Articles tagged with Observational Astrophysics
Researchers have detected orbital motion in a pair of supermassive black holes, marking the first-ever 'visual binary' of such systems. The two black holes are estimated to complete an orbit every 30,000 years and may merge millions of years later.
A unique data center for cosmological simulations, Cosmowebportal, has been initiated by astrophysicists from TUM and LRZ. The facility pools the results of the Magneticum Pathfinder simulations, allowing scientists to explore and analyze the universe's evolution.
Researchers found that nearly all sunlike stars form with a companion, but these companions often escape and merge with other stars. The study's findings have implications for the origins of galaxies and suggest that many stars are born in pairs, like our sun and its long-lost sibling.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers measured the deflection of light rays as they passed near a white dwarf star, providing a solid estimate of its mass. The result confirms theoretical predictions and offers insights into the star's structure and composition.
An international research team led by Kailash C. Sahu observed the gravitational microlensing effect in a star other than the Sun, confirming a key prediction of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The study determined the mass of a white dwarf star, providing new insights into galaxy evolution and the history of stars.
A new study by UW-Madison undergraduate Ben Hoscheit confirms the idea that our galaxy lives in an enormous void, seven times larger than average. The findings help ease tension between different measurements of the Hubble Constant, resolving a long-standing discrepancy among cosmologists.
KELT-9b, a Jupiter-like gas giant, has a 'year' of only 1.5 days and orbits an extremely hot star that radiates more ultraviolet radiation than our sun. The planet's atmosphere is constantly blasted with high levels of radiation, making it inhospitable to life.
KELT-9b, a gas giant exoplanet, has a day-side temperature of 4,600 Kelvin, making it hotter than most stars. Its atmosphere is constantly bombarded by stellar radiation due to its tidally locked orbit, preventing the formation of molecules on its surface.
KELT-9b orbits a star more than twice as large and nearly twice as hot as our sun, causing its atmosphere to puff up like a balloon. The planet's day side is perpetually bombarded by stellar radiation, making it inhospitable for life.
Scientists have discovered an exoplanet, KELT-9b, hotter than most stars, with a day-side temperature of 4,600 Kelvin. The planet's atmosphere is being evaporated due to intense ultraviolet radiation from its host star.
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has confirmed the third detection of gravitational waves, revealing a population of black holes that were previously unknown. The detected black holes have masses ranging from 21 to 49 times that of the sun, shedding light on the existence of heavy black hole pairs.
Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology contributed to the measurement of a newly discovered black hole's tilt and spin, which can reveal clues about how massive stars die. The findings support Einstein's general theory of relativity and rule out extreme predictions for black hole spins.
A NASA team led by Manuel Quijada is investigating techniques for creating highly reflective aluminum mirrors sensitive to the infrared, optical, and far-ultraviolet wavelength bands. They aim to develop a coating that improves reflectance in the far ultraviolet while allowing observations in other wavelength bands.
Researchers at Monash University have identified a new concept called 'orphan memory,' which challenges current understanding of gravitational waves. They found that high-frequency waves leave behind a signature that LIGO can detect.
Astronomers predict that combining NIRISS and NIRSpec on James Webb Space Telescope will maximize information content about exoplanet atmospheres. This combination allows for the observation of key chemical compounds such as water, methane, and carbon dioxide.
A team of scientists found a massive wave of hot gas in the Perseus galaxy cluster using Chandra X-ray Observatory data and computer simulations. The wave is thought to have formed billions of years ago after a small galaxy cluster grazed Perseus, causing its gas supply to slosh around an enormous volume.
Astronomers have discovered a unique ultra-slow pulsar XB091D in the Andromeda galaxy, believed to have captured a companion only a million years ago. The pulsar's acceleration is linked to its interaction with an ordinary star, providing new insights into neutron star rejuvenation.
A rocky super-earth, LHS 1140b, has been discovered orbiting an M-type star in the habitable zone, making it a promising candidate for atmospheric study and search for life. The planet's size and mass indicate a rocky composition, and its distance from the star allows for relatively cool temperatures.
A team of astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to analyze four images of a gravitationally lensed Type Ia supernova, measuring the expansion of the Universe without theoretical assumptions. The discovery provides clues about the Universe's expansion rate and has implications for cosmology.
Astronomers have discovered a super-Earth orbiting a quiet red dwarf star, LHS 1140, in the habitable zone where liquid water can exist. The exoplanet's large size and dense iron core suggest it may have retained an atmosphere long after its star calmed down.
Researchers have discovered and characterized 82 massive binary star systems in the Tarantula Nebula, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The study provides new insights into the properties of these systems, which are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the chemical evolution of the universe.
Research finds atomic carbon in young star systems' debris disks, indicating minimal hydrogen presence. This suggests the gas is generated through collisions rather than being primordial.
Researchers discovered that massive stars can exhibit instability for several months before a supernova explosion, creating a dense gas shell around themselves. This insight came from analyzing data collected by the Palomar Transient Factory telescope network.
Claude-André Faucher-Giguère, a Northwestern University astrophysicist, has received a Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation. The $794,304 grant will support improved galaxy formation simulations and interactive visualizations for public outreach.
The Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT-prime) will be the highest telescope of its kind, allowing scientists to study the formation of stars and galaxies in unprecedented detail. With a diameter of six meters and location at an altitude of 5,612 meters, CCAT-prime aims to solve the mystery of dark matter and dark energy.
The Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope-prime (CCAT-p) will map the sky at submillimeter and millimeter wavelengths, giving unprecedented insights into star and galaxy formation. The telescope's high-altitude location and innovative design enable faster measurements of polarized signals, revealing clues about the universe's early moments.
Astronomers discover enigmatic flash of X-rays from galaxy 10.7 billion light years away, exhibiting properties unlike known gamma-ray bursts or stellar destruction; scientists struggle to understand its origin and potential implications for compact star mergers.
Researchers detect 75% of a typical galaxy's star formation obscured by dust, revealing surprising findings about the early universe. The Large Millimeter Telescope allows for deeper observations, pushing our knowledge of dust production and metal enrichment over cosmic time.
Astronomers have mapped the location of optical and ultraviolet light emitted by a star torn apart by a black hole. The team used Swift satellite observations to track the changes in brightness of various wavelengths, finding that they originated from elliptical streams of orbiting matter crashing into each other.
Astronomers have observed a striking spiral pattern in the gas surrounding LL Pegasi and its companion star, shedding light on the final act of a dying red giant star. The observations suggest that a highly elliptical orbit is responsible for the shape of the gaseous emissions.
Astronomers studied the HD 106906 system to see how a distant giant planet affects a debris disk's shape and structure. They found that the disk's flat, non-circular ring is consistent with a planet forming outside the disk, not inside it.
Astronomers have found evidence for a star orbiting a black hole at an unprecedented distance, about twice an hour. The close-in binary system, located 14,800 light years from Earth, provides valuable insights into the behavior of black holes and their companion stars.
Researchers are developing micro-optical systems to efficiently rearrange starlight and enable high-precision measurements of cosmic objects. The technology targets use on large telescopes to search for earth-like planets and determine atmospheric composition.
New research suggests that fast radio bursts might be evidence of advanced alien technology, powering interstellar probes in distant galaxies. A study found that a planet-sized transmitter could generate the needed energy to make such detection possible.
The Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program has released its first public dataset, containing almost 100 million galaxies and stars. This dataset will enable scientists to explore the nature of dark matter and dark energy, as well as study the formation and evolution of galaxies.
The HSC-SSP survey has released its first public dataset, containing 70 million galaxies and stars. The data reveals the statistical properties of dark matter, building on previous discoveries of nine clumps of dark matter in 2015.
Astronomers found that the Galaxy's gravitational field can interfere with determining the coordinates of distant objects, causing a
Scientists estimate that solitary supermassive black holes in galactic centers may be responsible for fewer observed stars being captured by black holes. The researchers found that gravitational effects from merging galaxies can explain the discrepancy, suggesting that tidal disruption events occur without our knowledge.
Researchers have discovered a way to distinguish small or distant objects that normally blend into a single blur by utilizing the phase property of light. This method allows for increased resolution in microscopes and telescopes, with potential applications in observing binary stars and studying tiny structures.
A team of scientists has released the largest collection of observations made with radial velocity to be used for hunting exoplanets. The dataset includes almost 61,000 measurements of more than 1,600 nearby stars and has detected over 100 potential exoplanets, including one orbiting GJ 411.
Researchers using advanced methods have measured corotation radii in over 100 galaxies, finding that many bars are rotating slower than previously thought. The team's findings suggest that dark matter halos may not be necessary to explain the observed behavior of galaxy bars.
Researchers observed a protostar and found that gas can shed angular momentum by being cast into the vertical direction, creating a 'traffic jam' near the centrifugal barrier. This behavior aligns with calculations using a ballistic model, shedding light on the dynamics of stellar formation.
The H0LiCOW collaboration has made a new measurement of the Hubble constant using quasars and gravitational lensing. The result agrees with recent independent studies but disagrees significantly with cosmic microwave background measurements, potentially indicating new physics beyond the standard cosmological model.
The Hubble Constant measurement by the H0LiCOW collaboration hints at 'new physics' beyond the standard model of cosmology. The team used gravitational lenses to measure the universe's expansion rate, which is crucial for confirming or refuting the current picture of dark energy and dark matter.
Scientists have discovered incredibly rapid gas flares from a white dwarf binary star system for the first time. The unusual activity was observed at radio wavelengths in SS Cyg, one of the brightest variable stars in the constellation of Cygnus.
LIGO researcher Gabriela González has received the National Academy of Sciences Award for Scientific Discovery for her work on gravitational wave astronomy. She shares the award with David Howard Reitze and Peter R. Saulson, who have also contributed significantly to the field over 19 years.
Astronomers have discovered a rare Hoag-type galaxy with two circular rings, providing unique insights into galaxy formation and evolution. The galaxy's inner ring is older than its outer ring, suggesting different formation histories for the two components.
Researchers studied 36 mini-spiral galaxies and found a link between ordinary matter and dark matter. The structure of dark matter mimics visible matter in its own way, disagreeing with current hypotheses.
Astronomers discovered a rare event where a star was destroyed by a massive black hole's gravitational tides, producing an unusually bright flash of light. The event occurred in a distant 'red' galaxy with older stars, defying typical supernova models.
Researchers have observed powerful whirlwinds shooting out of the rotating disc of a newly formed star. The wind is thought to slow down the rotation, allowing the material to contract and form planets.
A team of astronomers discovered that a massive flare in a distant galaxy was actually a tidal disruption event caused by a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole. The finding marks the first time a TDE has been used to study black hole spin, providing new insights into stellar death.
Dome A's extreme dryness allows for terahertz observations, previously hindered by Earth's atmosphere. Researchers can now gain new insights into star and galaxy formation.
A team of UCLA astronomers observed a galaxy and found that stars are responsible for producing dust, a key component of rocky planets. The researchers focused on a galaxy with two young clusters of stars and constructed a map tracing the dust in the galaxy.
Researchers used asteroseismology to determine the oblateness of a slowly rotating star, revealing a difference of only 3 kilometers between equatorial and polar radii. The star's small oblateness is surprising, as it rotates three times more slowly than the Sun.
A new tabletop device could detect elusive neutrinos more efficiently, simplifying scientists' ability to study the sun. Researchers discovered a connection between neutrino decay fluctuations and solar rotation, providing strong evidence for this method.
Researchers have discovered complex systems of concentric rings surrounding young stars, formed by the interaction between protoplanetary discs and growing planets. These findings provide new insights into planet formation, shedding light on the dynamics of innermost disc regions.
Astronomers using Kepler and Swift missions discover 18 stars that rotate rapidly, producing X-ray emissions at more than 100 times the sun's level. These stars are believed to have formed from the merger of two sun-like stars in close binary systems.
Researchers found a dozen previously unknown RR Lyrae stars at the center of the Milky Way, indicating that galactic bulges may have formed through merging ancient globular clusters. The discovery provides strong evidence for an important theory of galactic evolution.
Researchers have observed a binary star system with two stars and three rotating planet-forming accretion discs, all misaligned with each other. The discovery challenges current understanding of planetary system formation and prompts further study to understand the physics behind this unusual system.
Astronomers captured the best view yet of a breaking apart comet using NASA's Hubble telescope. The images show 25 fragments drifting away from the comet at walking speed, suggesting it may be spinning so fast that material is ejected from its surface.