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Tumultuous galaxy mergers better at switching on black holes

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that single activations of black holes occur more often in mismatched galaxy mergers, where one galaxy is huge and the other is puny. This is because violent collisions lead to less gas and dust falling onto black holes, making it less likely for two black holes to become active.

The material that obscures supermassive black holes

Researchers studied nuclear obscuration in AGN using infrared and X-ray studies, revealing complex gas and dusty clouds orbiting the black hole. The material is connected to the galaxy via outflows and inflows of gas, regulating star formation.

An image gallery gift from NASA's Swift

The UVOT telescope on NASA's Swift satellite has captured over 100 breathtaking images of the cosmos, including comets, star clusters, and supernova remnants. These images provide valuable data for scientists studying gamma-ray bursts, stellar evolution, and the properties of rare stars.

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Dartmouth hosts international meeting of black hole scholars

The conference aimed to examine recent developments in active galactic nuclei and their effect on star formation. Researchers now believe that the energy released by supermassive black holes controls this process, which is crucial for galaxy evolution.

Massive galaxies formed when universe was young

Researchers found five to ten times more massive galaxies existed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, with high infrared luminosities indicating intense growth and activity, challenging current understanding of galaxy formation.

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Rain of giant gas clouds create active galactic nuclei

Researchers have discovered a connection between giant gas clouds and the formation of active galactic nuclei, which power the bright centers of some galaxies. The study suggests that gas clouds can either be consumed by supermassive black holes or give birth to new stars, leading to increased activity.

XMM-Newton takes astronomers to a black hole's edge

Using XMM-Newton's new data, astronomers have mapped the region around a supermassive black hole, estimating its mass at 3-5 million solar masses. The observations also reveal rapid spinning and accretion rates that verge on theoretical limits.

NASA's Swift shows active galaxies are different near and far

Astronomers are discovering that galaxies with actively forming stars have a bluish color, while those without do so appear red. The BAT Hard X-ray Survey of NASA's Swift spacecraft has found most nearby active galaxies to be spiral and irregular, with more than 30% being colliding.

The violent lives of galaxies: Caught in the cosmic matter web

Galaxies in crowded environments, like superclusters, experience violent lives due to high-speed collisions and stripping away of gas. The Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys mapped dark matter scaffolding, revealing dense clumps that match the location of old galaxies.

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Gemini Observatory celebrates historic first

The Gemini Observatory has dedicated its second telescope, Gemini South, marking a decade of work by hundreds of people to build two advanced 8-meter instruments. Astronomers in the US and around the world now have access to unprecedented sky coverage.

Astronomers use Hubble telescope to further Hubble's research

Researchers from the University of Washington have discovered that Barnard's Galaxy, an irregular dwarf galaxy, is significantly different from the Milky Way. Using images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, they found three star clusters within NGC 6822 to be of very different ages, with one cluster dating back 15 billion years.

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Astronomers find more evidence of black holes in galactic nuclei

Researchers at Ohio State University have found signs of a compact, supermassive object at the center of galaxy NGC 5548, suggesting the presence of a black hole. The study used data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite and ground-based telescopes to analyze changes in light from the galaxy's active galactic nucleus.