Articles tagged with Observational Astronomy
Astronomers have discovered four massive stellar clusters with stars as massive as 120 solar masses in the Milky Way's W49 molecular cloud. This reveals the true sources of enormous energy powering a giant HII region, solving decades of speculation.
The new AO76 system, developed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico, produces sharper images under worse seeing conditions than the previous AO24 system. This allows existing solar telescopes to produce higher resolution images and greatly improve their scientific output.
Researchers observed mass-losing stars in cataclysmic variables and found most secondary stars lack carbon and other elements. The unusual abundance patterns suggest stellar material formed through CNO burning, a process thought to occur in high-mass stars.
Researchers have spotted a spectacular 'bull's eye' effect in a star explosion, revealing new insights into the object's distance and characteristics. The discovery, led by Howard Bond of the Space Telescope Science Institute, used NASA Hubble Space Telescope images to calculate the star's distance from Earth at least 20,000 light years.
Researchers conclude dark energy is the dominant form of energy in the universe, contradicting observations of distant supernovae. The accelerating expansion of the universe can be explained by the presence of negative pressure in a vacuum, supporting the existence of dark energy.
The DARE concept uses balloons with a StratoSail device to control their path in strong atmospheric winds, enabling pole-to-pole exploration of Venus and Titan's atmospheres and targeted observations of Mars and Jupiter's Great Red Spot.
Researchers develop waveform templates to analyze gravity wave signals, enabling detection of neutron star collapses and black hole collisions. Gravity waves offer a window to the universe carrying different information than electromagnetic waves.
A recent Asian dust storm triggered a massive bloom of phytoplankton in the North Pacific, suggesting that wind-blown iron from terrestrial dust can stimulate plankton growth. This observation challenges the long-held 'iron hypothesis,' which proposed that adding iron to ocean waters could offset global warming.
Researchers observed supernova remnants in two neighboring galaxies, providing new insight into gas shocked by blast waves and material structure between stars. The findings expand our understanding of a star's long-term evolution and how elements are redistributed into interstellar space.
The Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) has returned to full-time science operations after a guidance system fix. Scientists and engineers used electromagnets to push and pull on the Earth's magnetic field, achieving sub-arcsecond pointing stability and unlocking nearly half the sky for observations.
Researchers combined infrared images with Hubble data to study ancient galaxies, including those similar to the Milky Way. The team identified over 100 billion stars in some galaxies, offering insights into their age, distance, and formation.
Researchers at the University of Illinois and Wisconsin detected a Y-shaped ionized gas filament near the Big Dipper, believed to be produced by radiation from a white dwarf or low-luminosity source. The object's properties differ from other examples, making it difficult to identify its origin.
NGC 3310 is forming clusters of new stars at a prodigious rate, with hundreds of individual young, luminous stars visible throughout the galaxy. The wide range of cluster ages suggests that the starbursting can continue for an extended interval, once triggered.
Researchers have found evidence of an extreme warp in the stellar disk of the Andromeda Galaxy, which may be the most extreme case of a warped spiral galaxy. The findings suggest that interactions between Andromeda and its satellite galaxies could be responsible for the warp.
Astronomers have discovered intriguing patterns of star motion and composition that suggest a remnant of a smaller galaxy consumed by the Milky Way billions of years ago. The study, part of the 2dF Old Stellar Population Survey, aims to investigate the galactic merger that formed the Milky Way's thick disk.
The Hubble Space Telescope observed Comet Linear experiencing a violent eruption, spewing dust into space and increasing its brightness. The team believes this event may indicate that similar 'Mount Saint Helens' outbursts occur frequently on comets.
A study reveals that nearly 900 potentially hazardous asteroids are hurtling towards Earth, with some passing within a few moon distances every year. The researchers estimate that only 40% of kilometer-or-larger asteroids have been discovered, leaving the remaining 60% potentially difficult to find.
Astronomers use Chandra to study a cloud of gas in NGC 4151, blown away from the black hole at incredible velocities. The observation shows how massive black holes disrupt their surroundings over vast distances.
A 6.5m telescope mirror is transported from the US to Chile's Atacama Desert, renowned for its stable and dry atmosphere, to conduct astronomical observations. The mirror will be installed as part of the Magellan Twin Telescope project at the Las Campanas Observatory, enabling studies of the Milky Way, star formation, and the universe.
Amateur astronomers reported brief changes on the Moon's surface, but their claims were never confirmed until now. A team of scientists has found evidence supporting these observations using satellite data from the Clementine mission.
17-year-old Sasha Jones won a contest to name the first Earth Observing System satellite, Terra, which will study global climatic changes. The satellite's launch is set for July 15, 1999, and will enable new research into the planet's climate system.
University of Michigan astronomers have detected the cool infrared signature of dust grains and silicates within superheated gas in the center of ancient elliptical galaxies. The discovery could represent the first direct observation of how mass lost by aging stars evolves in a hot, exotic environment.
Scientists observed unusual transpolar auroral arcs during a geomagnetic storm in January 1997, contradicting existing models of the magnetosphere. The phenomenon was caused by energy propagating towards the dayside along the arc, indicating dynamic events in the magnetosphere.
A new study by Ohio State University researcher Jay Frogel warns that El Niño events can change atmospheric data by up to 2 percent, affecting precise astronomical measurements. This alteration occurs due to the increased water content in the atmosphere during El Niño events.
Astronomers worldwide are gathering data from comet Hale-Bopp with a festival of observations, revealing secrets about comets' composition and behavior. The raw material will construct the most intricate portrait of a comet to date, providing insights into the early solar system.
Scientists capture high-resolution images of Neptune's clouds and their movement, providing fresh insight into the planet's extraordinary weather. The observations reveal a powerful equatorial jet stream and storms dwarfing Earth's most violent storms.
The Compton Observatory detected the brightest gamma-ray burst in its five and a half year mission, releasing as much energy in tens of seconds as the Sun will produce in ten-billion-year lifetime. The burst is rare and may contain information about sources that cannot be extracted from weaker events.