Articles tagged with Observational Astrophysics
Researchers used Hubble to analyze the motion of over 30,000 stars in 47 Tucanae, linking their orbital motion to age for the first time. The study found two distinct populations of stars, with ages differing by less than 100 million years.
A team of astronomers has spotted a distant galaxy consuming nearby gas, which fuels star formation and drives rotation. This discovery supports the theory that galaxies pull in material to grow and form stars.
Astronomers have observed a galaxy feeding on material from its surroundings, shedding light on galaxy formation. The study used ESO's VLT to analyze the properties of gas around the galaxy, providing unique insights into the growth of galaxies.
A new NASA-led study confirms the production of high-energy X-rays from gas spiraling into a black hole. The research models the complex motions and turbulent magnetic fields in the accretion disk, reproducing important features long observed in active black holes.
Astrophysicists used supercomputer simulations and traditional calculations to demonstrate that gas spiraling toward a black hole inevitably results in X-ray emissions. The study reveals high-energy light emission is not only possible but also an inevitable outcome of gas being drawn into a black hole.
Researchers have found evidence of an exoplanet forming at a distance of about 80 astronomical units (AU) from its star, TW Hydrae. The discovery is surprising as planets typically form closer to the central star.
IRIS aims to unravel the interface region by providing high-resolution images and spectrograph data, revealing structures like giant jets that affect the solar wind and Earth's climate. The mission will utilize advanced computing to interpret the light flowing out of this region.
A study published in Nature found that 70% of stars with high sodium content fail to reach the final red giant phase. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the life cycle of low-mass stars, including our Sun.
Astronomers discovered a rare galaxy that turns gas into stars with near 100% efficiency, outperforming even the most efficient engines. This highly tuned galaxy forms stars at a rate hundreds of times faster than our Milky Way, with the majority of its starlight emitted by a small region.
Researchers discovered that the South pole vortex of Venus is composed of two main cloud layers, with centres of rotation at different altitudes forming a constantly evolving permanent structure. This phenomenon, known as super-rotation, occurs due to the planet's slow rotation speed and fast atmospheric rotation rate.
Researchers have discovered vigorous starbursts in young galaxies, indicating the universe produced stars much earlier than thought. The findings reveal a rate of star formation 1,000 times greater than today's Milky Way and provide new insights into the history of the universe.
Researchers observed four planets orbiting HR 8799 star using a new telescope imaging system, revealing chemical imbalances and unusual properties. The planets have methane or ammonia alone in their atmospheres, with little to no sign of their natural partners.
Astronomers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to determine the age of the oldest known star, HD 140283, which could be as old as 14.5 billion years. The new age estimate reduces measurement uncertainty, overlapping with the universe's age, and provides a precise calculation of the star's intrinsic brightness.
Researchers used NuSTAR to observe X-rays emitted by hot gas near a supermassive black hole, ruling out obscuring clouds and conclusively measuring its spin rate. The findings provide crucial clues about the fundamental relationship between black holes and their host galaxies.
Astronomers have observed a main-belt comet trail caused by an impulsive short-lived event around July 1st, 2011. The dust structure reveals physical properties of particles and proportions of different sizes.
Scientists successfully demonstrated a new X-ray camera, STORM, that observed charge exchange processes near Earth's magnetosphere. This technology provides insights into the physical process and can help determine space weather in our solar system.
Scientists have observed a rare pre-explosion outburst occurring just one month before a massive star underwent a supernova explosion. The findings validate a particular model predicting this type of event and provide insight into the processes taking place in the cores of such massive stars.
Researchers have shown that performing an action on one particle can immediately affect another, even if they are separated by vast distances. This has implications for secure communication methods, as entangled photons could enable fast and private data transfer.
Scientists have proposed a theory that explains the formation of a mysterious 'ribbon' of energy and particles at the edge of our solar system. The retention theory suggests that neutral hydrogen atoms from the solar wind become trapped by intense waves in the magnetic field, creating the ribbon.
Scientists observed a flux rope forming ahead of time in a coronal mass ejection (CME), providing a case study on its formation. The high-temperature plasma glow helped highlight the flux rope, which was then severed from the sun's surface, releasing billions of tons of solar material.
Researchers observed a pulsar that dramatically changes its radio and X-ray emissions, defying existing theories on star emission. The study reveals the pulsar switches between two extreme states, one dominated by X-ray pulses and the other by organized radio pulses.
Researchers have discovered radio emissions from ultracool dwarfs that are powered by processes similar to Jupiter's auroras, indicating the presence of auroras outside our solar system.
The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) will study the lower levels of the sun's atmosphere, including the chromosphere and transition region. The mission aims to unravel how matter, light, and energy move from the surface to the corona, with implications for solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Researchers from the University of York and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya have made significant discoveries about novae, explosive events driven by nuclear processes. The study's findings improve our understanding of key nuclear reactions and the final abundance of radioactive isotopes involved in these explosions.
Astronomers have detected giant outflows of charged particles from the center of our galaxy, stretching across half the sky and emitting an enormous amount of energy. The outflows were found to be driven by star formation and are carrying strong magnetic fields that may play a key role in generating the galaxy's overall magnetic field.
Astronomers have found a galaxy whose light traveled 13.3 billion years to reach Earth, offering a glimpse into the universe's early stages. The newly discovered galaxy, MACS0647-JD, is only a tiny fraction of the size of our Milky Way and may be one of many building blocks of a galaxy.
Astronomers have discovered a distant galaxy, MACS0647-JD, which offers a glimpse into the early universe 420 million years after the Big Bang. The galaxy was magnified by a massive cluster using gravitational lensing, revealing three images of the same object.
Researchers studied 544 blue galaxies and found they gradually transformed into orderly disk-shaped systems, with increasing rotation speeds and organization. The study's findings contradict previous studies that examined only well-behaved galaxies.
New observations of distant galaxies reveal that internal motions were more disordered in the past, and the Hubble sequence of well-ordered disk galaxies evolved from earlier chaotic forms. This challenges the long-held assumption about disk galaxy formation, finding they evolved gradually over 8 billion years.
A team of astronomers, led by Joel Kastner from RIT, has conducted the most comprehensive X-ray survey to date for planetary nebulae using Chandra's exceptional 'X-ray vision'. The study reveals new insights into the violent processes of stellar death and wind collisions in X-rays.
NASA's Swift satellite detected a rising tide of high-energy X-rays from a source near the center of the Milky Way galaxy, announcing the presence of a new stellar-mass black hole. The discovery was made using the Burst Alert Telescope and X-ray Telescope on Swift.
Researchers at MIT's Haystack Observatory have measured the radius of a black hole at the center of a distant galaxy using the Event Horizon Telescope. The measurement confirms Einstein's theory of general relativity by showing that the accretion disk is spinning in the same direction as the black hole.
Researchers measured lithium in Small Magellanic Cloud gas, finding more than predicted by Big Bang models. The discrepancy could indicate novel physics or dark matter particles.
Researchers used a dying star's light to probe the gas conditions in a distant galaxy, revealing 'reassuringly normal' interstellar conditions. The study also provided insights into the formation of galaxies like our Milky Way.
Astronomers have discovered galactic winds measuring up to 2,500 km/s, driven by intense bursts of star formation, potentially shutting down galaxy star formation. Young, compact galaxies with high-velocity winds are rare and may be part of a common phase in galaxy evolution.
Astronomers have discovered a massive galaxy cluster, known as the Phoenix Cluster, that is breaking several important cosmic records. Stars are forming in this object at the highest rate ever seen in the middle of a galaxy cluster.
The Phoenix Cluster, discovered by the NSF's South Pole Telescope, is creating stars at an unprecedented rate of 20 times faster than in other clusters. The cluster's central galaxy and super-massive black hole are undergoing unsustainable growth, adding mass quickly before it becomes unsustainable.
Scientists have invented a new approach to simulate the birth and evolution of galaxies, creating a universe with spiral galaxies like Andromeda. The new software, Arepo, uses a flexible grid geometry to match the motions of gas, stars, dark matter, and dark energy.
Astronomers have discovered an extraordinary amount of dust around a nearby star that has mysteriously disappeared. The dusty disc was bigger and more massive than Saturn's rings and would have extended from the sun halfway out to Earth if it were in our solar system.
Astronomers have observed a young star, V1647 Orionis, exhibiting intense X-ray activity in the McNeil's Nebula, driven by strong magnetic fields. The star's rapid rotation is also evident in its X-ray emission patterns.
A team of researchers, including a Rice astrophysicist, used Doppler measurements to observe loops of plasma flowing up from the sun's surface at high speeds. These findings may help predict solar flares and coronal mass ejections that threaten satellites and power grids.
Researchers identify plasma upflows traveling at 20 km per second, suggesting 'impulsive heating' as possible cause. The study provides new insights into understanding extreme space storms and their impact on satellite communications and power grids.
Astronomers detected significant atmospheric variations on HD 189733b due to a stellar flare, with gas escaping at speeds over 300,000 mph. The discovery provides insights into the interaction between a star and its giant planet.
Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton have found a point-like object, IGR J11014, which may be a rapidly spinning, super-dense star ejected during a supernova explosion. If confirmed, its speed of millions of miles per hour poses a challenge to existing models for supernova explosions.
A previously unappreciated open star cluster, Ruprecht 147, has been found to be an important tool in understanding stellar astrophysics and the search for Earth-like planets. The cluster is close to Earth and contains stars similar in mass and age to the Sun, making it a valuable laboratory for studying bright stars.
Researchers used NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and New Solar Telescope to observe ultrafine loops in the sun's corona. These narrow loops are connected to higher lying, wider loops and may help explain how temperatures rise throughout the corona.
A rare ground level enhancement (GLE) event was triggered by a May 17, 2012 M-class flare. Scientists are excited to analyze data from the PAMELA mission, which measured high-energy solar particles that caused the GLE.
Researchers observed a supernova's X-ray emission breaking through a cocoon of dense gas surrounding the star. The data support the idea that some supernovas are powered by blast waves interacting with surrounding material. Additionally, the discovery hints at an unrelated ultraluminous X-ray source nearby.
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole eating a star's core, revealing that these massive objects snack infrequently. The discovery showcases the power of the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) in detecting transient phenomena.
Researchers analyze Hinode and SOHO data to show the north pole's magnetic field is weakening faster than predicted, while the south pole's polarity remains unchanged. The findings suggest an imminent solar maximum, potentially occurring before 2013, with significant implications for solar activity and space weather forecasts.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has provided significant new insights into the production of cosmic rays, contradicting 15 years of predictions. The study found no neutrinos from gamma-ray bursts, forcing a re-evaluation of theories on high-energy cosmic ray production.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has found no neutrinos emitted from gamma ray bursts, contradicting 15 years of predictions and challenging one of the two leading theories for high-energy cosmic rays. The result opens a new window on cosmic ray production and the interior processes of GRBs.
Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center discovered a unique solar pattern, dubbed 'coronal cells,' in the sun's corona. These cells are characterized by bright centers and dark boundaries, occurring in areas between coronal holes and filament channels, with implications for magnetic fields and solar wind emission.
Studies using X-ray and ultraviolet observations from NASA's Swift satellite provide new insights into the elusive origins of Type Ia supernovae. The research suggests that the companion to a white dwarf is either a smaller, younger star similar to our sun or another white dwarf.
Astronomers have observed a unique neutron star system, T5X2, exhibiting marginally stable nuclear fusion at high accretion rates. The RXTE data resolves a long-standing gap between theoretical predictions and observational evidence, shedding light on the complex processes governing thermonuclear explosions.
The team discovered the most distant cluster of red galaxies, 30 galaxies packed together, 10.5 billion light years away, and formed the earliest known 'galaxy city' in the universe. The findings revealed a conspicuous concentration of galaxies that existed three billion years ago, providing insights into galaxy evolution and assembly.
The discovery of the most distant galaxy cluster reveals that it is located 10.5 billion light-years away from our Milky Way galaxy and contains a dense concentration of 30 galaxies. This finding provides insights into the evolution of galaxy clusters and the formation of large urban centers in the universe's earliest moments.
Astronomers have observed a clump of dark matter in the Abell 520 galaxy cluster, which contradicts current theories about its behavior. The team used the Hubble Space Telescope to map dark matter, revealing a core rich in dark matter but containing no luminous galaxies.
The 'sloshing' motion in the hot gas cloud of Abell 2052 helps redistribute heavy elements and limits star formation, while also affecting the growth of the galaxy's supermassive black hole. The Chandra observations provide insights into the complex interactions within the galaxy cluster.
Researchers have confirmed that Type Ia supernovae are produced by the explosion of carbon-oxygen white dwarf stars. By analyzing a fluke observation of SN2011fe four hours after its explosion, scientists set stricter limits on the size of the progenitor star, ruling out other possibilities.