Galaxies
Articles tagged with Galaxies
UMass Amherst astronomer looks into the cradle where stars are born
An international team of astronomers, led by Daniela Calzetti, has observed the 'natal clouds' surrounding young star clusters for the first time. The study reveals that massive star clusters disperse their gaseous shroud faster and light up their galaxy earlier than smaller ones.
When the clouds clear – the emergence of young star clusters
The study reveals that more massive young star clusters clear away their natal gas faster than lower-mass clusters. This has implications for our understanding of star formation and how the young stars affect their surroundings.
Non-rotating early galaxy is a surprise to astronomers
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered a galaxy that is not rotating, contradicting current theories about galaxy formation. The team believes this galaxy may have been formed after a single collision between two galaxies, making it a rare and unexpected finding.
Milky Way’s ‘little cousins’ may hold clues about infant universe
Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, tiny satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, can reflect conditions of the early universe, shedding light on galaxy formation and dark matter. Simulations suggest these small galaxies are sensitive to early radiation environment and can probe the universe's earliest climate.
Dark matter could explain earliest supermassive black holes
A study led by University of California, Riverside graduate student Yash Aggarwal suggests that dark matter decays could have seeded the direct collapse of galaxies into giant black holes. The research found that a window of dark matter masses between 24 and 27 electronvolts could produce conditions for black hole formation.
Self-interacting dark matter may solve three cosmic puzzles
A study suggests that self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) can explain unusual gravitational effects observed in various astrophysical environments. Dense clumps of SIDM can account for high-density structures in the universe, providing a promising candidate for explaining small-scale cosmic structure.
What if dark matter came in two states?
Researchers suggest that dark matter may consist of multiple particles, whose behavior varies depending on the cosmic environment. This could explain why a signal observed at the center of our galaxy is not seen in dwarf galaxies.
Star light, star bright, baby stars blow rings alight
Researchers from Kyushu University used ALMA to observe a baby star producing a giant ring of gas about 1,000 au in size, which helps the star release excess energy. The team found that this ring is slightly warmer than its surroundings and hypothesize it's produced through magnetic field threading.
Largest image of its kind shows hidden chemistry at the heart of the Milky Way
Astronomers have captured unprecedented detail of cosmic gas in the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone, revealing intricate chemistry and complex star-forming processes. The dataset provides a unique view of the raw material from which stars form, shedding light on galaxy evolution and the birth of massive stars.
Scientists observe distant jellyfish galaxy for first time
Astronomers from the University of Waterloo have observed a distant jellyfish galaxy, providing rare insight into how galaxies were transformed in the early universe. The discovery challenges previous beliefs about galaxy clusters and their impact on galaxy properties.
Cosmic predators: How supermassive black holes slow star growth in nearby galaxies
Copenhagen researchers make the front page of Nature: Solving the mystery of the universe's ‘little red dots’
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have explained the mysterious 'red dots' seen in James Webb Space Telescope images as young black holes. The discovery provides insight into how the universe's first black holes were born and sheds light on their early development.
‘Death by a thousand cuts’: Young galaxy ran out of fuel as black hole choked off supplies
Astronomers have spotted an ancient galaxy that was slowly starved of fuel by a supermassive black hole. The galaxy's lack of cold gas prevented it from forming new stars, despite its relatively young age. Repeated episodes of heating and gas removal by the black hole likely drained the galaxy's fuel in as little as 16-220 million years.
Development history of the universe is being rewritten based on a bachelor’s project from NBI
A team of researchers has observed a massive galaxy cluster that challenges existing models of the universe's evolution. The cluster's unusual structure and high density of cold, neutral hydrogen gas suggest a different history than previously thought. This discovery raises questions about the fate of large structures in the universe.
Scientists discover ‘platypus galaxies’ in the early universe
Researchers identified nine objects with characteristics of stars and galaxies, sparking new questions about the cosmos. These 'platypus galaxies' have narrow emission lines indicative of active star formation, defying expectations.
Study offers possible solution to a gravitational wave mystery
Scientists at CU Boulder have solved a pressing mystery about the universe's gravitational wave background by revealing the role of smaller galaxies in galaxy evolution. The new study suggests that when a smaller supermassive black hole merges with a larger one, the smaller black hole gains mass, producing larger gravitational waves.
Earliest, hottest galaxy cluster gas on record could change our cosmological models
Researchers have found a galaxy cluster with scorching hot gas just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang, five times hotter than predicted, and containing three supermassive black holes that pumped energy into the surroundings. This discovery could upend current models of galaxy cluster formation and evolution.
Canadian astronomers use Webb to uncover Milky Way’s turbulent youth through galactic twins
Researchers reconstruct Milky Way's evolution from its earliest phases to present day, revealing a tumultuous youth and chaotic conditions. The study provides new insights into galaxy formation and growth, highlighting the need for refinement in theoretical predictions.
Colliding galaxies create the brightest, fastest growing black holes at their center
Scientists have found that active galactic nuclei are two to six times more common in merging galaxies than non-merging counterparts. Galaxy mergers were most strongly associated with bright, dust-cloaked supermassive black holes linked to rapid growth.
The monster hiding in plain sight: JWST reveals cosmic shapeshifter in the early universe
Astronomers discover galaxy Virgil with dual personality – ordinary in visible light but harboring massive black hole. JWST observations reveal hidden nature of Virgil, challenging current models of black hole formation.
New study sheds light on Milky Way's mysterious chemical history
A new study using advanced computer simulations has shed light on the mysterious chemical history of the Milky Way. Researchers found that galaxies like the Milky Way can develop two distinct chemical sequences through various mechanisms, challenging previous assumptions about the role of cosmic gas flows and galaxy mergers.
Record-breaking cosmic explosion challenges astronomers’ understanding of gamma-ray bursts
Astronomers have observed a record-breaking gamma-ray burst that lasted nearly seven hours, challenging existing models for these events. The burst's unusual duration and properties suggest multiple possible causes, including the collapse of a massive star or the collision of exotic stellar remnants.
The DEVILS in the details: New research reveals how the cosmic landscape impacts the galaxy lifecycle
A team of astronomers from ICRAR has released new data showing that a galaxy's 'neighbourhood' plays a major role in its evolution over time. The study found that where a galaxy lives strongly influences its shape, size and growth rate in the distant Universe.
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.
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.
A new, expansive view of the Milky Way reveals our Galaxy in unprecedented radio colour
A team from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research has assembled a record-breaking radio colour image of the Milky Way. The unprecedented level of detail offers new insights into the galaxy's radio emission and structure.
‘Messy’ galaxies in the early universe struggled to settle
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to study young galaxies in the early universe, finding most were turbulent and 'clumpy'. Despite this chaos, galaxy dynamics show a gradual transition towards ordered structures, suggesting that galaxies like our Milky Way formed through frequent mergers and bursts of star formation.
Scientists discover building blocks of life in ice around a forming star in neighboring galaxy
Astronomers detected complex organic molecules in ices outside the Milky Way for the first time, finding five different carbon-based compounds, including methanol and acetic acid. This discovery sheds light on how chemical ingredients for life spread throughout the cosmos.
Mysterious glow in Milky Way could be evidence of dark matter
A mysterious glow in the Milky Way could be a clue to dark matter's existence. Researchers used supercomputers to simulate dark matter locations and found matches with actual gamma ray maps.
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.
ESA's Gaia telescope discovers our galaxy’s great wave
The Gaia space telescope has discovered a giant wave in the Milky Way galaxy, causing stars to wobble over vast distances. The wave stretches across a huge portion of the galactic disc, affecting stars up to 65 thousand light-years away from the centre.
Mapping the universe just got easier
The new emulator Effort.jl allows researchers to analyze complex data sets faster and more efficiently than ever before. It uses state-of-the-art numerical methods and clever preprocessing strategies to achieve exceptional computational performance, making it possible to explore cosmic scenarios without waiting hours for each simulation.
Ancient Universe “warmed up” before it “lit up”, ICRAR researchers find
Astronomers searching for evidence of early cosmic light found that the universe was in a warm state before it became visible. The discovery suggests that the universe's brightness increased significantly, marking a pivotal moment in its evolution.
Dwarf galaxies linked by massive intergalactic gas bridge
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery of a colossal bridge of neutral hydrogen gas linking two dwarf galaxies. The Virgo cluster plays a significant role in this phenomenon.
Scientists reveal process of gas accretion in massive star formation
Researchers have uncovered the step-by-step process of gas transport to form accretion disks in massive star-forming regions. The study reveals a striking layered system of gas flows, including spiral-like streams and a bar-like structure that funnels gas toward the center.
“Black Hole Stars” could solve JWST riddle of overly massive early galaxies
Recent JWST observations revealed a new population of astronomical objects, known as black hole stars, which are emitting light predominantly at longer wavelengths. These objects, located extremely far away, have raised questions about galaxy evolution and the formation of stars on a massive scale.
Hungry star is eating its cosmic twin at rate never seen before
Astronomers discovered a greedy white dwarf star consuming its closest celestial companion at an unprecedented rate. The study found that the super-dense white dwarf is burning brightly due to the mass transfer between the two stars, potentially leading to a massive explosion visible from Earth.
UMD-led study discovers warm space dust in distant place
Researchers have discovered warm space dust in a reservoir of hot gas surrounding the Makani galaxy, located 100 million years away. The study, led by University of Maryland astronomer Sylvain Veilleux, provides evidence that ejected dust particles can survive long journeys and may be an important ingredient in planet and star formation.
'Most massive black hole ever discovered' is detected
Researchers have discovered a potentially massive black hole, 36 billion solar masses, in the Cosmic Horseshoe galaxy. The discovery was made using a combination of gravitational lensing and stellar kinematics, allowing for more certainty about the mass of this black hole than previous measurements.
‘Bridge’ of stray stars reveals active merger of two galaxy clusters
Researchers used the Dark Energy Camera to image a 'bridge' of diffuse light spanning roughly a million light years between two galaxies in Abell 3667. The findings suggest that the brightest galaxies in the cluster are actively merging, with one larger galaxy stealing stars from a smaller one.
New survey maps hundreds of satellite systems orbiting dwarf galaxies
A new study by Dartmouth astronomers has mapped 355 candidate satellite galaxies around dwarf galaxies, tripling the number previously surveyed. The researchers aim to understand how external conditions influence satellite formation and uncover insights into dark matter's nature.
Supernova’s ‘trapped’ jet reveals source of fast X-ray transient
Using a combination of telescopes, an international team studied the closest FXT associated with a supernova, tracing it to a 'trapped' jet that produced high-energy particles. The findings explain the historically elusive phenomena and mark a significant step in understanding cosmic explosions.
To ‘Infinity’ and beyond — a look at a newborn black hole
Researchers at Yale University have discovered a supermassive black hole in the recently-collided galaxies known as the 'Infinity' galaxy. This finding is significant as it suggests a novel way for black holes to form and provides a possible explanation for the existence of incredibly massive black holes in the early universe.
In the belly of the beast: massive clumps reveal star factories from a bygone era of the cosmos
Researchers surveyed luminous infrared galaxies to gain insight into galaxy formation in the early universe and possibly the Milky Way. They discovered massive clumps of newborn stars, unlike anything seen in the Milky Way.
Unusual stellar nurseries near our galaxy’s center puzzle scientists
Researchers found that the Galactic Center's star-forming regions struggle to form high-mass stars, unlike typical star-forming regions, due to extreme conditions caused by the black hole. The study suggests these regions effectively produce just one generation of stars and lack sufficient material for continued formation.
Global team tracks unusual objects in Milky Way galaxy
A global team tracked an unusual object emitting pulses of radio waves and X-rays lasting two minutes in the Milky Way galaxy. The object, ASKAP J1832-0911, is a long-period transient (LPT) located 15,000 light-years from Earth.
Unravelling the origin of mysterious radiation
A team from Norwegian University of Science and Technology proposes that supermassive black hole winds accelerate particles to create the mysterious high-energy radiation. The winds, which can reach speeds of up to half the speed of light, may be responsible for the creation of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
'Cosmic joust': astronomers observe pair of galaxies in deep-space battle
A team of astronomers observed a rare cosmic collision where one galaxy is pierced by intense radiation from a quasar, leading to the disruption of stellar nurseries. The study used ALMA and ESO's VLT telescopes to reveal the effects of this radiation on the internal structure of the gas in the regular galaxy.
Not one, but two massive black holes are eating away at this galaxy
Astronomers have found nearly 100 examples of massive black holes devouring stars in galaxy cores. A new study reveals a stealth black hole tearing apart a star 2,600 light years away from the galaxy's central massive black hole.
Stretched in a cross pattern: Our neighboring galaxy is pulled in two axes
Researchers at Nagoya University discovered that Cepheid variable stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud are moving in opposing directions along two distinct axes, indicating the galaxy is being stretched by multiple external gravitational forces. The findings challenge previous theories of the galaxy's structure and dynamics.
Astrophysicist searches for gravitational waves in new way
Astrophysicist Jeremy Darling is pursuing a new method to measure the universe's gravitational wave background by analyzing the motion of quasars. His research could unravel the physics of gravity and help scientists understand galaxy evolution and fundamental assumptions about gravity.
Study reveals new source of the heavy elements
A new study reveals that magnetar flares could be a potential source of heavy elements in the universe. By analyzing archival data and observations of magnetar flare events, researchers estimate that up to 10% of heavy elements like gold, uranium, and platinum may come from these cosmic explosions.
Understanding why galaxy clusters are warm may explain the origin of giant interstellar structures
A team of researchers at Nagoya University has discovered a fast-moving, high-temperature gas flow in the center of the Centaurus cluster of galaxies. This finding may solve the 'cooling flow problem', which explains why galaxy clusters appear to be warm despite emitting X-rays.
New Horizons observations lead to first Lyman-alpha map from the galaxy V
The study provides a new look at the galactic region surrounding our solar system, revealing a roughly uniform background Lyman alpha sky brightness. The findings suggest hot interstellar gas bubbles may be regions of enhanced hydrogen gas emissions at a wavelength called Lyman alpha.
‘Cosmic radio’ could find dark matter in 15 years
Researchers at King's College London and Harvard University develop a detector that can identify axions, leading potential candidates for dark matter. The Axion Quasiparticle (AQ) technology has the potential to discover dark matter in five years with further development.
Mizzou researcher offers new theory on universe’s star formation
A new study proposes a third category of galaxies: red star-forming. These galaxies produce low-mass stars and may have played a significant role in the universe's history. The findings could change our understanding of galaxy evolution, star formation, and the life cycle of galaxies.
'Hidden galaxies' could be smoking gun in universe riddle
Researchers have found evidence of a new population of faint galaxies hidden in the far-infrared sky, which could break current models of galaxy numbers and evolution. The discovery was made using data from the Herschel Space Observatory, which revealed a deeper image of the universe than ever before.
Scientists discover how stellar-mass black holes emit powerful plasma jets
Researchers have discovered key conditions needed for a stellar black hole to create plasma jets, including the rapid shrinkage of superheated gas material towards the black hole. This study reveals that jets form under dynamic conditions, providing insights into galaxy evolution and the properties of black holes.
New high-powered telescope reaches Chilean peak
The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) has arrived at its final home in Chile's Parque Astronómico Atacama after a six-week ocean voyage and trekking through the mountains. The telescope will study cosmic dawn, star and galaxy formation, and gravitational waves from the Big Bang.