form, focusing on Herbig Ae/Be stars. The research aims to identify variability and search for signs of early planet formation.
A sparkling ‘Diamond Ring’ in space: Astronomers in Cologne unravel the mystery of a cosmic ring
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.
The simulated Milky Way: 100 billion stars using 7 million CPU cores
Researchers at RIKEN successfully simulated the Milky Way Galaxy with over 100 billion individual stars, far surpassing previous state-of-the-art models. This achievement demonstrates the power of AI-accelerated simulations in tackling complex multi-scale problems in astrophysics and beyond.
Our solar system is moving faster than expected
A study from Bielefeld University reveals that the solar system is moving more than three times faster than predicted by current models. This deviation was detected using data from radio galaxies, which emit strong radio waves and can penetrate dust and gas.
The Pleiades is part of an enormous stellar complex birthed by the same star-forming event
New research reveals Pleiades star cluster as core of larger structure spanning 1,950 light-years, with similar ages and chemical compositions among its members. The study uses rotation-based approach to identify stars sharing origin story.
First confirmed sighting of giant explosion on nearby star
Astronomers have confirmed the first sighting of a giant explosion on a nearby star using XMM-Newton and LOFAR telescopes. The coronal mass ejection (CME) was detected in a star with a magnetic field 300 times more powerful than our Sun, capable of stripping away the atmospheres of planets in its path.
Unique shape of star’s explosion revealed just a day after detection
Astronomers have observed the unique shape of a supernova explosion in unprecedented detail using ESO's VLT. The shape, resembling an olive, was revealed through spectropolarimetry, which allows for the measurement of polarisation and inference of object geometry.
Astronomers discover a superheated star factory in the early universe
Astronomers detect a distant galaxy with temperatures of 90 Kelvin, indicating an extreme star factory that could have produced stars at a rate 180 times faster than the Milky Way. This discovery provides insight into how galaxies formed quickly in the early universe.
How black holes produce powerful relativistic jets
Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt used complex simulations to study the origin of powerful jets emitted by black holes. They discovered that magnetic reconnection is involved in extracting rotational energy and powering these jets.
AI tool developed at Oxford helps astronomers find supernovae in a sky full of noise
A team of researchers developed an AI-powered tool, called the Virtual Research Assistant (VRA), to filter through thousands of data alerts and identify genuine signals caused by supernovae. The VRA successfully filtered over 30,000 alerts while missing fewer than 0.08% of real supernovae alerts.
SwRI scientist leads science team contributions to a new NASA heliophysics AI foundation model
Surya is a visual AI model trained on massive amounts of solar data, leveraging NASA's deep scientific expertise in cutting-edge AI models. The system aims to determine the Sun's magnetic field generation and structure, as well as its impact on the heliosphere and geospace.
Giant star laid bare: reveals birthplace of silicon and sulfur
A new type of supernova has been discovered, offering a rare glimpse into the depths of massive stars. The star, dubbed SN2021yfj, had lost its outer layers while still 'alive,' revealing a previously unknown inner layered structure and exposing hidden sites where heavy chemical elements are formed.
The NSF Inouye Solar Telescope delivers record-breaking images of solar flare, coronal loops
Astronomers captured dark coronal loop strands with unprecedented clarity during an X1.3-class flare, measuring 48.2 km in width, the smallest ever imaged. The team's high-resolution images offer a potential breakthrough in resolving the fundamental scale of solar coronal loops and improving space weather forecasting.
Astronomers map stellar ‘polka dots’ using NASA’s Tess, Kepler
Astronomers have devised a method to map the spottiness of distant stars using observations from NASA missions, improving understanding of planetary atmospheres and potential habitability. The new model, called StarryStarryProcess, can help discover more about exoplanet properties.
Supergiant star’s gigantic bubble surprises scientists
Researchers have discovered a massive gas and dust bubble surrounding the red supergiant star DFK 52, which contains as much mass as our own Sun. The bubble is expanding at an incredible rate and was likely formed when the star ejected part of its outer layers in a powerful explosion around 4000 years ago.
SwRI-led work confirms decades-old theoretical models about solar reconnection
A recent study published in Nature Astronomy confirmed decades-old theoretical models of magnetic reconnection in the solar corona, using data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe. The research provides new insights into the process that drives solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can impact technology on Earth.
Astronomical breakthrough reveals star that survived destructive encounter with black hole
Researchers observed a flare caused by a star falling onto a black hole and surviving the encounter. The discovery suggests that these flares may be part of a longer, more complex story about supermassive black holes.
One survey by NASA’s Roman could unveil 100,000 cosmic explosions
Roman will scan a large region of the cosmos every five days for two years, detecting around 27,000 type Ia supernovae and 60,000 core-collapse supernovae. These observations will help scientists understand dark energy, the universe's expansion, and fill gaps in our understanding of cosmic history.
Dark Dwarfs lurking at the center of our Galaxy might hint at the nature of dark matter
Researchers propose 'dark dwarfs' could be key to understanding dark matter, with lithium-7 serving as a unique marker. A discovery of a dark dwarf would provide compelling evidence for WIMPs as a possible dark matter component.
Biggest boom since Big Bang: Hawaiʻi astronomers uncover most energetic explosions in universe
Astronomers have discovered the most energetic cosmic explosions yet discovered, named 'extreme nuclear transients' (ENTs), which occur when massive stars are torn apart after wandering too close to a supermassive black hole. ENTs release vast amounts of energy visible across enormous distances and remain luminous for years.
For galaxies forming stars, it’s not about how much gas there is but where you find it
Researchers at ICRAR have found that galaxies forming stars rely on the location of atomic hydrogen gas, not its total amount. Higher-resolution observations allowed for unprecedented mapping of gas distribution in 1,000 galaxies.
Dark matter formed when fast particles slowed down and got heavy, new theory says
Researchers at Dartmouth College propose a new theory on the origin of dark matter, suggesting it could have formed from high-energy massless particles that rapidly condensed into cold, heavy particles. The theory can be tested using existing observational data, including the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation.
"Big surprise": astronomers find planet in perpendicular orbit around pair of stars
Astronomers have found the first strong evidence for a 'polar planet' orbiting a stellar pair, with the unprecedented exoplanet named 2M1510 (AB) b. The planet orbits at an angle of 90 degrees around two young brown dwarfs.
Physics student pushes boundaries in nuclear research as 2025 Los Alamos-Texas A&M Fellow
Ryan Amberger, a Ph.D. candidate in physics at Texas A&M University, has been selected for a 2025 Los Alamos-Texas A&M Fellowship to conduct dissertation research on nuclear astrophysics. He aims to improve understanding of the s-process by studying neutron cross sections.
Webb telescope captures images, insight from one of Milky Way’s most extreme environments
Scientists studied Sagittarius C using the James Webb Space Telescope to understand why fewer new stars are born in the region. They discovered powerful magnetic field lines that form long, bright filaments of hot hydrogen gas, slowing down star formation.
The quest for room-temperature superconductors
Physicists at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that room-temperature superconductivity may be theoretically possible within the laws of our Universe. The research reveals that fundamental constants such as electron mass and Planck constant govern the upper limit of superconducting temperature, which comfortably includes ...
Temperamental stars are distorting our view of distant planets
A new study found that hotter and colder regions on a star's surface can distort our interpretations of planets, particularly when looking at dips in starlight. This distortion can lead to misinterpretation of features such as planet size, temperature, and atmospheric composition.
Physicists explain a stellar stream’s distinctive features
Researchers found a core-collapsing self-interacting dark matter subhalo is responsible for the peculiar spur and gap features observed in the GD-1 stellar stream. This discovery provides insights into the nature of dark matter itself and offers a new explanation for the observed perturbations.
The carbon in our bodies probably left the galaxy and came back on cosmic ‘conveyer belt’
A team of scientists found that carbon and other star-formed atoms don't just drift through space, but are pushed out by giant currents into intergalactic space. These atoms can eventually be pulled back in to form new stars, planets, and moons.
Survey of 26,000 dead stars confirms key details of extreme stellar behavior
A study of over 26,000 white dwarf stars confirmed that hotter stars are slightly larger due to higher temperatures. This finding brings scientists closer to understanding the effects of extreme gravity and potentially detecting dark matter particles.
Eyes on the Sun: Naked thallium-205 ion decay reveals history over millions of years
Researchers at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH measure half-life of thallium-205 ion decay to understand Sun's long-term stability and its connection to Earth's climate. The experiment, known as LOREX, provides insights into the Sun's evolutionary history.
New study reveals quasiparticle loss in extreme quantum materials
Researchers at Rice University have uncovered a phenomenon where quasiparticles lose their identity in extreme quantum materials, leading to unique properties. This discovery has broader implications for understanding transitions in other correlated materials and creating advanced superconductors.
Astronomers discover in situ spheroid formation in distant starburst galaxies
Researchers have discovered evidence of in situ spheroid formation in distant starburst galaxies, revealing that these galaxies can form directly through intense star formation. The study provides the first solid observational evidence for this process and has significant implications for models of galaxy evolution.
New model advances our understanding of quantum black holes
Researchers have developed a mathematical model that provides strong evidence for the cosmic censorship conjecture in three dimensions, suggesting singularities inside black holes will always be hidden. The model has implications for quantum gravity and advances efforts to understand thermodynamic properties of black holes.
Astronomers take the first close-up picture of a star outside our galaxy
Scientists have imaged a star outside our galaxy for the first time, using ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer. The star, WOH G64, is a red supergiant in its last stages before becoming a supernova, and the image shows a unique egg-shaped cocoon of gas and dust surrounding it.
When trees 'talk:' Researchers probe ancient wood for clues about massive solar storms
Researchers at University of Arizona discovered a spike in carbon-14 dating to 664 B.C., pinpointing the last known extreme solar storm event. The study provides crucial data for scientists studying sun's activity and offers insights into massive storms' effects on Earth's atmosphere.
Long-sought measurement of exotic beta decay in thallium helps extract the timescale of the Sun’s birth
Researchers successfully measured the bound-state beta decay of fully-ionized thallium ions, revealing key information about AGB star production and the Sun's formation time. The discovery allows for accurate calculations of radioactive lead production in these stars, providing insights into the solar system's early history.
NASA telescopes discover brown dwarf protoplanetary disks in the Orion Nebula
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.
Researchers find clues to the mysterious heating of the sun’s atmosphere
A team led by Sayak Bose has made significant progress in understanding the underlying heating mechanism of coronal holes. They found that reflected plasma waves can cause turbulence and heat coronal holes, providing the first experimental verification of Alfvén wave reflection.
WVU astrophysicist to connect community college students with four-year STEM research institutions
The WVU STARS-UP program pairs two-year colleges with nearby four-year institutions to provide astrophysics and astronomy research opportunities. The goal is to create a sustainable pipeline for careers in STEM, focusing on underrepresented students from low socioeconomic communities.
NASA’s TESS spots record-breaking stellar triplets
The TESS mission has discovered a rare stellar triplet system with twin stars orbiting each other every 1.8 days, and a third star that circles the pair in just 25 days. The discovery sets a new record for the shortest outer orbital period of this type of system.
Astronomers track bubbles on star’s surface in most detailed video yet
Convection motions have been tracked in detail on a red giant star for the first time, providing new insights into stellar behavior. The observations reveal giant, hot bubbles of gas appearing on the surface and sinking back into the star's interior faster than expected.
Nanohertz gravitational waves are cool but not supercool
A new study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that nanohertz gravitational waves may not originate from supercool first-order phase transitions. Researchers found that such transitions would struggle to complete, shifting the frequency of the waves away from nanohertz frequencies.
UH astronomers uncover risks to planets that could host life
Researchers have discovered that far-ultraviolet radiation from stellar flares on red dwarf stars can be three times more energetic than previously thought. This finding challenges existing models of exoplanet habitability and suggests that many stars may pose a risk to the potential for life on planets around them.
The corona is weirdly hot—Parker Solar Probe rules out one explanation
Scientists find that magnetic field bends are absent inside the sun's corona, ruling out a key explanation for its high heat. The study suggests an indirect role of magnetic collisions in the formation of switchbacks and solar wind heating.
A hidden treasure in the Milky Way – Astronomers uncover ultrabright x-ray source
Researchers have discovered a hidden treasure in the Milky Way, identifying Cygnus X-3 as an ultra-luminous X-ray source. The use of X-ray polarized vision has revealed the configuration of dense matter surrounding the black hole, sparking new insights into extreme matter consumption.
Solar physicists unlock the key to how sunspots form—and much more
Researchers uncover possible origins of sun's engine, the solar dynamo, which drives sunspots and solar storms. The study reveals that the dynamo may begin in the sun's outermost layers, contradicting decades-old theories.
Complete Stellar Collapse: unusual star system proves that stars can die quietly
Astronomers uncover evidence of a massive star's quiet demise into a black hole without a supernova explosion. The VFTS 243 system shows minimal signs of an explosion, offering insight into stellar evolution and collapse theories.