A team of scientists from UNIGE, Northwestern University, and the University of Florida used POSYDON code to simulate binary-star populations, predicting the existence of massive 30 solar mass black hole binaries in Milky Way-like galaxies. This challenges previous theories and provides new insights into the astrophysical origins of me...
SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeNews article·DateJun 29, 2023
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Researchers using CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope have found strongest evidence yet for low-frequency gravitational waves, providing further insight into Einstein's general theory of relativity. The discovery, published in several journal papers, has also sparked collaboration among international teams searching for similar signals.
SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of Australia·TypeObservational study·DateJun 28, 2023
Researchers have discovered a binary pulsar with a 53-minute orbital period, filling the gap in the evolution of spider pulsar systems. The finding confirms the existence of an intermediate state between redback and black widow spiders, a long-held theory.
SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNature·DateJun 27, 2023
Researchers have discovered a large gas giant orbiting two stars using the radial velocities method for the first time. The newly found system, TOI-1338/BEBOP-1, is only the second binary star system known to host multiple planets ever confirmed.
SourceOhio State University·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateJun 12, 2023
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Researchers have identified a second circumbinary planet, BEBOP-1c, in the TOI-1338/BEBOP-1 system using state-of-the-art instruments. The newly discovered planet has a mass 65 times larger than Earth and orbits both stars at once.
SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateJun 12, 2023
A study by UCLA astronomers reveals that none of the 16 young supermassive stars orbiting the Milky Way's black hole are found in pairs, contradicting previous assumptions about stellar formation. The researchers suggest that the extreme environment around the black hole may be driving nearby binary stars to merge or be disrupted.
SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateMay 11, 2023
Researchers discovered two massive touching stars that will eventually become black holes and collide, generating waves in space-time. The stars are currently feeding each other every three days before the smaller star collapses into a black hole in 700,000 years.
SourceUniversity College London·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·TypeObservational study·DateApr 27, 2023
Astronomers have discovered the tightest ultracool dwarf binary system ever observed, consisting of two stars that orbit each other in less than one Earth day. The newly discovered LP 413-53AB system is estimated to be billions of years old, similar to our sun, and has an orbital period three times shorter than previous discoveries.
SourceNorthwestern University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateMar 1, 2023
Embry-Riddle astronomers report a rare binary star system with an uncommon circular orbit, formed when a supernova fizzled out without the usual bang. The discovery sheds light on the origins of the universe and the formation of heavy elements.
SourceEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University·JournalNature·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 1, 2023
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SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.
Scientists discover first gamma-ray eclipses from spider star systems using Fermi data, calculating system tilt and pulsar mass. The discovery helps researchers measure pulsar masses, constraining physics within extreme environments.
SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJan 26, 2023
The Butterfly Nebula's unique shape is caused by a second star orbiting the central star, creating wing-like lobes. New research reveals powerful winds are altering the material within these lobes, contradicting existing models of planetary nebulae formation and evolution.
SourceUniversity of Washington·TypeObservational study·DateJan 12, 2023
Researchers at the University of Washington have discovered a unique binary star system where a small companion star is surrounded by a large disk of dusty material. The companion star caused a seven-year-long eclipse of the main star, Gaia17bpp, which is one of the longest recorded eclipses.
Researchers have discovered the tightest ultracool dwarf binary system, comprising two stars that orbit each other in less than a day. The newly discovered LP 413-53AB system is composed of ultracool dwarfs and has an orbital period at least three times shorter than previously detected systems.
SourceNorthwestern University·TypeObservational study·DateJan 10, 2023
Researchers used 69 confirmed binaries to test two origin stories of black holes, but found that the current catalog is not enough to reveal anything fundamental about their formation. The study suggests that the universe's spin and tilt can be 'spun' in different ways depending on the model used.
SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·DateDec 9, 2022
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.
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.
SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateOct 12, 2022
Astronomers have observed dust plumes from the binary star system WR140 being accelerated into interstellar space by intense starlight. The team used the James Webb Space Telescope to capture images of the dusty plumes, which form a cone-shaped shock front between the two stars.
SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature·DateOct 12, 2022
Astronomers have discovered a stellar binary with an extremely short orbit of just 51 minutes, confirming a decades-old prediction. The system is believed to be a cataclysmic variable, in which a white dwarf is accreting material from its companion star.
SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature·DateOct 5, 2022
Astronomers used the VLBA to trace a wobble in a nearby star's motion and discovered a Jupiter-like planet orbiting one of its stars. The planet has twice the mass of Jupiter and orbits every 284 days, with an inclined orbit of 148 degrees from the stars.
SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateSep 1, 2022
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Researchers have discovered a new technique for detecting dim bodies, including planets, orbiting Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). The method analyzes changes in brightness caused by perturbations of a third body orbiting the inner two stars. Two out of four studied CV systems show signs of planetary mass objects in orbit around them.
SourceRoyal Astronomical Society·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateJul 20, 2022
A team of astronomers, known for debunking black hole discoveries, found a dormant stellar-mass black hole in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The newly discovered black hole is at least nine times the mass of the Sun and orbits a hot star weighing 25 times the Sun's mass.
SourceCenter for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJul 18, 2022
A team of Chinese and Australian astronomers has discovered direct evidence for binary common envelope evolution, a key process in star evolution. The observation provides a way to accurately characterize this process through direct detection.
SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJul 13, 2022
A Northwestern University-led team of astrophysicists observed a star-forming cloud and discovered a twisted magnetic field that suggests the formation of a binary star system. The researchers believe a previously hidden sibling star may be responsible for the twisted field, which shifted the dynamics of the cloud to form a new star.
SourceNorthwestern University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateJun 13, 2022
Researchers found that planetary systems around binary stars form differently than those around single stars, potentially creating new targets for extraterrestrial life. The study also suggests that comets could play a key role in delivering organic molecules necessary for life.
SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalNature·DateMay 23, 2022
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Astronomers have used observations from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope to better understand how massive stars live and die. The study of supernova 2014C revealed a unique process where the hydrogen envelopes of two stars merged, forming a common-envelope configuration that shed light on the stellar explosion.
SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateApr 27, 2022
Researchers using ALMA and Hubble Space Telescope observe V Hydrae, a carbon-rich star, expelling matter in six slowly-expanding rings and two hourglass-shaped structures. The discovery confirms the traditional model of AGB star death is incomplete or incorrect.
SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateMar 28, 2022
Researchers observed a binary star system in formation, revealing two stars with disks of gas and dust surrounding them. The newly discovered disks may be the beginnings of new planet systems that will orbit the binary stars in the future. This study provides unprecedented detail on a binary system in formation.
SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateMar 10, 2022
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A team of astronomers discovered neutron stars blowing hot, warm and cold winds while consuming matter from a nearby star. The discovery provides key information about the behaviors of these extreme cosmic objects, which contribute to the formation of new stars and galaxy evolution.
SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateMar 2, 2022
For the first time, scientists have measured a large difference between a black hole's rotation axis and the axis of its orbiting binary star system. This finding forces astronomers to add a new dimension to their models, offering new insights into black hole formation and physics.
SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalScience·DateFeb 28, 2022
A team of astronomers led by the University of Birmingham detected a rare circumbinary planet, Kepler-16b, using radial velocity method. The discovery provides clues on planetary accretion and demonstrates that ground-based telescopes can be used for modern exoplanet research.
SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 22, 2022
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A team of astronomers has discovered a rare pair of brown dwarfs that have the widest separation of any brown dwarf binary system found to date. The two brown dwarfs are about 12 billion miles apart, or three times the separation of Pluto from the Sun.
SourceW. M. Keck Observatory·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateFeb 17, 2022
Researchers use ALMA and VLA to detect chaotic dust and gas streams caused by an intruder object interacting with the binary protostar. The study provides evidence of flyby events in nature, which can dramatically perturb circumstellar disks and impact planet formation.
SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJan 13, 2022
Astronomers have discovered a binary system consisting of a rapidly spinning neutron star and the precursor to an extremely-low-mass white dwarf, dubbed a 'cosmic spider'. The system emits powerful gamma-rays and has been observed using the SOAR Telescope in Chile.
SourceAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateJan 12, 2022
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Researchers studied 15 unusual stars in the Milky Way galaxy, discovering that all have recently undergone a rare phase where one star engulfs another. The findings provide new insight into the sky's most dramatic phenomena and may help answer questions about how stars live and die.
SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeObservational study·DateDec 16, 2021
Researchers have captured a 1,000-year-old supernova in 3D images, revealing unprecedented details about the elements ejected during a star's explosion. The study provides a three-dimensional map of these elements, shedding light on the conditions at the time of the explosion and the importance of asymmetries in supernovae.
SourceKTH, Royal Institute of Technology·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeImaging analysis·DateDec 7, 2021
Astronomers have detected a white dwarf star that spins at an incredible rate of once every 25 seconds, completing one rotation faster than Earth. The star is thought to be the size of the Earth but massive enough to pull material from its companion star, creating a magnetic propeller system.
SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters·DateNov 22, 2021
A new technique developed by University of Hawaii astronomer Nader Haghighipour has successfully detected a transiting circumbinary planet in TESS data. The discovery validates the method, which reduces the time to detect such planets from over a year to just five days.
SourceUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateNov 10, 2021
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A team of scientists used uGMRT to study eclipses of millisecond pulsars, finding that absorption by magnetized materials from the companion star is the cause. The study provides insight into the evolutionary processes and ultimate fate of these exotic systems.
SourceTata Institute of Fundamental Research·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateNov 10, 2021
Astronomer Dr. Lauri Jetsu discovers multiple new companion star candidates for the eclipsing binary Algol AB, with orbital periods between 20 and 219 years. The companions are too faint to be detected by modern space telescopes, but their periodic signals can predict observed O-C changes.
SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateNov 4, 2021
Researchers analyzed ALMA data to create the first animation of a young twin star system's orbital motion over three years. The study found that the disks surrounding each star are significantly misaligned with respect to each other, supporting the idea that the system was formed via molecular cloud fragmentation.
SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateOct 6, 2021
Astronomers discovered a stellar collision that triggered a supernova explosion in a companion star. The collision was detected using the VLA and VLASS survey, revealing a centuries-long death dance between two massive stars.
SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateSep 2, 2021
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Astronomers have discovered a rare teardrop-shaped star system that will eventually become a Type Ia supernova. The system, HD265435, is comprised of a hot subdwarf and a white dwarf star orbiting each other closely, with the white dwarf being as heavy as our Sun but slightly smaller than Earth's radius.
SourceW. M. Keck Observatory·JournalNature Astronomy·DateJul 12, 2021
Astronomers using Gemini Observatory and WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope found 73 binary star systems among TESS exoplanet hosts, which could be hiding Earth-sized planets. The team discovered that small planets are harder to detect in binary systems due to glare from the companion star.
SourceAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)·DateJun 28, 2021
Researchers have discovered a unique 'blinking giant' binary star system, where a giant star is eclipsed by an unseen orbital companion every few decades. The system has been spotted near the centre of the Milky Way, more than 25,000 light years away.
SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJun 11, 2021
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Researchers identify five double star systems, Kepler-34, -35, -38, -64 and -413, as potential candidates for supporting life. The study shows that these systems have a permanent Habitable Zone, where liquid water could persist on the surface of any Earth-like planets.
SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences·DateApr 15, 2021
Astronomers have studied the rare RV Tauri variable U Monocerotis, a binary system with two stars orbiting within a sprawling disk of dust. The 130-year dataset reveals predictable brightness changes and X-ray emissions.
SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateMar 12, 2021
Astronomers have created a massive atlas of widely separated binary stars within 3,000 light years of Earth, comprising 1.3 million pairs. This increase in sample size provides insights into the evolutionary phases of these binaries, including 17,000 white dwarfs.
SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateFeb 22, 2021
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Researchers have mapped the orbit of a rare Nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star in the WR 133 binary system, marking the first-ever visually observed orbit of this type. The team determined the dynamical mass of both stars, with the WN star having 9.3 times more mass than our Sun.
SourceEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateFeb 9, 2021
Researchers discovered that the two stars in the HS Hydrae system were almost completely eclipsing each other 50 years ago but now barely overlap. The team predicts that the eclipses will cease around February 2021, marking the end of this rare stellar dance.
Researchers have discovered a binary system of brown dwarfs, orbiting each other at an unprecedented distance, with one object being similar in mass to Jupiter and the other about 8 times less massive. This rare find suggests that star formation processes can create binary systems like those found in our solar system on smaller scales.
SourceUniversity of Bern·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateDec 16, 2020
Astronomers have measured the motion of a massive Jupiter-like planet in an unlikely orbit around a double star, sparking questions about its formation and evolution. The discovery offers evidence that such oddball orbits are possible and may hold clues to the mysterious Planet Nine in our solar system.
SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·DateDec 10, 2020
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Astronomers have confirmed an exoplanet, HD 106906 b, with a highly eccentric orbit around its binary star, similar to the hypothetical Planet Nine. The planet's orbit is likely bound, and its presence suggests that distant planets can form within the first tens of millions of years of a star's life.
A team of researchers has analyzed data to infer the nature of compact object orbiting within LS 5039, the brightest gamma-ray binary system in the Galaxy. The team suggests that particle acceleration process is caused by interactions between dense stellar winds and ultra-strong magnetic fields of a rotating magnetar.
SourceKavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateDec 2, 2020
The team observed the nebula with two different spectrographs on large telescopes, finding that the central star is inflated and signatures of accretion are present. The data suggest a merging binary star system, offering a clear view of the central stellar remnant.
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A new study reveals the binary nature of a trans-Neptunian object, with two objects orbiting each other only 350 kilometers apart. The discovery was made possible by the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECON), a citizen science project.
SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateSep 28, 2020
Interactions with binary companions generate complex planetary nebula shapes by influencing the stellar wind of elderly stars. Leen Decin and colleagues observed AGB star winds using ALMA, finding none with spherical symmetry and instead distinct geometries similar to those in PNe.
SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateSep 17, 2020
Researchers found three large, misaligned dust rings around the young triple star system GW Ori, with sufficient dust for planet formation. A computer simulation suggests that a hidden planet may have carved out a dust gap and broken the disk at the location of the current inner and outer rings.
SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·DateSep 4, 2020
Scientists have made key discovery using pre-solar grains found in primitive meteorites, providing new insights into stellar explosions and element formation. The new method involves analyzing chemical and isotopic composition of grains to study nuclear reactions like proton capture on chlorine.
SourceUniversity of Surrey·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 11, 2020
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Researchers at the University of Sheffield have discovered a pulsating ancient star in a double star system, allowing them to study the internal structure of a white dwarf in detail for the first time. The discovery provides key insights into the structure, evolution, and death of white dwarf stars, including their composition.
SourceUniversity of Sheffield·JournalNature Astronomy·DateMar 16, 2020
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.
SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Astronomy·DateMar 9, 2020
Astronomers have discovered a rare opportunity to study the evolution of a planetary system, with the DS Tuc binary system providing insights into how planets form without being heavily impacted by external forces. The findings suggest that the planet DS Tuc Ab formed through relatively calm processes.
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