Articles tagged with Nebulae
The VISTA telescope has mapped the central regions of the Milky Way in infrared light, revealing a pair of newly discovered classical Cepheid variables beyond the galactic bulge. The stars were detected at a distance of about 37,000 light-years and have a period of eleven days.
The new images show the pillars as eerie, wispy silhouettes against a background of stars, with newborn stars hidden within. The infrared view reveals dense knots of dust and gas at the pillar's ends, underscoring the dynamic and violent nature of star-forming regions.
Scientists mapped magnetic fields in a primitive meteorite, tracing back to the earliest steps of the solar system's formation. The findings point to shock waves traveling through the cloud of dusty gas around the newborn Sun as a major factor.
Researchers used extensive observations to develop the first high-resolution 3D model of the Homunculus Nebula, confirming features like arm-like protrusions and trenches. The new model suggests intense interactions between Eta Carinae's stars played a significant role in shaping the nebula.
The study provides new insights into stellar nurseries, showing that high-mass stars form in groups rather than alone and that these seeds can be fragmented into individual star seeds early in the formation process.
Researchers detected a distant quasar illuminating a vast nebula of diffuse gas, extending about 2 million light-years across intergalactic space. The study provides the first image of extended gas between galaxies, offering insight into the overall structure of the universe.
The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a glittering treasure trove of more than 800,000 stars and protostars embedded inside the Tarantula Nebula. The observations were obtained as part of the Hubble Tarantula Treasury Program, which will produce a large catalog of stellar properties.
The Hubble Space Telescope observed a 'light echo' phenomenon as RS Puppis variable star pulsed, measuring its distance to 6,500 light-years with high accuracy. The star's fluctuations and reflected light allowed astronomers to narrow down the distance using light echoes.
The Cat's Paw Nebula is forming stars at an unprecedented rate of 200,000 suns' worth of material, with over 2,000 extremely young and still trapped inside their dusty cocoons. The cause of this 'mini-starburst' remains unclear, but its proximity to Earth makes it an ideal target for detailed study.
The iconic Horsehead Nebula is seen in a new infrared image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing its ethereal and transparent appearance at this wavelength. The nebula, located about 1,500 light-years away, is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud and is being formed by massive stars.
Gemini Observatory's new GeMS system uses Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics to remove atmospheric distortions, increasing field-of-view and image uniformity. This technology enables astronomers to study the universe with unparalleled sharpness, making it a key innovation for future large telescopes.
Astronomers using Hubble data observe two massive star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud that may be in early stages of merger. The discovery sheds light on the origin of large star clusters and helps scientists understand galaxy formation.
Astrophysicists with VERITAS detect pulsed gamma rays above one hundred thousand million electron volts, defying current pulsar models. The finding is causing researchers to consider new theories about gamma-ray production.
The Hubble Space Telescope has observed the historic variable star V1, which helped confirm the size of the universe and its expansion. The observations, conducted in collaboration with amateur astronomers, provide new insights into the properties of Cepheid variables and their role in measuring distances to galaxies.
LSU scientists and an international team discovered the Crab Nebula is flickering due to changes in magnetic fields near its central neutron star. The anomaly has significant implications for astronomers, forcing them to find new ways to calibrate their instruments.
The project aims to design a fundamentally secure internet architecture by exploring radical departures from the modern internet. The team will develop new technologies, including receiver-invoked third-party functionalities, on-demand bandwidth, and secure global private networks.
The University of Pennsylvania has received $7.5 million from the NSF to contribute to the development of Nebula, a network architecture that will support trustworthy cloud computing with a secure and robust next-generation Internet. The project aims to address security challenges in the emerging cloud computing model by developing new...
Astronomers have detected a wave of massive star formation within the M17 SWex dark cloud, revealing 488 newly forming stars, including 200 blue-white class B stars. The discovery sheds light on how and when massive stars form, with theories suggesting an expanding shock wave or later formation may be necessary.
Researchers have solved a 20-year-old astrophysical puzzle using gas dynamical simulations. Filamentary structures formed during the collapse of infalling gas absorb massive stars' radiation, shielding surrounding nebulae from heating.
Comet particles from Wild 2 provide a glimpse of the solar system's early convulsions, flinging primordial material out into the cold regions. The particles contain minerals formed at high temperatures, suggesting transport from the inner to outer solar system.
The Suzaku X-ray observatory has provided new insights into cosmic powerhouses, identifying pulsar wind nebulae as the source of high-energy gamma rays. The observations also suggest that these objects are accelerating mostly protons, leading to a better understanding of the origin of cosmic rays.
Astronomers have discovered a sun-like star in the earliest stage of development, dubbed E42, which is believed to be a virtual twin of Earth's sun. The object has a mass similar to the sun and appears in a violent environment similar to that believed to have produced our own star.
Astronomer Nathan Smith proposes a new theory for the origin of the 1987 supernova's triple-ring nebula, suggesting that unstable blue supergiant stars, called luminous blue variables, may be responsible. Three nearby stars with similar nebulae have been discovered, contradicting the prevailing merger and red-to-blue transition explana...
Researchers using Arecibo Telescope discovered never-before-seen radio emission spectra from the Crab Nebula pulsar. The findings suggest an unknown magnetic pole, contradicting existing theories and challenging our understanding of pulsars.
The discovery of a double helix nebula near the Milky Way's black hole center suggests an extremely strong and highly ordered magnetic field. This twisting wave is thought to be caused by the interaction between the galaxy's magnetic field lines and a disk of gas orbiting the black hole.
Astronomers have mapped the outflow from two regions of star formation in the Orion Nebula, providing new insights into the process of star creation. The study used Hubble Space Telescope data to track shock waves and determine the duration of stellar winds, shedding light on how these winds shape the surrounding clouds.
Researchers discovered young super nebulae around giant star clusters, containing up to a million young stars, and emitting radiant power billions of times that of the sun. The discovery raises questions about why Milky Way no longer forms similar clusters after 10 billion years.
Astronomers using Spitzer Space Telescope image a new generation of stars at the heads of huge dust pillars created by galactic weather conditions. The Carina Nebula, located 10,000 light years from Earth, is visible to the human eye and contains several dozen massive stars that shape the gigantic dust pillars.
Researchers have refined the estimated lifetime of the solar nebula to roughly 2 million years, based on analysis of chondrules and Calcium Aluminum-rich inclusions found in the Allende meteorite. This finding suggests that oxygen was evolving rapidly during this period.
Researchers found that young stars in Orion exhibit high levels of X-ray flaring, sufficient to explain the production of unusual isotopes locked away in ancient meteorites. This discovery suggests that our Sun may have also formed these isotopes during its baby years.