Add BrightSurf on Google Email

UMD-led study discovers warm space dust in distant place

Researchers have discovered warm space dust in a reservoir of hot gas surrounding the Makani galaxy, located 100 million years away. The study, led by University of Maryland astronomer Sylvain Veilleux, provides evidence that ejected dust particles can survive long journeys and may be an important ingredient in planet and star formation.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateSep 3, 2025

Looking deeply into the universe’s past, scientists detect bursts of new stars

Researchers have found that most Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs) are experiencing their first major burst of star formation, revealing crucial insights into galaxy development and the early stages of the universe. The study sheds light on the Milky Way's origin story, providing key information about how galaxies grow and evolve.

SourceRutgers University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJun 4, 2025

Galaxies in dense environments tend to be larger, settling one cosmic question and raising others

A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal has found that galaxies in denser environments are up to 25% larger than isolated galaxies. Researchers used a machine learning tool to analyze millions of galaxies and found a clear trend: galaxies with more neighbors are also on average larger.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateAug 14, 2024

Scientists have spotted the farthest galaxy ever

Researchers have spotted the most distant astronomical object ever: a galaxy named HD1, 13.5 billion light-years away. The team proposes two ideas: HD1 may be forming stars at an astounding rate and possibly home to Population III stars or contain a supermassive black hole about 100 million times the mass of our Sun.

SourceCenter for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters·DateApr 7, 2022

Ancient galaxy megamergers

Astronomers have observed gargantuan cosmic pileups, the impending collisions of young starburst galaxies, when the Universe was only half its current age. These ancient systems are thought to be building the most massive structures in the known Universe: galaxy clusters.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateApr 25, 2018

Hubble nets a cosmic tadpole

Astronomers discovered a rare cosmic tadpole galaxy, LEDA 36252, with its bright head and elongated tail. The galaxy features surprisingly young stars with a total mass equivalent to 10,000 Suns, indicating a recent burst of star formation triggered by the accretion of primordial gas.

SourceESA/Hubble Information Centre·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateJun 28, 2016

Carbon monoxide predicts 'red and dead' future of gas guzzler galaxy

Astronomers have discovered that ALESS65 galaxy is running out of gas at an alarming rate, with only tens of millions of years left, much faster than the Milky Way's 5 billion years. The team found similar characteristics to nearby 'starbursting' galaxies in terms of UV radiation, suggesting a unique star formation process.

SourceInternational Centre for Radio Astronomy Research·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJul 8, 2014

The limits to galactic growth

Astronomers have observed the Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) producing an outflow of molecular gas, curtailing its ability to form new stars. The galaxy's starburst region is shedding massive amounts of gas, with a total mass estimated to be nine times that of our Sun each year.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature·DateJul 25, 2013

Starburst to star bust

Researchers using ALMA discovered that Sculptor Galaxy is expelling massive concentrations of cold gas through galactic winds, depriving the galaxy of fuel for new stars. This phenomenon may explain why few high-mass galaxies are observed in the cosmos, as starburst-driven winds recycle rather than remove star-forming material.

SourceESO·JournalNature·DateJul 24, 2013