Articles tagged with Observational Astronomy
Four early galaxies have been confirmed by spectroscopic observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with two of them being the most distant galaxies to date. The galaxies are estimated to be around 13.4 billion years old, dating back to less than 400 million years after the Big Bang.
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.
Research shows that the Southwestern North American megadrought caused a significant reduction (~30%) in wave activity after its onset, which may be related to reduced storm generation and altered precipitation patterns. The findings demonstrate that regional changes in the lower atmosphere can impact the upper atmosphere.
Researchers believe a black hole suddenly began devouring a nearby star, releasing energy and creating the brightest ever recorded TDE. The jet's direction may be pointing towards Earth, causing Doppler boosting, and could reveal insights into how supermassive black holes grow.
Researchers detected a long-sought after innermost dusty ring around the type 1 active galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 4151 with unprecedented clarity. The CHARA Array Interferometer achieved this milestone by resolving the dust sublimation region at a hundred microarcsecond scale.
The Tianma 65-m radio telescope helped detect over 600 emission lines in the Orion Kleinmann–Low Nebula, including 21 new species. High-Δn RRLs and complex organic molecules like NH3 were also identified, providing valuable insights into the region's physical and chemical properties.
A team of researchers used images from the Hubble Space Telescope to determine the age and composition of a distant supernova. The study suggests that the heavier atomic elements necessary for life were created inside stars and released during supernovae explosions.
A new model accounts for the interplay of forces acting on newborn planets, explaining two puzzling observations: the radius valley and peas in a pod. The research suggests that giant impacts, like the one that formed our moon, are probably a generic outcome of planet formation.
A new study published in Science found that a highly magnetised dead star, known as a magnetar, is likely to have a solid surface with no atmosphere. The research team used data from the NASA satellite IXPE to observe the polarisation of X-ray light emitted by the star, which revealed a signature consistent with a solid crust.
The study includes 191 asteroids' radar cross sections and Doppler-frequency broadening, offering clues to asteroids' spin periods and sizes. The research also discovered two metal-rich near-Earth asteroids and five possible enstatite-rich asteroids, shedding new light on the formation and evolution of the solar system.
A team of researchers using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) has discovered a massive atomic gas structure, approximately 2 million light years in length, surrounding the compact group of galaxies Stephan's Quintet. This finding challenges current theories on galaxy-group formation and evolution.
Researchers have developed a method to map an asteroid's interior structure based on its spin changes during close encounters with Earth. This technique, called AIME, could help scientists plan more effective defense strategies for asteroids like Apophis, which poses a significant hazard if it were to make impact.
A new multimodality prediction method jointly learned vision and sequence information for accurate solar wind speed prediction. The model achieved best performance in many metrics, including RMSE, MAE, and CORR, and demonstrated the effectiveness of each module in improving prediction accuracy.
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 using JWST's First Deep Field image identified the most distant globular clusters, potentially relics of the first and oldest stars. These discoveries provide a detailed look at the earliest phase of star formation, confirming JWST's power in uncovering the universe's origins.
Researchers at Cornell University suggest that bright reflections on Mars' South Pole may be caused by layered composition rather than liquid water. The team's simulations showed that layer thickness and separations have a greater impact on reflection power than material composition.
A study at Europlanet Science Congress 2022 found that super-thin planet nurseries can accelerate the formation of big planets. The team observed a remarkably thin disc of dust and gas around a young star, where large particles settled into a dense midplane, creating conditions favourable for planetary growth.
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.
Researchers found that topography influences comet surface activity across hundreds of meters, with hotspots observed even on uniform surfaces. The study used Rosetta mission data to track changes in 16 topographic depressions on Comet 67P.
Researchers use Gemini Observatory's Zorro instrument to observe R136a1, finding it may be less massive than previously thought, potentially altering understanding of element formation. This breakthrough pushes the capabilities of ground-based telescopes, rivaling those of Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes.
Astronomers use telescopes to analyze light from distant worlds, but 'photobombing' can occur when nearby planets contaminate the view. Researchers propose methods to mitigate this effect, such as data processing and multiple telescope observations, to improve habitable planet detection.
Researchers have discovered a new millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster NGC 6397, shedding light on the apparent overabundance of isolated pulsars. The newly found pulsar, PSR J1740-5340B, has a faint radio signal and extended quiescent periods, suggesting it may be representative of a subgroup of hard-to-detect binary pulsars.
A recent study published in Nature Communications has uncovered the likely Martian origin of a 4.48-billion-year-old meteorite named Black Beauty. The team found that this ancient fragment may have come from a region on Mars similar to Earth's continents, providing valuable insights into our planet's geological past.
A team of astronomers discovered an unusual ultra-faint dwarf galaxy, Pegasus V, on the outer edge of the Andromeda Galaxy using NSF's NOIRLab facilities. The galaxy appears to be extremely deficient in heavier elements, indicating it is very old and likely a fossil of the first galaxies.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team used the Hubble Space Telescope to create near-global UV maps of Europa, revealing concentrations of sulfur dioxide on the moon's trailing side. The results provide insights into the composition of Europa's subsurface ocean and its potential for life.
Astronomers discovered five isolated 'blue blob' systems containing young, blue stars and little atomic hydrogen gas. The presence of mostly young stars and lack of gas suggests recent gas loss, contradicting expectations of older red stars.
Researchers from the University of Arizona suggest that dying stars can forge carbon nanotubes in the envelopes of dust and gas surrounding them. This process involves the spontaneous formation of carbon nanotubes, which are highly structured rod-like molecules consisting of multiple layers of carbon sheets.
Asteroid Psyche's varied surface suggests a dynamic history, with metallic eruptions, asteroid-shaking impacts, and a lost rocky mantle. The new maps hint at the asteroid's ancient core, which could be composed of silicate-rich material that has since disappeared.
The Hubble Space Telescope has released the largest near-infrared image ever taken, allowing researchers to map star-forming regions and understand how the earliest galaxies originated. This high-resolution survey will enable the identification of rare objects such as massive galaxies, highly active black holes, and colliding galaxies.
A machine learning algorithm has outperformed astronomers in analyzing microlensing data to find new exoplanets, revealing connections hidden in complex mathematics from general relativity. The AI algorithm uncovered a degeneracy that had been missed by experts, suggesting a broader theory is likely incomplete.
Researchers found that planetary systems around binary stars form differently than those around single stars, potentially creating new targets for extraterrestrial life. The study also suggests that comets could play a key role in delivering organic molecules necessary for life.
Researchers conducted wave-optics simulations to study the impact of turbulence on light beams, finding that branch point density grows non-linearly with grid resolution. The study's results could lead to more accurate modeling and improved performance in Adaptive Optics systems.
Researchers have identified the rarest type of black widow binary yet, featuring a pulsar and a third star that orbits every 10,000 years. The system, ZTF J1406+1222, has the shortest orbital period ever recorded, with the pulsar and companion star circling each other in just 62 minutes.
An international team of scientists has discovered 30 exocomets in the β Pictoris planetary system, determining their size range and estimating a similar size distribution to those orbiting the Sun. This discovery sheds new light on the origin and evolution of comets in planetary systems.
A new theory offers an explanation for the formation and evolution of gas giants in our solar system, proposing that a 'rebound' effect triggered their current paths. Researchers found that the primordial gas disk dissipated from the inside out, providing a natural trigger for the instability.
Researchers at MIT and University of Waterloo propose stimulating the Unruh effect to increase its probability of detection, potentially shaving wait time from billions of years to just a few hours. The new approach, known as acceleration-induced transparency, enhances the Unruh effect while suppressing competing effects.
A 80-mile wide comet, one of the oldest objects in the solar system, is heading towards Earth at 22,000 miles per hour. The comet's massive nucleus, 50 times larger than most known comets, will pass within 1 billion miles of the sun in 2031.
A new study by University of Leicester researchers reveals Neptune's atmospheric temperatures have dropped by roughly 8 degrees Celsius between 2003 and 2018, with unexpected stratospheric warming at the south pole. The cause of these changes is currently unknown, but may be related to seasonal variations in atmospheric chemistry.
Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a single star, nicknamed Earendel, located an astonishing 28 billion light-years away. The star is estimated to be up to 500 times more massive than our Sun and millions of times brighter.
Researchers observed rapid electron precipitation from low-Earth orbit using the ELFIN mission, which was caused by whistler waves affecting electrons in the Earth's magnetosphere. The findings demonstrate that whistler waves are responsible for far more electron rain than current theories and space weather models predict.
Researchers analyzed polarized properties of five repeating FRB sources using FAST and GBT, revealing systematic frequency evolution and rotation measure scattering. This unified description indicates complex environments around bursting sources, including supernova remnants or plasma near massive blackholes.
The new database provides access to almost all observational data on water masers since 1989, enabling quick analysis and prediction of maser locations. With its technological solutions, researchers can now study the early stages of star formation more efficiently.
Researchers observed a binary star system in formation, revealing two stars with disks of gas and dust surrounding them. The newly discovered disks may be the beginnings of new planet systems that will orbit the binary stars in the future. This study provides unprecedented detail on a binary system in formation.
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.
Dr Henrik Melin, a researcher at the University of Leicester, has been awarded the third-ever Webb Fellowship to study the atmospheres of giant planets using the James Webb Space Telescope. He aims to understand the mechanisms driving powerful aurorae on these planets and address the 'energy crisis' in their upper atmospheres.
Researchers from HSE University have developed a mathematical model that explains the levitation of charged dust particles over the sunlit lunar surface for almost any latitude. The study takes into account the Earth's magnetotail and its impact on particle movement, leading to vertical oscillation and eventual levitation.
Astronomers have discovered fast radio bursts originating from a globular cluster in the spiral galaxy M 81, surprising scientists with this unexpected location. The source of these unpredictable flashes has been pinpointed to old stars, contrary to previous discoveries which often occurred near young stars.
A team of astronomers led by the University of Birmingham detected a rare circumbinary planet, Kepler-16b, using radial velocity method. The discovery provides clues on planetary accretion and demonstrates that ground-based telescopes can be used for modern exoplanet research.
Researchers have discovered a ring of planetary debris orbiting close to a white dwarf star, suggesting the presence of a nearby planet in the habitable zone. The planet is thought to be similar in size to terrestrial planets in our solar system and could support liquid water, making it potentially habitable.
Researchers confirm a rare and massive black hole merger with an eccentric orbit, shedding light on the formation of supermassive black holes in dense star clusters. The study's findings have significant implications for our understanding of black hole dynamics and the evolution of galaxies.
Astronomers have discovered a binary system consisting of a rapidly spinning neutron star and the precursor to an extremely-low-mass white dwarf, dubbed a 'cosmic spider'. The system emits powerful gamma-rays and has been observed using the SOAR Telescope in Chile.
Researchers have found the Milky Way to be significantly lighter than previously thought, with a total mass of 500-800 billion solar masses. This new estimate is based on high-precision data from Gaia EDR3 and advanced dynamical modeling methods.
Researchers discover Amazon basin as main mechanism for precipitation in Atacama Desert, accounting for 40-80% of total precipitation. The findings reveal a new pathway of water supply for the driest region on Earth, aside from summer rain, through moist easterly winds and winter storms.
NAU astronomers, planetary astronomers and their students will conduct experiments using the JWST to expand their research and advance our understanding of the solar system. The telescope's advanced suite of instruments will explore planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and beyond.
Researchers found over 70-170 free-floating planets (FFPs) in the Upper Scorpius young stellar association, almost doubling the number of known FFPs. The sheer number suggests that planets formed around stars and then banished to darkness are an important contribution.
Researchers studied 15 unusual stars in the Milky Way galaxy, discovering that all have recently undergone a rare phase where one star engulfs another. The findings provide new insight into the sky's most dramatic phenomena and may help answer questions about how stars live and die.
A team of astronomers has made the most precise measurements yet of the motions of stars around Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. The research, using cutting-edge facilities like Gemini Observatory and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, shows that nearly all of the mass c...
A team of researchers has discovered a new object orbiting a Sun-like star that was missed by previous searches. The object is estimated to be between 10 and 20 times the mass of Jupiter and is thought to be a large planet or a small brown dwarf.
Researchers have found no dark matter in the ultra-diffuse dwarf galaxy AGC 114905, which can be explained by normal matter. The discovery confirms previous measurements and raises questions about the existence of dark matter in galaxies.