The MIRC-X camera allows astronomers to study the inner regions of planet-forming disks, gaining insights into the formation of rocky planets. Scientists can now explore previously inaccessible areas of young stars and gain new understanding of the solar system's early stages.
Researchers observe evidence of a 'hot cocoon' material enveloping a relativistic jet escaping a dying star, providing insight into the earliest moments of a supernova. The discovery was made using a coordinated approach with space- and ground-based observatories.
Researchers from Lehigh University's STAR Collaboration, led by Rosi Reed, use the Beam Energy Scan to test the limits of quark-gluon plasma and map its phase diagram. The goal is to understand the nuclear strong force and Quantum Chromodynamics.
Astronomers have developed a massive library of star spectra, enabling them to reconstruct the composition and history of distant galaxies. By analyzing thousands of stars in our Milky Way galaxy, researchers can build up a "library" of stellar spectra, allowing them to understand the unique mix of stars that makes up each galaxy.
Stellar winds from infant stars in the Orion Nebula disrupt the formation of new stars by blowing away seed material. The winds create a bubble that regulates physical conditions and influences star formation activity.
A new study has discovered that oscillating X-rays from consumed stars can reveal the mass and spin of a black hole. By analyzing the quasi-periodic oscillation every 131 seconds, researchers found that the signal is representative of the physical properties of the black hole itself.
Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a new technique for finding galaxy mergers, which may be crucial for building huge galaxies and forming new stars. The method was tested on data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and successfully identified fusing galaxies 80% of the time.
Scientists have discovered that dark matter can be heated up and pushed outwards due to star formation in galaxies. This phenomenon, known as 'dark matter heating', has been observed in 16 dwarf galaxies with varying star formation histories.
Scientists used data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to measure all starlight produced over 90% of the universe's history. This analysis provides a reference for future missions exploring stellar evolution and confirms previous measurements of star-formation rates.
Researchers discover Chinese pyramids exhibit surprising orientation patterns, defying expectations of traditional funerary practices. The study suggests that ancient Chinese emperors intentionally aligned their pyramids to the star Polaris, reflecting a deeper understanding of celestial movements and astronomy.
A team of astronomers has identified a giant disrupted 'tadpole' galaxy 300 million light years away, with an elliptical head and a long straight tail. The galaxy is ten times larger than the Milky Way and contains a system of two close disc galaxies.
Researchers have discovered a new massive star system dubbed 'Apep,' featuring a slow-moving dust pinwheel that defies current theories on how large stars die. The system's unusual rotation is thought to cause the star to collapse at its poles before the equator, producing a gamma-ray burst.
Researchers have identified a giant, exceptional relic of a disrupted galaxy, comprising an elliptical head and a long tail. The 'tadpole' galaxy is 1 million light-years long from end to end and contains two nearby galaxies within it.
Researchers have successfully measured the Earth's magnetic field in the sodium layer of the mesosphere using laser-generated artificial stars. This technique allows for ground-based observations of the mesosphere, previously difficult to access, and holds promise for monitoring space weather and measuring electrical currents.
Researchers have observed a powerful outflow of hydrogen gas from the Small Magellanic Cloud, indicating it may eventually stop forming new stars. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of galaxies and the potential source of gas for the enormous Magellanic Stream surrounding the Milky Way.
Researchers found that the Wild Duck Cluster's stars are older than initially thought due to their rotational periods, which affect their hydrogen core mixing and lifetime. This discovery sheds light on how stars form and evolve, challenging previous assumptions about open clusters.
Researchers found a shared origin in one large merger for most halo stars, indicating the Milky Way formed from a massive collision. The young stars from Gaia-Enceladus are younger than native Milky Way stars in the thick disk region.
Researchers observed a powerful outflow of hydrogen gas from the Small Magellanic Cloud, a tiny dwarf galaxy. The discovery provides the first clear observational measurement of mass lost from a dwarf galaxy, shedding light on its slow death and potential impact on the surrounding Milky Way galaxy.
A team of UC Riverside-led scientists have made the best measurement yet of why star formation stops in galaxy clusters in the early universe. They found that it takes a galaxy longer to stop forming stars as the universe gets older, with quenching timescales varying across 70 percent of the universe's history.
Researchers used supercomputers to simulate early universe, revealing formation of first stars and galaxies. Metal-enriched gas enabled rapid star formation, leading to smaller, more numerous stars and galaxy evolution.
A young star with a protoplanetary disc has been discovered to have four Jupiter and Saturn-sized planets in orbit around it. The system's extreme range of orbits raises questions about how such a system might have formed.
Researchers from Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias have discovered a star with an atmosphere devoid of metals, which is believed to be one of the oldest objects in the Milky Way. The study provides valuable information about the origin of the universe and the formation of the first stars.
Researchers have discovered a sonic boom from an immense, unseen gamma-ray burst explosion. The blast generated two jets of gamma rays that crashed into surrounding gas, producing a shock wave akin to a sonic boom. This finding provides crucial new insight into the nature of gamma-ray bursts and their jets.
Researchers observed transit timing variations in Kepler-1625b's HST-recorded transit, suggesting the presence of an exomoon. The moon would have caused a delay in the transit start time, which occurred nearly 80 minutes earlier than expected.
A team of UCSB students, led by Philip Lubin, are searching for signs of alien life in Andromeda using a suite of telescopes and photonic technology. They aim to detect potential signals from civilizations using optical beams that could be visible across the universe.
The Gaia satellite has detected substructures in the Milky Way's star disk, indicating a 300-million-year-old gravitational disturbance caused by the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy. Researchers used precise data to analyze shapes and twisting patterns, leading to new findings on galactic archaeology
Researchers suggest the Large Magellanic Cloud may have engulfed a third luminous galaxy, explaining why stars in the cloud rotate at different rates. This phenomenon could also help explain the 'age-gap' problem observed in the cloud, where there are very old and young star clusters.
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.
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.
Astronomers create highest resolution molecular gas map of 'monster' galaxy, COSMOS-AzTEC-1, 12.4 billion light years away. The map shows a massive, ordered gas disk in regular rotation, defying previous theoretical predictions.
The James Webb Space Telescope relies on innovative components like the 'Spider', a thermally isolating device with Kevlar fibers, to accurately detect light from distant galaxies and celestial objects. This cutting-edge technology enables the telescope to observe objects in the Kuiper Belt and study the universe's origins.
Researchers found that dwarf-galaxy mergers can replenish a galaxy's supply of star-making fuel, like the Milky Way's. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds hold enough gas to replenish half of the Milky Way's supply, with their gas footprint continuing to expand even after collision.
A team of Chinese astronomers has discovered the most lithium-rich giant known to date using the LAMOST telescope. The star's lithium abundance is approximately 3,000 times higher than that of typical giants, providing valuable insights into the universe's evolution and Big Bang theory.
Astronomers discover rare radioactive molecule 26AlF in debris of ancient stellar merger CK Vul, revealing insights into star formation and galactic evolution. The detection marks the first time this isotope has been found outside our solar system.
TESS starts its search for planets, monitoring the nearest and brightest stars for periodic dips in their light, which suggest a planet may be passing in front of its star. The mission aims to discover thousands of exoplanets, some potentially supporting life.
Astronomer Daniel Wang will collaborate with Jorge Cuadra in Chile to study the massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, aiming to understand its interactions with the galactic ecosystem. This research has significant implications for our understanding of galaxy-wide properties and astrophysical processes.
Researchers used the Keck Cosmic Web Imager to examine Q2343-BX418, a young galaxy about 10 billion light years away, providing insights into its gas halo and its role in star formation. The study suggests that the galaxy's surrounding gas is giving off a specific type of light, offering clues to its evolution.
The James Webb Space Telescope will observe the atmospheres of gas giant exoplanets, including WASP-79b and WASP-43b, to detect water, carbon monoxide, and other molecules. The telescope aims to understand the physical processes responsible for these variations and their implications for potentially habitable planets.
Researchers use computer simulations to test dark matter's presence in satellite galaxies, finding a relationship that could clarify its existence. The study uses radial acceleration relation data from the Gaia spacecraft to make predictions about the behavior of dwarf galaxies.
Researchers Corey Howard, Ralph Pudritz and William Harris use supercomputer simulations to re-create star cluster formation. The study shows that massive star clusters are the natural outcome of large gas collections, and can be used to reverse-engineer galaxy conditions.
A team of astrophysicists propose a new model for the formation of globular clusters and supermassive stars. They suggest that a runaway collision process between densely packed stars in globular clusters could form a supermassive star, explaining the unusual chemical elements found in these clusters.
Researchers capture strong evidence for intermediate-mass black holes using satellite imaging and multiwavelength radiation flares. The discovery provides insight into the nature of these elusive objects and their potential prevalence in galaxy peripheries.
A team of scientists tracked a stellar death caused by a supermassive black hole ripping apart a star in the Arp 299 galaxy. The researchers directly imaged the formation and expansion of a fast-moving jet of material ejected when the black hole destroyed the star.
Researchers found relics of merger events in the Milky Way halo using Gaia Data Release 2. Five small clusters and a large 'blob' of stars indicate massive and smaller merger events shaped the galaxy. This study provides insights into the Milky Way's evolution, with further analysis to reveal more about its formation.
A new technomarker, the Clarke exobelt, could be used to detect intelligent civilizations. The optimal conditions for observing these artificial belts are found for planets in orbit around red dwarf stars.
Researchers have found a rare galaxy, NGC 1277, that has remained unchanged since its formation in the early universe. The discovery provides valuable information about galaxy evolution, as it has preserved its original composition and structure over billions of years.
Researchers observed radio waves to measure carbon monoxide gas in distant galaxies, revealing that stars born during intense starbursts are massive. The findings challenge classical ideas about star formation and galaxy evolution over cosmic time.
Scientists Ewine van Dishoeck, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Jennifer A. Doudna, Virginijus Šikšnys, A. James Hudspeth, Robert Fettiplace, and Christine Petit receive the Kavli Prizes for their pioneering work on star formation, DNA editing, and hearing mechanisms. The breakthroughs have transformed our understanding of existence, advancing ...
A team of astronomers has identified at least six strong candidates for dark galaxies by leveraging the ultraviolet light from quasars to 'illuminate' gas in the intergalactic medium. The discovery could help fill a gap in our understanding of galaxy evolution, as it provides direct evidence for the existence of dark galaxies.
A new map for a birthplace of stars provides unprecedented detail of the structure of the Orion A molecular cloud. The maps will help researchers calibrate star formation models for extragalactic studies and better understand how fast and efficiently stars form in the region.
An international team of astronomers used ALMA to observe a distant galaxy called MACS1149-JD1, detecting ionised oxygen emitted 13.3 billion years ago. This signal indicates that even earlier generations of stars existed in the galaxy, pushing back the frontiers of the observable Universe.
A team of international astronomers has detected oxygen in a galaxy 13.28 billion light-years away, revealing that stars formed at an unexpectedly early stage in the universe's history. The discovery provides insight into the formation of galaxies and sheds light on the 'cosmic dawn' era.
Astronomers discover faint signal of oxygen in galaxy MACS1149-JD1, which is 13.28 billion light-years away and contains chemical maturity that suggests stars were forming as early as 250 million years after the Big Bang. This detection pushes back our understanding of cosmic dawn and the earliest phases of star formation.
Astronomers detected a faint signal of oxygen 13.28 billion light-years away using ALMA, indicating mature star formation in a young galaxy. The observation suggests stars formed 250 million years after the Big Bang.
New research suggests that life could be common throughout the multiverse due to dark energy's impact on star and planet formation. The findings contradict the long-held notion that a specific amount of dark energy is necessary for life to emerge, raising questions about the multiverse theory's ability to explain cosmic origins.
Reconstructing the 3D structure of an interstellar cloud is critical for understanding the processes occurring within it. The authors successfully modelled the cloud's density using fast magnetosonic waves, showing that Musca is a vast sheet-like structure, not a long filament.
A team of researchers detected two distinct sequences of blue straggler stars in a young globular cluster, NGC 2173, using the Hubble Space Telescope. This finding challenges the generality of explanations for similar blue straggler sequences and presents unexpected observational results.
Researchers challenged the existing understanding of star formation by observing a distant molecular cloud, W43-MM1, with ALMA. Contrary to previous findings, they discovered an overabundance of massive cores and underrepresentation of less massive cores.
A Northwestern University study found that online ratings for cosmetic breast augmentation surgeries are highly polarized, with some reviews written by non-patients. The importance of interactions with the doctor's support staff is highlighted as a key factor in patient satisfaction.
Astronomers have observed a colossal cluster of galaxies for the first time, containing at least 14 galaxies packed into an area four times the diameter of the Milky Way's galactic disk. The cluster is churning out stars at an incredible pace, with rates ranging from 50 to 1,000 times higher than expected for solitary galaxies.