Articles tagged with Observational Astronomy
Scientists at Curtin University's ICRAR node have linked mysterious radio pulses to an unusual star pairing: a dead star that spins every 8 minutes and a Sun-like star. The discovery breaks new ground, as radio pulses are typically observed in systems with smaller and cooler red dwarf stars.
Researchers identified changes in the accretion disk and X-ray variability that precede jet ejection activity by up to 10 days, suggesting a possible predictor for these phenomena. Monitoring the inner radius of the accretion disk may enable astronomers to forecast jet ejections more accurately.
A Northwestern University-led team developed a new computational technique that cuts through starlight to reveal planets previously hidden from view. The technique, Physics-based Learning for Imaging Planets (FLIP), accounts for tiny imperfections in the telescope, improving sensitivity by up to 15 times.
Researchers found that intense ultraviolet light acted like a 'cosmic leaf blower', pushing gas and dust away from stars in the early universe, making their galaxies appear brighter. This effect likely contributes to the brightness of early galaxies by clearing the line of sight between stars.
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University have successfully linked two telescopes together using a tiny glass chip, enabling the observation of celestial objects in extraordinary detail. The technology has the potential to transform the design of future astronomical instruments, making them smaller, more robust, and easier to upgrade.
Astronomers have discovered a rare disc of debris around a dead star, featuring a unique double disc structure separated by a clear gap. The debris is believed to be shaped by two planetary bodies, one possibly as big as Pluto, that have survived the violent death of the star.
UNLV physicists have discovered that water can change its atomic structure under extreme pressure, altering its appearance and properties. The study, published in Communications Chemistry, shows that water becomes a lower-symmetry version of itself under pressure, leading to complex behavior that challenges previous expectations.
Researchers found a clue in a neutrino that could have helped matter dominate over antimatter in the early universe. The team discovered a 'decoupled' heavy neutrino that temporarily took over the energy density of the universe and triggered a matter-dominated period.
Researchers found that white dwarf stars can exhibit a range of colors, including green, pink, and purple, due to the density of their atmospheres. The study used data from existing spectra to calculate the color each star's light would appear as to the human eye, revealing new insights into the color spectrum of these stellar remnants.
An international team of astronomers has captured the most detailed view yet of Pa 30, a supernova remnant in the Milky Way, revealing striking new features. The remnant is composed of chains of gas knots, each wide enough to fit the solar system multiple times, and a surviving 'zombie star' at its core. The discovery provides valuable...
Astronomers have discovered a star slowly consuming a brown dwarf, 300 light years away, in a system that challenges the traditional view of stellar cannibalism. The slow stellar cannibalism could carry on for hundreds of thousands, or even billions of years, offering an alternative to the star swallowing its companion.
Researchers at the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) have successfully mapped the earliest glow of hydrogen gas from deep in the universe's past using only its own data. This breakthrough enables a faster, less expensive method for studying dark energy, a mysterious force driving the universe's expansion.
Researchers found that early galaxies were already producing and dispersing heavy elements, such as oxygen and carbon, 500 million years after the Big Bang. This discovery challenges previous assumptions and provides insights into the early universe's chemical evolution.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have discovered a rare, hot Jupiter with an eccentric orbit that provides a unique opportunity to study this class of planet. The planet, TOI-1355 b, orbits its star in just two Earth days and will soon disappear from view due to its rapidly changing orbit.
Astronomers have confirmed that Sakurai's Object, a 'born-again' star, has entered a new phase of its evolution, developing a powerful stellar wind characteristic of Wolf-Rayet stars. The research provides new insight into the final stages of stellar evolution, allowing scientists to test theories that would otherwise take thousands of...
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin developed a powerful method to track weather patterns on distant worlds, revealing two dominant processes shaping atmospheric changes. The study used PCA to analyze data from NASA's JWST, identifying minute changes in brightness as the object rotated.
The project will complete fiber-optic connections between telescopes, enabling longer baselines and higher angular resolution. This will allow researchers to study the environments immediately surrounding massive stars with unprecedented detail.
Researchers use helium signals to determine the universe's primordial helium abundance, confirming decades of scientific understanding. The study strengthens theories about the early universe and its elements, including carbon and nitrogen.
Researchers used computational modeling to simulate how electrons interact with manganese ions, predicting emission lines that could be useful for analyzing rapidly expanding objects like supernova remnants. The findings suggest that these emission lines could provide insight into the chemical evolution of galaxies, stars, and the univ...
A team of researchers has discovered four sets of dual 'Little Red Dots' (LRDs) in the early universe, indicating a possible link between galaxy mergers and rapidly growing black holes. The findings suggest that black hole mergers could be responsible for the rapid growth of black holes in the early universe.
Researchers have estimated that the unknown absorber in Venus's clouds must absorb light very efficiently, occur at a high concentration, or both, with a required decadic absorption coefficient reaching approximately 1,278 cm-1 at 375 nm. This suggests that highly absorbing conjugated organic molecules could be the culprit, but the stu...
Astronomers have discovered the fastest star in the Milky Way, S301, orbiting the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at a speed of 25,000 km/s. The star's tight orbit takes just 8.7 years to complete and approaches the black hole at a mere 12 times the distance of Earth to the Sun.
Researchers observe star fragments plowing through surrounding gas, tracing the recycling process that supplies raw materials for new planets and stars. The study offers a glimpse into the potential fate of our Sun, which will shed its outer layers and return material to the Milky Way.
Astronomers have discovered water molecules in the envelope of star IRS 3, located near the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The star's enormous envelope, fueled by rapid mass loss, has allowed water to thrive in its vicinity. This finding suggests that Sgr A* is being enriched with fundamental building blocks of life.
The panel discussed how advances in engineering are unlocking new scientific missions and driving breakthroughs. Emerging technologies, such as commercial capabilities and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the mission landscape.
The 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly addressed the challenge of preserving dark and quiet skies for astronomical observations and satellite technology. The session considered scientific, technical, operational, and regulatory perspectives to balance benefits with environmental and societal concerns.
The SDSS-V survey has released its twentieth public data release (DR20), providing a massive catalog of high-quality spectra of stars across the Milky Way. The dataset includes over two million total spectra, revealing temperatures, ages, and chemical compositions of stars.
The Local Volume Mapper is capturing light to reveal the physics and chemistry of stellar birthplaces across vast expanses of the sky in unprecedented detail. Astronomers are analyzing specific spectral lines to map the precise temperature, density, chemical abundance, and motion of interstellar gas.
Researchers used the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope to capture high-resolution images of swirling vortices in the sun's photosphere, which are believed to be the 'engine' driving twisting magnetic field lines. This discovery could fundamentally change our understanding of solar dynamics and evolution.
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has released its 20th data set, featuring over three million spectra of stars and galaxies, as well as 18 new value-added catalogs. This release marks a significant expansion of the survey's efforts, integrating full all-sky panoptic spectroscopy across both hemispheres.
Astronomers spot supermassive black hole on outskirts of galaxy, defying assumption that it resides in the center. The discovery uses AI program to identify characteristic light patterns from tidal disruption events.
Researchers used machine learning to identify seven rare quasar candidates from a list of 800,000 quasars. The discovery offers an opportunity to expand knowledge of how quasars and their host galaxies work, as well as understanding our own galaxy's evolution.
Researchers at Uppsala University recalculated the Sun's silver content using a new model that predicts 55% more silver than previous estimates. This resolves a long-standing problem of missing silver in the solar system and improves our understanding of how elements are produced in stars and incorporated into planets.
Researchers analyze the 'ringdown' phase of black hole collisions to test Einstein's theory of General Relativity and uncover secrets about these mysterious objects. Future observatories may reveal fresh evidence for new physics and challenge current models.
Astronomers have discovered a third planet, Beta Pictoris d, in the system, which is 100 times fainter than Beta Pictoris b and 2.4 times more massive than Jupiter. The planet's wide orbit and extreme faintness make its detection a significant achievement.
A team of researchers from Kyushu University and Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics have detected ambipolar diffusion in a prestellar core, weakening magnetic support and leading to gravitational collapse. This finding provides insight into early star formation and the creation of stellar systems like our own.
Researchers have discovered stellar cocoons rich in complex organic molecules within a supernova remnant, indicating that newborn stars can remain protected and preserve their molecular composition. The study suggests that the environment of our Solar System's formation may be more diverse than previously recognized.
An international team of astronomers has directly measured the mass of an inactive supermassive black hole in the early Universe for the first time. The study found that the black hole is about 12 times more massive than expected from its host galaxy, suggesting that the central engine was already fully grown while the galaxy around it...
The XMM-Newton and Chandra space telescopes have spotted the aftermath of three bright explosions echoing through the Milky Way's outer spiral arms. The team measured the distance to these echoes directly, finding two arms - Outer Scutum-Centaurus Arm and Outer Arm - lie up to 10% further away than previously thought.
Researchers have discovered two rare 'super-puff' planets with densities lower than candy floss, orbiting an F7-type dwarf star. The study provides a unique laboratory for understanding how these planets form and evolve, offering insights into their extremely low densities.
Researchers found a compact core in the 'Shadow Blaster' galaxy, which is likely heating gas and dust through intense star formation, producing high-energy neutrinos. This alternative pathway could contribute up to 20% of the high-energy neutrino background.
Astronomers have detected the [O I] 145 µm emission line in four typical star-forming galaxies, which serves as a clear tracer of neutral gas. This detection provides unprecedented detail on the physical and chemical conditions of star-forming material in these distant galaxies.
New study by University of Southampton confirms the universe's expansion is still accelerating as previously found, debunking 2025 claims that the cosmos was slowing. The team re-evaluated data using Type Ia supernovae to calculate vast cosmic distances and found no error in their methods.
Researchers have discovered the most distant dormant black hole yet detected, located over 10 billion light years away. The black hole's mass is approximately 6 billion times that of the sun, providing unprecedented insights into black holes in the early universe.
The European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will be the most powerful optical and infrared telescope ever built, enabling unprecedented observations of exoplanets and galaxies. Canadian astronomers will gain guaranteed access to the telescope through a $11.3M grant, supporting the development of the ANDES instrument.
A team of astronomers has produced the most detailed map of the cosmic web, tracing its network of galaxies back to one billion years old. The COSMOS-Web survey, conducted with the largest JWST survey, reveals a more informative large-scale structure than earlier maps.
Researchers found amino acids are consistently more diverse and evenly distributed in biological samples than abiotic ones, while fatty acids show the opposite pattern. This fundamental principle of life may be detectable in data collected by space missions.
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.
Researchers tracked galaxy clusters to test gravity's strength, finding it weakens with distance as predicted by Newton and Einstein. The study confirms the existence of invisible dark matter, closing the door on alternative theories like Modified Newtonian Dynamics.
Astronomers have identified the most pristine star in the known universe, SDSS J0715-7334, with a metal content of less than 0.005%. This ancient immigrant was born about 80,000 light-years from Earth and has been pulled into the Milky Way galaxy over time.
Astronomers have discovered an ancient immigrant star in the Milky Way that formed in a companion galaxy and migrated billions of years ago. The star, SDSSJ0715-7334, has the lowest metallicity ever observed, suggesting it is one of the oldest stars in the universe.
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.
Researchers from ISTA identify two white dwarfs, Gandalf and Moon-Sized, which share five properties, including X-ray emission, despite being isolated objects. These discoveries suggest the existence of a new class of star remnants with unique magnetic and rotational properties.
Astronomers from the University of Liège have solved a 50-year-old stellar mystery by attributing the X-rays emitted by Gamma Cas to a magnetic white dwarf orbiting the star. The study used high-energy astrophysics instrumentation and revealed that the X-rays are associated with the compact companion, not the massive Be star itself.
A team of astrophysicists offers a new explanation for negative superhumps in cataclysmic variable star systems, proposing an eccentric accretion disk model. This theory explains the prevalence of negative superhumps across a wide range of binary star masses and may also explain positive superhumps in high mass ratio systems.
A team of astronomers has detected rare evidence of two planets colliding, which could provide valuable insights into the formation of our solar system. The unlikely event was observed in a distant star, Gaia20ehk, which was found to have massive amounts of rocks and dust passing in front of it, blocking its light.
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.
Researchers discovered a star in the Andromeda Galaxy that vanished without going supernova, instead collapsing directly into a black hole. The team's analysis revealed the process of stellar collapse and provided evidence for convection's role in shaping a black hole's outer layers.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) welcomes the cancellation of INNA, a planned industrial complex near Paranal Observatory. The project would have posed a major threat to the darkest skies on Earth and compromised the performance of advanced astronomical facilities.
Researchers have created the first broadband map of Faraday rotation, revealing a complex magnetic field in the Milky Way. The dataset, DRAGONS, captures polarized radio emissions across a wide range of frequencies, allowing astronomers to see magnetic structures invisible before.