Articles tagged with Observational Astrophysics
New studies show that giant gas planets in nearby star systems can prevent life on smaller, rocky planet neighbors by kicking them out of orbit and wreaking havoc on their climates. Researchers found that four giant planets in the HD 141399 system are likely to destroy the chances for life on Earth-like planets.
Researchers have discovered a protostar leaving its birthplace using high-resolution molecular spectral lines. The study found the core to have a significant blue shift of -2.3 km/s relative to its parental cloud, indicating an escape velocity less than 4,000 years ago.
Researchers have carried out the largest ever computer simulations to investigate the Universe's evolution, taking into account ordinary matter and dark energy. The FLAMINGO simulations provide a detailed picture of virtual galaxies and galaxy clusters, allowing for comparisons with observations from new high-powered telescopes.
Astronomers at Harvard University have discovered a tilted dark matter halo, explaining the Milky Way's warp and flare. The team used models to calculate star orbits within a warped, oblong dark matter halo, matching existing observations of a distorted galaxy.
A new SwRI study posits that the large mounds on Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth are similar in size and shape, suggesting a common origin. This finding supports the streaming instability model of planetesimal formation, where gentle collision speeds allowed objects to accumulate and form Arrokoth.
Astronomers using NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory discovered a black hole repeatedly nibbling on a Sun-like star in a distant galaxy. The object was detected using a new method for analyzing data from the satellite's X-ray Telescope, enabling it to adapt to new areas of astrophysics.
Astronomers have improved the accuracy of the Universe's expansion parameters, reducing uncertainty by up to 35%. This new information will help determine whether the Universe will continue expanding forever or eventually collapse in on itself.
An international team of scientists reported on a radio pulsar phase from a Galactic magnetar, revealing unique emission mechanisms for 'bursts' and 'pulses'. The study provides clues to the formation theory of fast radio bursts.
Researchers used a new code to test the capabilities of future giant telescopes, which could help identify potentially habitable planets. The study found that ELT and TMT can make high-resolution observations of brown dwarfs and exoplanets over a single rotation, while GMT's instruments require multiple rounds.
An international team of scientists has detected a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) signal in the radio band from a Galactic black hole system, revealing features that have never been seen before. The QPO signal may provide the first evidence of activity from a jet launched by a Galactic stellar-mass black hole.
Astronomers have discovered a white dwarf star with drastically different faces, composed of hydrogen on one side and helium on the other. The team believes magnetic fields may be responsible for the asymmetric sides, allowing a 'hydrogen ocean' to form where the fields are strongest.
Astrophysicists analyze James Webb Space Telescope images to find three bright objects that might be 'dark stars,' powering themselves with annihilating particles of dark matter. The discovery could reveal the nature of dark matter and solve the puzzle of galaxy formation.
Scientists have discovered a young exoplanet, MWC 758c, that may be generating the spiral arms in its infant planetary system. The planet's massive size is estimated to be at least twice the mass of Jupiter, yet it was invisible to other telescopes due to its reddish color, which makes it more difficult to detect.
Researchers used quasar data to analyze time dilation in the early universe, confirming that it was running at five times slower. By observing nearly 200 quasars, scientists were able to standardize their 'ticking' and chart the expansion of space.
A team of scientists from UNIGE, Northwestern University, and the University of Florida used POSYDON code to simulate binary-star populations, predicting the existence of massive 30 solar mass black hole binaries in Milky Way-like galaxies. This challenges previous theories and provides new insights into the astrophysical origins of me...
Researchers from West Virginia University have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting evidence of low-frequency gravitational waves, which can only be perceived with a detector much larger than the Earth. The signal was detected using pulsar timing arrays and has significant implications for understanding spacetime dynamics.
Researchers using CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope have found strongest evidence yet for low-frequency gravitational waves, providing further insight into Einstein's general theory of relativity. The discovery, published in several journal papers, has also sparked collaboration among international teams searching for similar signals.
A team of researchers has analyzed 750 blue supergiant stars, offering insights into their evolutionary nature and physical properties. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of this critical phase in the lives of massive stars.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have made a breakthrough in understanding dark matter and its impact on the universe's large-scale structure. By analyzing cosmic microwave background data and galaxy clustering patterns, they suggest that ultra-light axion particles could account for the observed lack of clumpiness.
The CHEOPS satellite has successfully detected two elusive exoplanets, TOI 5678 b and HIP 9618 c, using its precise measurements. The planets have sizes similar to Neptune and Earth radii, respectively, with orbital periods of 48 days and 52.5 days.
Astrophysicists explain the Brightest of All Time (BOAT) cosmic explosion, revealing a narrow jet embedded within a wider gas outflow. The GRB's uniqueness was due to mixing between stellar material and the jet, masking characteristic signatures.
Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earth. The study used the James Webb Space Telescope and gravitational lensing to observe the galaxy's atomic and molecular composition, revealing insights into the formation of galaxies, their lifecycle, and how they evolve.
A New Jersey Institute of Technology research team has been awarded a $4.64 million grant to continue studying the Sun's explosive activity at Big Bear Solar Observatory. The team will use the observatory's unique imaging capabilities and stable seeing conditions to investigate solar phenomenon as activity on the Sun ramps up.
Astronomers at MIT and University of Wisconsin have discovered two validated planets, K2-416 b and K2-417 b, in Kepler's last week of high-quality data. The third planet candidate, EPIC 246251988 b, orbits its star every 10 days and is slightly farther away from Earth than the other two.
A team of astrophysicists and citizen scientists have identified three potentially habitable exoplanets discovered during NASA's Kepler space telescope's final days of operation. The planets, including K2-416 b and K2-417 b, are between the size of Earth and Neptune and orbit their stars closely.
Researchers discovered that black hole jets exhibit surprising variability in x-ray emissions over short time scales, contradicting a long-held theory. This finding opens up new possibilities for understanding particle acceleration in these jets and potentially elsewhere in the universe.
A new study reveals that asteroid Dinkinesh is remarkably small, making it the smallest asteroid to be approached by Lucy. It is a stony, S-type asteroid composed mainly of silicates and some metal.
A team of astronomers has observed the most luminous quasar in 9 billion years, shedding light on its interaction with its environment. The study found that the quasar's black hole is growing at a rate of 100 solar masses per year and emitting powerful winds into the host galaxy.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet, LP 791-18d, with active volcanoes that could sustain an atmosphere, potentially allowing for liquid water and life. The planet's unique tidal locking creates a permanent day and night side, with the night side possibly experiencing condensation of water vapor.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-size exoplanet, LP 791-18 d, that may be covered in volcanoes. The planet's high volcanic activity could sustain an atmosphere and potentially support liquid water on its night side.
A study by UCLA astronomers reveals that none of the 16 young supermassive stars orbiting the Milky Way's black hole are found in pairs, contradicting previous assumptions about stellar formation. The researchers suggest that the extreme environment around the black hole may be driving nearby binary stars to merge or be disrupted.
A team of astronomers has discovered chemical traces of supermassive stars in globular proto-clusters, born 440 million years after the Big Bang. The study suggests that these 'celestial monsters' enriched the original gas cloud with chemical elements, explaining abundance anomalies in their stars.
The discovery of two shadow puppets in the disk of young star TW Hydrae suggests that planets may be forming in a complex system. The shadows are thought to be caused by the gravitational pull of two planets in slightly different orbital planes, with one planet likely to be Jupiter-mass.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a second shadow sweeping across the face of TW Hydrae's vast pancake-shaped gas-and-dust disk, suggesting the presence of two planets in slightly different orbital planes. The disks are likely proxies for these planets, which could be lapping each other as they whirl around the star.
A Cornell astrophysicist explains how the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite detected polarized X-rays from a magnetar, revealing 'photon metamorphosis' – a transformation of X-ray photons. The phenomenon is a natural consequence of quantum electrodynamics under strong magnetic field conditions.
A team of scientists at MIT and elsewhere have observed a star engulfing a nearby planet, a phenomenon that will also befall Earth in 5 billion years. The star's outburst was followed by a colder, longer-lasting signal, indicating the presence of gas from the star condensing into dust.
An international research team explores ultra-fast gas emissions from active galactic nuclei, which significantly change galaxy ecosystems. The study confirms the existence of these powerful emissions and their role in regulating star formation.
Scientists identify tidal disruption event at infrared wavelengths, revealing the closest example of a black hole devouring a star. The discovery suggests that conventional X-ray and optical surveys may have missed similar events in young, star-forming galaxies.
Researchers discovered two massive touching stars that will eventually become black holes and collide, generating waves in space-time. The stars are currently feeding each other every three days before the smaller star collapses into a black hole in 700,000 years.
The CHIME/FRB Collaboration has doubled the number of known repeating fast radio bursts to 50, shedding light on their mysterious origins. The new discoveries suggest that all fast radio bursts may eventually repeat, with different characteristics than one-off bursts.
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole consuming a giant star, producing a long-lived transient object that is orders of magnitude brighter and more energetic than any recorded before. The object, named Scary Barbie, has lasted over two years and may be visible for years to come.
Researchers found Dark Matter does not consist of ultramassive particles but rather ultralight particles that travel like waves. The discovery resolves an outstanding problem in astrophysics and provides new insights into the nature of Dark Matter.
A new study from NASA's Chandra program reveals that exploded stars can pose a significant risk to nearby planets due to intense X-ray radiation, potentially altering atmospheric chemistry and causing mass extinctions.
The Indian government has granted final approvals for LIGO-India, a gravitational-wave detector that will improve the localization of sources. The facility will join a global network, increasing precision and filling blind spots, enabling scientists to study black holes and the universe's expansion.
Astronomers use the Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Observatory to measure the 3D shape of galaxy M87, revealing a 'potato-shaped' triaxial form. The team also determines the mass of the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's core, estimating it at 5.4 billion solar masses.
Astronomers have mapped the M87 galaxy's 3D structure and determined its supermassive black hole has a mass of 5.37 billion times that of the sun. The galaxy's asymmetrical shape allows for more precise measurements, including the rotation rate of 25 kilometers per second around an axis 40 degrees from the long axis.
A team of scientists from Kyoto University has confirmed that galaxy alignments can be a powerful probe for dark matter and dark energy. The analysis of 1.2 million galaxy observations verified general theory of relativity at vast spatial scales, providing strong evidence for gravity's role in shaping the universe.
A UTSA-led research team has discovered a new exoplanet using indirect methods. The exoplanet, HIP 99770 b, is about 14 to 16 times the mass of Jupiter and orbits a nearly twice-as-massive star. This breakthrough opens a new avenue for scientists to discover and characterize exoplanets.
The Princeton-led team measured the dark matter's 'clumpiness,' finding a value of 0.776 that conflicts with the Cosmic Microwave Background's value of 0.83. The discrepancy suggests the standard model might be incomplete or has an error, prompting further investigation.
Researchers found consistent results between observations and theory, showing that clusters have become more centrally concentrated over time. The study provides strong support for the Lambda-CDM paradigm by demonstrating agreement between the observed and simulated concentration-mass relation of galaxy clusters.
Researchers have developed an AI algorithm that can remove atmospheric blur from astronomical images, resulting in more accurate scientific measurements and clearer data. The tool produces faster and more realistic images than current methods, producing 38.6% less error compared to classic methods.
Astronomers have observed an extremely rare and aspherical Fast Blue Optical Transient (FBOT) explosion 180 million light years away. The explosion, similar to a flat disc shape, challenges scientists' current understanding of stellar explosions.
Researchers modeled how elements move across star-forming regions, finding that galactic winds influence temperature and metal distribution. The study's findings suggest a non-spherical wind pattern, contrary to previous spherical models.
The Swift Observatory team, led by Maia Williams, detected the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded, GRB 221009A. The burst was incredibly bright and had an afterglow that was more than 10 times brighter than any previous observation.
Researchers have discovered a possible correlation between gravitational waves from neutron star mergers and fast radio bursts, two phenomena long shrouded in mystery. The study found that an observed FRB occurred just 2 ½ hours after a neutron star merger event, suggesting a potential link between the two events.
Astrophysicists used AI to improve mass estimates of galaxy clusters by adding a simple term to an existing equation. The new equation downplays the importance of complex cores in calculations, providing more reliable mass inferences.
Scholars developed an AI program using symbolic regression to improve mass inferences of galaxy clusters. The new equations extract jelly at the center and concentrate on doughy outskirts for reliable mass inferences.
Scientists have identified clouds made from silicate particles on a distant planet using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The team discovered an atmosphere constantly rising and mixing, bringing hotter material up and pushing colder material down.
The study identifies five exoplanets that resemble Venus in terms of radii, masses, and atmospheric conditions. By observing these 'exo-Venus' planets using the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists hope to uncover valuable insights into Earth's future and the possibility of a runaway greenhouse climate.
Astronomers have discovered a galaxy with a unique activity in its core, leading to a reclassification as a giant radio galaxy. The PBC J2333.9-2343 galaxy has a blazar at its center with jets that changed direction drastically by up to 90 degrees.