Articles tagged with Stars
The Caltech instrument, KCWI, will map gas flowing into and out of forming galaxies, revealing dominant modes of galaxy formation. KCWI is a versatile general-purpose instrument that can study cosmic objects in ways not possible before.
New research reveals that the Milky Way's black hole can create hundreds of planet-mass objects, which are then flung throughout the galaxy. These objects, known as 'spitballs,' could be detected by future telescopes and may pose a challenge to distinguish from free-floating planets.
Astronomers have discovered giant halos of scattered photons around early Milky Way type galaxies, indicating that only a small percentage of light emitted by distant stars can escape these galaxies. The study uses the Isaac Newton Telescope to survey almost 1000 distant galaxies and measures the amount and location of Lyman-alpha phot...
Astronomers used VLA and ALMA to study distant galaxies, revealing details of dust-shrouded regions. They found intense star formation occurred throughout galaxies, contrary to present-day high rates in smaller regions.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo developed a new detection method that will detect approximately 10 black holes per year, doubling the current number within two years. This method combines microlensing and radio wave interferometry to extract parameters such as mass, distance, and velocity from black hole events.
A team of UCLA astronomers observed a galaxy and found that stars are responsible for producing dust, a key component of rocky planets. The researchers focused on a galaxy with two young clusters of stars and constructed a map tracing the dust in the galaxy.
Astronomers have discovered a large population of distant dwarf galaxies that could reveal details about star formation in the early universe. These galaxies are 10 to 100 times fainter than previously observed galaxies, but produce more than half of the ultraviolet light during this era.
A study by an international team solves the origin of successive generations of stars in globular clusters. The most massive, evolved AGB stars are found to contaminate the interstellar medium, giving rise to new generations of stars.
A team of astronomers used the MUSE instrument to study the effects of nearby massive star radiation on the pillars of the Carina Nebula. The research found a clear correlation between the radiation and the dissipation of the pillars, suggesting that photoevaporation plays a key role in shaping these structures.
A team of astronomers led by Grant Wilson at UMass Amherst is building a state-of-the-art imaging system called TolTEC to study the heavens. The new camera will be part of the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) and offer improved sensitivity and speed, enabling groundbreaking surveys in star formation and galaxy evolution.
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration detected gravitational waves that could have been caused by the collision of two black holes. Researchers used theoretical models to test whether these signals could also be produced by gravastars, hypothetical objects proposed as an alternative to black holes.
Dense molecular gas disks are supplying gas directly to supermassive black holes at galaxy centers. The growth of supermassive black holes is enhanced by strong turbulence generated by supernova explosions in these disks.
Researchers found a dozen previously unknown RR Lyrae stars at the center of the Milky Way, indicating that galactic bulges may have formed through merging ancient globular clusters. The discovery provides strong evidence for an important theory of galactic evolution.
A new study reveals that young, hot stars ionize oxygen in the early universe, affecting galaxy evolution. The strength of doubly ionized oxygen increases with time, while singly ionized oxygen decreases after 11 billion years.
Astronomers have detected a 'hot molecular core,' a cocoon of molecules surrounding a newborn massive star, for the first time outside our Galaxy. This discovery reveals significantly different chemical compositions compared to similar objects in our own Galaxy, suggesting potential difficulties in producing large organic species.
The CHARA Array, a world-leading optical interferometer, has been upgraded with a $3.9 million grant from the NSF. This new funding will enable scientists worldwide to access the Array's powerful telescopes and explore stars and planets in unprecedented detail.
Researchers used colors to identify the ages of over 130,000 stars in the Milky Way's halo, revealing a clear hierarchy with oldest stars at the center and younger ones further away. The study supports a hierarchical model of galaxy formation, suggesting that small mini-halos merged to form the Milky Way.
A team of researchers from the University of Oxford suggests that life on Earth is more likely to exist in the future than it is now. This is because the necessary elements for life, such as carbon and oxygen, took tens of millions of years to develop following the Big Bang.
RIT students design and deploy telescope and camera to orient rocket payload based on star images, testing new CMOS detector technology operable at cryogenic temperatures. The Cryogenic Star Tracking Attitude Regulation System will launch in December on a suborbital sounding rocket.
A study of around 70,000 galaxies reveals that external mechanisms, such as infalling galaxy drag and gas stripping, are only relevant to quenching galaxies during the last eight billion years. Internal mechanisms, including black holes and stellar outflows, dominate star formation shutdown before this time.
Astronomers have observed the early formation of galaxies and found that stars were forming inside them much faster in the past. The rapid star birth is using up more cosmic dust, which is becoming cleaner as the universe evolves.
Researchers used computer modeling to investigate galaxy colors and their relation to evolution. They found that rare green galaxies are likely at a critical stage of transformation from blue to red as they age. The study suggests that these galaxies' unique colors can provide insights into the processes driving their evolution.
Astronomers have discovered a ring structure of complex organic molecules around a Solar-type protostar, providing direct evidence that interstellar materials are fed into the rotating disk structure. The distribution of these molecules reveals new perspectives on planetary system formation and chemical composition.
A new study in Nature predicts hundreds of massive black hole mergers each year observable with the second generation of gravitational wave detectors. The model takes into account differences in binary black hole production across the universe.
Astronomers have discovered a newborn exoplanet, K2-33b, which is five-10 million years old and orbits its star once every five days. The discovery provides an extraordinary snapshot of the planet formation process, allowing researchers to study how planets form and develop.
Researchers detected billowy clouds of cold, clumpy gas streaming toward a black hole, suggesting two dinner modes for black holes: slow grazing on diffuse hot gas and quick consumption of clumps of cold gas. The findings represent the first direct evidence to support the hypothesis that black holes feed on clouds of cold gas.
Research suggests that galaxies actively launch large amounts of oxygen, carbon, and iron atoms up to a million light years away from their surroundings, leaving them with depleted reserves. This process, driven by violent supernovae and supermassive black holes, can take over 10 billion years.
Astronomers have discovered a new 'Canarias Einstein ring', a rare and unusual phenomenon that provides insight into the composition of distant galaxies. The discovery was made using data from the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC) and offers valuable information about the structure of gravitational fields and dark matter in galaxy lenses.
Researchers used high-tech laser scanning, photogrammetry, and 3D mapping to create a detailed digital representation of the Rising Star Cave System and Dinaledi Chamber. The precise reconstruction provides new insights into the chamber's structure and location, as well as the fossil site's formation processes.
A team of researchers has discovered a new class of galaxies where supermassive black holes trigger powerful winds that prevent future star formation. These 'red geysers' lack young stars despite having abundant gas, and their outflowing winds heat surrounding gas through shocks, ultimately suppressing stellar birth.
A new phenomenon dubbed 'red geysers' has been identified in galaxies, which host low-energy supermassive black holes driving intense interstellar winds. These winds prevent gas from cooling and condensing into stars, maintaining quiescence in galaxies.
A new class of galaxies called 'red geysers' has been discovered, hosting low-energy supermassive black holes that drive intense interstellar winds. These winds suppress star formation by heating up the ambient gas in galaxies and preventing it from cooling and condensing into stars.
Researchers found two gaps in the gas disk that overlap with dust gaps, suggesting infant planets carve out the gaps. The team estimates a planet mass 0.8 times Jupiter's at the inner gap, but the outer gap's origin remains unclear.
A team of astronomers has measured the mass of an ultra-diffuse galaxy using the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS, revealing it is composed primarily of dark matter with very few stars. The findings suggest that such galaxies could exist due to a large amount of dark matter protecting them from destruction.
Allan Sandage's last paper reveals that physicist George Gamow and astronomer Walter Adams had previously discovered subgiants in the 1940s, which would have accelerated the development of stellar evolutionary theory. The study shows that these early findings were largely ignored due to biases in the time.
The Kepler-223 planetary system has unusually long-term stability due to gravitational interactions between its four planets, which return to the same positions relative to each other and their host star. Numerical simulations suggest that slow migration during formation could have placed these planets into their balanced configuration.
Researchers found that hot dust in the distant universe is often caused by three or four galaxies instead of a single one. This study applied statistical methods to data from the Herschel Space Observatory and dropped the number of stars these galaxies have to be producing by a third.
A new paper uses exoplanet discoveries to estimate the probability of advanced life evolving on habitable planets. The authors find that unless the odds are extremely low, humanity is likely not the universe's first technological civilization. They calculate a 'pessimism line' below which human uniqueness would be impossible.
A new study has mapped the climate patterns on a super-Earth planet, revealing a significant temperature difference between its dayside and nightside. The research found that processes similar to those on Earth, such as high winds or lava flows, are at work on this distant world.
A new optical technology developed by Russian physicists can significantly improve the detection of exoplanets, allowing for direct observation of their images. The 'smoothed' light technique uses adaptive optics to remove atmospheric distortions, enabling telescopes to resolve the faint signals of Earth-type planets.
A Penn State-led research group has been selected by NASA to build a new instrument to detect planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. The NEID instrument will use the tiny gravitational tug of planets on their stars to discover and measure the orbits of rocky planets with liquid water.
A team of astronomers has found evidence that quasars' energy feedback may have slowed down star formation in the universe about 11 billion years ago. The study used data from multiple telescopes to detect the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect, a phenomenon caused by high-energy electrons disturbing the Cosmic Microwave Background.
A team of researchers, led by UC Riverside graduate student Irene Shivaei, used a combination of near-infrared spectrometer and infrared images to study 17 bright distant galaxies. They compared various observables, including ultraviolet light, infrared light, and nebular emission lines, to estimate the star-formation rate. The study i...
Astronomers at UMass Amherst report the discovery of eight 'outrageously luminous' galaxies, which outshine previously brightest known galaxies. The newly observed galaxies are estimated to be about 10 billion years old and formed only 4 billion years after the Big Bang.
Astronomers have observed the inner portion of a protoplanetary disk surrounding HL Tau, with VLA images showing a distinct clump of dust containing roughly 3-8 times the mass of Earth. The region is thought to be where Earth-like planets would form.
Researchers have created a 3D map of interstellar dust reddening across three-quarters of the visible sky using data from almost one billion stars. This map reveals the structure and history of our galaxy, including the distribution of dust in the disk and the presence of ghostly trails indicating collisions with other galaxies.
The STARS4ALL project aims to reduce light pollution in European night landscapes, promoting environmental protection and economic savings. The initiative includes 10 projects, such as broadcasting astronomical events, creating a logo for sustainable lighting, and involving citizens in change-making movements.
A new space imaging technique, using charge injection devices, may help scientists directly image exoplanets next to bright stars. This technology has been successfully tested, enabling the detection of objects 70 million times fainter than the host star's light.
Researchers suggest that twin black holes detected by LIGO might have formed inside a single, massive star. The star's death generated a gamma-ray burst, which was observed by the Fermi Space Telescope.
Astronomers have found a massive tail of hydrogen gas extending from a nearby galaxy, measuring five times longer than the galaxy itself. The discovery suggests that this phenomenon is common in galaxy clusters, and could be indicative of many other galaxies having similar features.
Researchers discovered young star populations in old globular clusters that formed from gas flowing in from outside the cluster itself. This challenge traditional understanding of star birth and highlights the complex nature of globular clusters.
Researchers have discovered young populations of stars within globular clusters that originated from external gas and dust, rather than internal processes. This study suggests that globular clusters can form new stars by 'adopting' stray cosmic gases, turning a complex picture into a more nuanced one.
Researchers used intensity interferometry to study light propagation in curved spaces, demonstrating the importance of surface curvature on geometry and physics. The findings have implications for astronomical observations and manufacturing techniques, potentially leading to new materials and optical systems.
Researchers identified massive stars moving at supersonic speeds, creating bow shocks that help locate them. The team used infrared data to find over 200 images of fuzzy red arcs, which turned out to be stars in various stages of evolution.
An international team of astronomers found strong magnetic fields are common in stars, contradicting previous assumptions. The study used data from NASA's Kepler mission to analyze over 700 red giant stars and discovered that many host internal magnetic fields up to 10 million times stronger than Earth's.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has photographed a newborn star with twin jets, reminiscent of a Star Wars lightsaber, in the Orion B molecular cloud complex. The protostar is feeding on surrounding material and shooting gas into space, creating shock fronts that heat up the surrounding gas.
Astronomers measured the density of photon fog between Earth and quasar PKS 1441+25 using high-energy gamma rays. The data validated theoretical models for the number and brightness of stars and galaxies in the universe going back 7.6 billion years.
An international team of astrophysicists led by Johns Hopkins University scientist Sjoert van Velzen witnessed a star being destroyed by a supermassive black hole, ejecting a jet of plasma at nearly the speed of light. The team observed this event over several months using multi-wavelength telescopes and satellites.
A team of scientists has discovered a hungry black hole swallowing a star at the centre of a nearby galaxy. The discovery confirms their theories about the nature of black holes and reveals faint jets of material shooting out from the supermassive black hole.
Researchers found that tiny dips in a star's brightness can indicate a planet passing in front of it, but star KIC 8462852 had deep and irregular dips. The astronomers concluded that the destruction of a family of comets near the star is the most likely explanation for the mysterious dimming.