Articles tagged with Celestial Bodies
Researchers captured a volcanic event on Io using the Large Binocular Telescope's SHARK-VIS instrument, achieving higher resolution than ever before with Earth-based observations. The images reveal surface details equivalent to taking a picture of a dime-sized object from 100 miles away.
Researchers found that the dual moons, named Selam, are a contact binary, with one quarter of the asteroid breaking off to form a trough. The team theorized that Dinky's fast spinning motion caused it to shed debris into orbit, which aggregated to form Selam.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new method to measure the spin of supermassive black holes by tracking the pattern of X-ray flashes produced during tidal disruption events. By analyzing the wobble of the accretion disk, they were able to determine that the nearby black hole was spinning at less than 25% the speed of light.
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.
Researchers have discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, forming between 12 and 13 billion years ago. The team believes these 'Small Accreted Stellar System' (SASS) stars originated from small primitive galaxies absorbed by the Milky Way.
A massive ancient galaxy, JWST-ER1g, has been found to have a high dark matter density, puzzling physicists. Researchers offer an explanation that suggests a mechanism compressing the dark matter halo could be responsible for the high density.
Researchers at Kyushu University discovered that baby stars expel plumes of dust, gas, and electromagnetic energy in a phenomenon called 'interchange instability', releasing magnetic flux within the protostellar disk. This finding sheds new light on how baby stars develop and may be crucial for understanding star formation.
Researchers found compelling evidence that the Milky Way highlighted Nut's divine presence, tracing her backbone across the heavens. The study also connected Egyptian beliefs with those of other cultures, showing similarities in how different societies interpret the Milky Way.
The Lunar Environment Monitoring System, developed by UMD researchers, will track seismic activity on the moon's surface during the upcoming Artemis III mission. The system's data will help prepare NASA for a long-term presence on other planetary bodies.
Researchers found that the Crow instability predicts the number and distribution of hydrogen gas clumps around supernovas, including SN1987A. The study suggests that the same mechanism responsible for breaking up airplane contrails may be at play, creating the 'string of pearls' effect.
Researchers propose a new theory explaining how some white dwarfs remain hot for billions of years, contradicting the standard picture of cooling. The theory suggests buoyant crystals form in the star's interior, disrupting its cooling process and releasing gravitational energy.
A team of MIT scientists has detected 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) using infrared observations, more than doubling the catalog of known TDEs. The discoveries reveal that these star-shredding black holes occur in a range of galaxies across the entire sky, not just dusty galaxies.
Scientists have discovered an Earth-sized planet in our solar backyard that may be similar to early Earth due to its proximity to the Sun and crowded system. The newly discovered planet was identified using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and is part of a young star system called the Ursa Major Moving Group.
Researchers from Lehigh University have successfully mapped 15 orphaned stars to their birth clusters in the Milky Way using Gaia Mission data. The study provides new insights into the galaxy's history and star cluster dynamics.
A new theory, self-interacting dark matter (SIDM), proposes that dark matter particles interact through a dark force, explaining high-density halos and low-density halos of ultra-diffuse galaxies. SIDM simulates cosmic structure formation with strong dark matter self-interactions, diversifying halo density in central regions.
A study of Ryugu samples suggests that micrometeorites from icy celestial bodies in the outer Solar System transported nitrogen compounds to near-Earth regions. This discovery could provide clues about the origins of nitrogen on our planet, potentially serving as a building block for life.
A new unified model confirms that some long-lasting gamma-ray bursts are created in the aftermath of cosmic mergers that spawn an infant black hole surrounded by a giant disk of natal material. The findings explain recently observed long GRBs that astronomers couldn't link to collapsing stars.
New studies show that giant gas planets in nearby star systems can prevent life on smaller, rocky planet neighbors by kicking them out of orbit and wreaking havoc on their climates. Researchers found that four giant planets in the HD 141399 system are likely to destroy the chances for life on Earth-like planets.
Researchers detected tellurium and other essential elements needed for life in the aftermath of a gamma-ray burst, revealing insights into heavy element formation. The study provides valuable information about kilonovae and neutron star mergers, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the universe.
Researchers used ancient lunar crystals brought back from the Moon to determine its minimum possible age, pushing back its formation by 40 million years to at least 4.46 billion years old. The discovery sheds light on the Moon's role in stabilizing Earth's rotation and tidal patterns.
Researchers at LIGO have developed a significant advance in quantum squeezing technology, allowing them to measure undulations in space-time across the entire range of gravitational frequencies detected by LIGO. This breakthrough boosts the observatory's ability to study exotic events and detect about 60 percent more mergers than before.
Researchers found a rare pathway allowing a moon fragment to reach Earth's quasi-satellite orbit. The study suggests that many more lunar fragments remain to be discovered among the near-Earth asteroid population.
A team of researchers has successfully tested a new asteroid detection algorithm, HelioLinc3D, which identified its first 'potentially hazardous' asteroid, 2022 SF289. The discovery confirms the algorithm's effectiveness in finding near-Earth asteroids with fewer and more dispersed observations than traditional methods.
A new study has captured the early stages of planetary evolution, observing a young gas planet's violent and erratic atmospheric shedding. The research, led by Dartmouth researchers, provides insights into the most common experiences of planets beyond our solar system.
Scientists have discovered a young exoplanet, MWC 758c, that may be generating the spiral arms in its infant planetary system. The planet's massive size is estimated to be at least twice the mass of Jupiter, yet it was invisible to other telescopes due to its reddish color, which makes it more difficult to detect.
Researchers with the NANOGrav collaboration have detected the gravitational wave background for the first time, revealing a perpetual chorus of ripples in space-time. The discovery is made possible by observing stars called pulsars that act as celestial metronomes.
Researchers discovered a gravitationally lensed supernova named SN Zwicky, which was magnified nearly 25 times by a foreground galaxy. This discovery presents an opportunity to study the inner cores of galaxies, dark matter, and the mechanics behind universe expansion.
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.
The explosion, known as AT2021lwx, is more than ten times brighter than any known supernova and has lasted for nearly three years, compared to most supernovae which are only visibly bright for a few months. The researchers believe that the explosion is a result of a vast cloud of gas being violently disrupted by a supermassive black hole.
A team of 995 undergraduate and graduate students analyzed 600 real solar flares, casting doubt on the theory that nanoflares heat up the sun's corona. The students' work provided a unique opportunity for early-career scientists to learn about collaborative research.
An international research team explores ultra-fast gas emissions from active galactic nuclei, which significantly change galaxy ecosystems. The study confirms the existence of these powerful emissions and their role in regulating star formation.
A new study led by University of Maryland researchers found that melted meteorites have extremely low water content, ruling them out as the primary source of Earth's water. The team suggests that unmelted, or chondritic, meteorites may be responsible for delivering water to our planet.
A recent experiment by UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane demonstrates that a terrestrial planet in this location would have disastrous effects on the solar system. The simulation found that such a planet could destabilize Earth's orbit, making it far less habitable and potentially ejecting Mercury and Venus from the solar system.
Researchers from ETH Zurich, Harvard, and Cambridge join forces to study chemical and physical processes of living organisms and environmental conditions for life on other planets. Synthetic cells enable scientists to deconstruct complex systems, understand basic principles of life and evolution.
An international team of astrophysicists has discovered six potential galaxies emerging in the universe's earliest moments, containing as many stars as the Milky Way. These ancient structures are gigantic and massive, contradicting current cosmological theory, with calculations suggesting they formed hundreds of new stars a year.
Researchers found that a small molecule called ortho-benzyne can drive the chemical evolution of molecules in cosmic stellar nurseries. This discovery provides new insights into the complex chemistry happening in these environments.
The Martian meteorite Tissint has revealed a rich inventory of organic compounds, offering insights into Mars' habitability. The study, published in Science Advances, discovered an unprecedented diversity of organic molecules, including magnesium compounds not previously seen on the planet.
Researchers observed a sudden slowing of the star's angular momentum, followed by three Fast Radio Burst-like radio bursts and a month-long episode of pulsed radio emission. The synchronicity of these events suggests an association between magnetar spin-down glitches and radio emissions.
A team of researchers has discovered three ultra-faint dwarf galaxies around a Milky Way-mass galaxy, providing insights into the formation and evolution of these enigmatic objects. The findings may help develop universal models for how the universe's oldest galaxies formed.
Researchers used the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury Triangulum Extended Region — or PHATTER — survey to study the Triangulum galaxy. The team discovered two drastically different structures depending on the age of the stars, with younger and older stars having distinct distributions.
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.
Astronomers have discovered two ghostly Goliath black holes just 750 light-years apart, closing in on a cataclysmic meeting. The estimated population of merging supermassive black holes may be surprisingly high, generating strong gravitational waves detectable by future telescopes.
A new study suggests that an orbiting space probe could provide definitive answers about the presence of life on Enceladus' ocean. The team mapped out how a hypothetical mission could gather data from the moon's plumes, which are thought to contain organic molecules and methane.
Researchers used new data from the European Space Agency's GAIA space observatory to project the orbits of satellite galaxies into the past and future, revealing the plane form and dissolve in a few hundred million years. The findings remove one of the main objections to the validity of the standard model of cosmology.
Using supercomputers and machine learning, researchers created simulations of millions of computer-generated universes to test astrophysical predictions. The study found that supermassive black holes grow in the same way as their host galaxies, revealing a long-elusive relationship.
The Aztecs tracked seasonal variations in weather by watching the sunrise against the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Their agricultural system accurately fed a population of up to 3 million people before the Spanish arrival.
Researchers discovered that 55 Cnc e orbits its star along the equator, unlike other planets in the system. This unique orbit likely formed when the planet fell toward its star over time, resulting in a scorching surface and interior with possible diamond formation.
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.
Researchers in Japan analyzed Byzantine Empire texts to identify five total solar eclipses near Eastern Mediterranean. This study improves understanding of the Earth's rotation and sheds light on variations in day length over time. The new data refine models of global phenomena, such as sea-level and ice-volume variability.
Researchers found that dark matter halos in ultra-diffuse galaxies have lower concentrations than expected, raising questions about their formation and evolution. The study's surprising results indicate these galaxies may be younger and contain more gas than normal galaxies.
A new study led by Dartmouth researchers provides the clearest understanding yet of supermassive black holes' life cycles. By analyzing X-ray telescope data and a new data analysis technique, scientists found that accretion rates vary significantly depending on how obscured an object is by gas and dust ring.
Asteroids like Bennu and Ryugu appear rough due to the loss of fine-grained regolith caused by tiny space dust grains hopping around on their surfaces. This process may help small asteroids migrate faster through space, affecting their orbits.
Researchers from CU Boulder suggest that ancient moon volcanoes may have spewed out huge amounts of water vapor, forming stores of ice on the lunar surface. This discovery adds to evidence that the moon may be awash in more water than previously believed, with potential implications for future lunar missions.
Astronomers identify GNz7q, a dusty compact object with properties of both galaxies and quasars, born 750 million years after Big Bang. The discovery provides new insights into the rapid growth of supermassive black holes in early universe.
Researchers suggest that asteroid Ryugu could be a relic of an ancient comet due to its high organic content and spinning top shape. The study proposes a simple physical model that fits the observed data, suggesting that comets can leave behind rocky debris in the inner solar system.
Researchers propose a new mechanism for eccentric black hole mergers, suggesting that interactions between three black holes in a flat disk environment could lead to chaotic orbits. This finding challenges previous studies on the rarity of such events.
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.
Researchers from the University of Turku found that a black hole's axis of rotation is tilted more than 40 degrees relative to the orbiting stellar body. This extreme misalignment challenges current theoretical models and opens up new prospects for studying black hole formation and evolution.
Researchers found that massive stars can be far from their birthplace due to mergers of medium-mass stars. The study of HD93521 and IT Librae reveals that these stars can rotate quickly enough to create black holes with large spins.
Researchers discovered that a large cavity in the discs surrounding evolved binary stars could be evidence of planet formation. The presence of heavy elements on the surface of dying stars suggests that dust particles rich in these elements were trapped by planets, supporting this hypothesis.