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Sloan Digital Sky Survey launches data release 20

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has released its 20th data set, featuring over three million spectra of stars and galaxies, as well as 18 new value-added catalogs. This release marks a significant expansion of the survey's efforts, integrating full all-sky panoptic spectroscopy across both hemispheres.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·DateJul 31, 2026

Astronomers discover a superheated star factory in the early universe

Astronomers detect a distant galaxy with temperatures of 90 Kelvin, indicating an extreme star factory that could have produced stars at a rate 180 times faster than the Milky Way. This discovery provides insight into how galaxies formed quickly in the early universe.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateNov 11, 2025

Hungry star is eating its cosmic twin at rate never seen before

Astronomers discovered a greedy white dwarf star consuming its closest celestial companion at an unprecedented rate. The study found that the super-dense white dwarf is burning brightly due to the mass transfer between the two stars, potentially leading to a massive explosion visible from Earth.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 9, 2025

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
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

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

Mizzou researcher offers new theory on universe’s star formation

A new study proposes a third category of galaxies: red star-forming. These galaxies produce low-mass stars and may have played a significant role in the universe's history. The findings could change our understanding of galaxy evolution, star formation, and the life cycle of galaxies.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateApr 9, 2025

Understanding gamma rays in our universe through StarBurst

The StarBurst Multimessenger Pioneer will detect short-duration bursts of gamma-rays from neutron star mergers, providing fundamental insight into these extreme explosions. With an effective area four times greater than the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor, it will increase the detection rate of EM counterparts to NS mergers.

SourceNaval Research Laboratory·DateMar 13, 2025

Study reveals the Phoenix galaxy cluster in the act of extreme cooling

Astronomers have discovered a key ingredient within the Phoenix cluster that explains its mysterious starburst, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to observe the cluster. The detection of warm gas confirms that the Phoenix cluster is actively cooling and able to generate a huge amount of stellar fuel on its own.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature·DateFeb 12, 2025

Clever trick to cook stars like Christmas puds detected for first time

Researchers found evidence of magnetic fields in the core of a merging galaxy, which could regulate star formation and explain why some galaxies form stars more efficiently than others. The discovery provides a new understanding of galaxy mergers and their role in shaping the universe.

SourceRoyal Astronomical Society·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateDec 19, 2024
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

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

NASA’s Webb probes an extreme starburst galaxy

Astronomers used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to survey M82, a compact starburst galaxy with intense star formation activity. The study revealed intricate substructure, including concentrated areas of iron and molecular hydrogen being lit up by nearby young stars.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateApr 3, 2024
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

ALMA finds new molecular signposts in starburst galaxy

The ALMA radio telescope detected over 100 molecular species in the starburst galaxy NGC 253, a significant increase from previous studies. This knowledge will help astronomers understand the factors leading to starbursts and plan future observations.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series·TypeObservational study·DateMar 27, 2024
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

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

Shadow of cosmic water cloud reveals the temperature of the young universe

A team of astrophysicists has discovered a new method to measure the cosmic microwave background radiation's temperature at an early epoch of the universe. By observing HFLS3, a massive starburst galaxy, they found a cold water cloud that casts a shadow on the microwave radiation, revealing the Big Bang's relic temperature.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 2, 2022

Astronomers team up to create new method to understand galaxy evolution

Researchers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to focus on a post-starburst galaxy nearly 500 million light years away. They discovered two periods of intense starburst before the galaxy stopped forming stars, shedding new light on its history and evolution.

SourceUniversity of Toledo·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateNov 16, 2021
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Astronomers find wandering massive black holes in dwarf galaxies

Thirteen massive black holes have been discovered in dwarf galaxies less than a billion light-years from Earth, with an average mass of 400,000 times that of the Sun. These findings suggest that half of these massive black holes are wandering in the outskirts of their galaxies, indicating galaxy mergers earlier in their history.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·DateJan 5, 2020

Astronomers catch wind rushing out of galaxy

Researchers have made a novel discovery about galactic winds, observing a huge outflow of gas extending far beyond a galaxy. The study's findings provide direct evidence for the role of galactic winds in creating the circumgalactic medium.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature·DateOct 30, 2019

Not long ago, the center of the Milky Way exploded

A massive explosion occurred in the center of the Milky Way 3.5 million years ago, creating two enormous 'ionisation cones' that sliced through the galaxy and impacted the Magellanic Stream. The blast was so powerful it lasted for 300,000 years and was triggered by nuclear activity associated with the black hole.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D)·DateOct 6, 2019
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Massive filaments fuel the growth of galaxies and supermassive black holes

A team of scientists discovered that massive galaxy filaments fuel the formation of stars and supermassive black holes, contradicting a long-held bottom-up model of galaxy formation. The study, published in Science, provides new insights into the early universe and the role of gas filaments in shaping its structure.

SourceRIKEN·JournalScience·DateOct 3, 2019

Hubble captures elusive, irregular galaxy

IC 10 is the closest-known starburst galaxy, with ample supplies of cool hydrogen gas fueling its furious star formation. The faint object, located 2.2 million light-years from Earth, remains difficult to study due to cosmic dust and stars blocking our view.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateJun 21, 2019
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Galactic 'wind' stifling star formation is most distant yet seen

For the first time, researchers have observed a powerful 'galactic wind' of molecules in a galaxy 12 billion light-years away, providing insights into how early galaxies regulated their growth. The wind was detected in a galaxy called SPT2319-55, which is more than 1 billion years old.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalScience·DateSep 6, 2018

Fierce winds quench wildfire-like starbirth in far-flung galaxy

Astronomers have detected the most-distant galactic 'wind' of molecules ever observed, seen when the universe was one billion years old. The galaxy SPT2319-55, 12 billion light-years away, shows a powerful outflow of hydroxyl (OH) molecules, which could help regulate starbirth and galaxy growth.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalScience·DateSep 6, 2018

Unstoppable monster in the early universe

Astronomers used ALMA to create the most detailed map of a distant starburst galaxy, finding highly unstable molecular clouds that lead to rapid star formation. The galaxy's gas is estimated to be consumed in 100 million years, 10 times faster than in other galaxies.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNature·DateAug 29, 2018
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

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
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Hubble sees starbursts in Virgo

Astronomers study starburst galaxies to understand their evolution. Hubble's observations of NGC 4536 reveal high rates of star formation driven by gas supply, which fuels the creation of colorful ionized hydrogen clouds.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·DateApr 14, 2017

'Hyper-starburst' galaxy churns out stars, clues to universe's evolution

Astronomers have discovered a hyper-starburst galaxy that is forming stars at an incredible rate of 4,500 times the mass of the Sun every year. This galaxy, SPT 0346-52, is 12.7 billion light years from Earth and provides valuable insights into the evolution of galaxies and the formation of massive galaxies.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateDec 8, 2016

Do extremely reddened quasars extinguish star formation?

AUC Riverside-led team discovers unique population of extremely red quasars with high incidence of powerful quasar-driven outflows. These outflows may be involved in galaxy-wide blowouts of gas and dust, halting further growth in black holes and inhibiting star formation.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateNov 15, 2016
Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

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

Dartmouth-led black hole hunters tackle a cosmic conundrum

Researchers have found conclusive evidence of a black hole in Henize 2-10, a small, starburst galaxy. The team analyzed X-ray observations from four space telescopes over 13 years, confirming the presence of a supermassive black hole with a mass one million times that of the sun.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateApr 20, 2015

Why do starburst galaxies 'burst'?

A team of astronomers used ALMA to study a star-forming region in the Sculptor Galaxy, revealing that it is much more massive and dense than similar regions in normal spiral galaxies. This suggests that starburst galaxies are better at forming stars due to their unique stellar nurseries.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·DateFeb 15, 2015
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Research reveals the real cause of death for some starburst galaxies

Astronomers find compact, young galaxies shut down their prodigious star production due to a lack of cool dense gas, rather than supermassive black holes. The energy from the star formation itself creates a shortage of gas within the galaxy.

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateNov 13, 2014

Primordial galaxy bursts with starry births

Astronomers have discovered a galaxy, AzTEC-3, that gives birth to 1,100 suns annually, creating about three suns each day. This ancient galaxy is one of the earliest examples of a starburst galaxy, fuelled by massive material and galactic mergers.

SourceCornell University·DateNov 12, 2014

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
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Hidden details revealed in nearby starburst galaxy

The Green Bank Telescope has captured detailed images of M82, highlighting streamers of material and dense molecular gas surrounding areas of intense star formation. Astronomers hope to understand the connection between dense gas and star formation by creating wide-angle maps of galaxy gas.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateDec 9, 2013

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 wind keeps galaxies 'thin'

A new UMD-led study suggests that a burst of star formation in galaxies can blow out most of the remaining gas, resulting in a long period of starvation. This process is crucial in understanding the universe's surprising paucity of high-mass galaxies.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalNature·DateJul 24, 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
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Starburst to star bust

Astronomers using ALMA telescope discover billowing columns of cold gas fleeing nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253. The gas is likely being ejected due to intense pressure from young stars, potentially explaining the mystery of missing high-mass galaxies.

SourceNational Radio Astronomy Observatory·JournalNature·DateJul 24, 2013

Cat's Paw Nebula 'littered' with baby stars

The Cat's Paw Nebula is forming stars at an unprecedented rate of 200,000 suns' worth of material, with over 2,000 extremely young and still trapped inside their dusty cocoons. The cause of this 'mini-starburst' remains unclear, but its proximity to Earth makes it an ideal target for detailed study.

SourceCenter for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian·DateJun 5, 2013

Astronomers discover massive star factory in early universe

A team of astronomers has discovered a massive galaxy producing stars at an unprecedented rate of 2,000 times greater than the Milky Way. This 'maximum-starburst' galaxy, called HFLS3, is the earliest known starburst galaxy, dating back to 880 million years after the Big Bang.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalNature·DateApr 17, 2013

Ancient, highly active galaxies discovered

A team of astronomers has discovered two ancient, highly active galaxies in the early Universe, formed soon after the Big Bang. These galaxies are characterized by an unusually high rate of star formation and will help improve our understanding of star formation in the early Universe.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalNature·DateMar 13, 2013
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

ALMA exposes hidden star factories in the early universe

Astronomers use ALMA to observe distant galaxies that churned out tens of thousands of stars each year at dawn of the universe. The study finds that these galaxies are more abundant than thought and host intense bursts of star formation.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature·DateMar 13, 2013

ALMA rewrites history of Universe's stellar baby boom

Astronomers use ALMA to detect 26 distant galaxies, revealing the most distant detection of water in the cosmos. The findings show that star birth bursts occurred much earlier than previously thought, with some galaxies as bright as 40 trillion Suns.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature·DateMar 13, 2013