Articles tagged with Stars
Astronomers detect first low-mass star in globular cluster M22 using gravitational microlensing, suggesting alternative explanation for cluster mass. The star has less than a fifth of the sun's mass and is 3.2 kiloparsecs from it.
Researchers mapped over 100 molecular clouds in the LMC and found many low-mass clouds, contradicting conventional wisdom. The team hopes to learn more about the metamorphosis of gas clouds into stars.
For the first time, astronomers have produced a complete description of a black hole using precise measurements. The new information reveals that the black hole is nearly 15 times more massive than our Sun and spinning over 800 times per second.
Astronomers have uncovered an extraordinary population of young dwarf galaxies brimming with star formation, forcing a re-evaluation of their understanding of galaxy evolution. These galaxies are estimated to be 9 billion years old and produce stars at rates 100 times faster than the Milky Way.
A team of researchers measured the bar length of over 5,000 galaxies using amateur astronomers' data from the Galaxy Zoo project. The study reveals that redder galaxies have longer bars and are more likely to display spiral arms.
Researchers suggest looking for artificial illumination on distant planets as they orbit their stars, which could provide a measurable signal. This technique relies on the assumption that intelligent life uses Earth-like technologies and could potentially spot alien cities using future generations of telescopes.
Scientists have identified areas with extreme potential for forming complex organic molecules, a key ingredient for life. These 'sweet spots' are found around newly formed stars and have conditions that support high methanol production.
Astronomers have identified 13 new diffuse interstellar bands with the longest wavelengths to date, which could help explain the presence of large organic molecules in space. The discovery supports recent ideas that these molecules, or 'carriers,' are hidden in interstellar dust clouds.
A new survey of galaxies reveals active galactic nuclei in young, blue star-making factories, overturning the idea that these objects hinder star formation. The study finds X-ray signals from AGN in a wide range of galaxy types, including massive and smaller galaxies, old elliptical red galaxies and younger blue spirals.
Researchers have found visual evidence for two extrasolar planets in archival Hubble data from 1998, using a novel approach to detect faint planet signals. The discovery allows for the tracking of planetary orbits and provides insight into system stability, mass, and eccentricity.
Lee's surface circulation absorbed by a large extratropical low pressure area near the Tennessee/Virginia border. Heavy rainfall expected from central Appalachians into New England, with totals up to 10 inches until week's end.
A new study by Nicolas Lehner and Christopher Howk reveals that massive clouds of ionized gas in the Milky Way's halo are a reservoir of fuel for galactic star formation. The researchers measured the distances to these clouds using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, confirming models that predicted gas falli...
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a potential new radiation treatment that uses heavy metals and low-energy electrons to target cancer tumors. The method, called Resonant Nano-Plasma Theranostics (RNPT), has the potential to reduce radiation exposure to healthy tissue.
The galaxy Centaurus A is home to a firestorm of new star formation triggered by shockwaves from a past collision and merger with another galaxy. Hubble's image reveals the birth of vibrant blue star clusters and compresses hydrogen gas clouds.
The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin warns that current UK sun cream advice is too low on protection and impractical to follow. The organization recommends rethinking the current SPF of 15 and suggests a more balanced approach with products labeled as 'factor 30' for broad-spectrum ultraviolet screening effect.
A team of researchers has developed a method to track the movement of geostationary objects in space using the position of stars. This technique can be used with small telescopes and in places that are not very dark, allowing for precise location and orbit determination of GEO satellites.
Astronomers have created an atlas of galactic 'train wrecks' to understand the collision process and form, growth, and evolution of galaxies. The study combines data from Spitzer Space Telescope and Galaxy Evolution Explorer to analyze areas where stars are forming rapidly.
The discovery of blue stragglers in the Milky Way's hub suggests that the galaxy stopped making stars billions of years ago. The findings provide new constraints for models of the star-formation history of the bulge.
The Expanded VLA is providing new insights into the formation of sun-like stars, with observations revealing previously unseen detail of molecular gas near a very young star. The telescope's improved quality is also helping researchers study large ejections of matter from massive young stars and their role in galaxy evolution.
Kepler's first four months of data reveal evidence for over 1,200 planetary candidates, with 408 residing in systems containing two or more planets. These multi-planet systems are characterized by flat orbits, tilted less than 1 degree, and lack Jupiter-sized gas giants.
The Hubble Space Telescope has observed the historic variable star V1, which helped confirm the size of the universe and its expansion. The observations, conducted in collaboration with amateur astronomers, provide new insights into the properties of Cepheid variables and their role in measuring distances to galaxies.
Bennett's team found 10 free-floating planets roughly the mass of Jupiter, suggesting planetary systems often become unstable, ejecting planets from their orbits. The discovery confirms that free-floating planets exist and are quite common, estimated to be twice as many as stars.
NC State physicist Dean Lee and colleagues create simulations using effective field theory to calculate low-lying states of carbon-12, confirming the Hoyle state's existence. The research provides a better understanding of 'fine-tuning' in stellar processes that produce essential elements for life.
Detecting raging storms of molecular gas streaming away from galaxies for the first time, Herschel reveals powerful outflows that could halve a galaxy's star-forming capacity within one million years. This discovery offers insights into galactic evolution and negative feedback mechanisms.
Physicists at Rice University have detected the heaviest antimatter particle ever observed, antihelium-4, using a time-of-flight detector designed at the institution. The discovery provides new insights into the conditions of the early universe and the existence of antimatter galaxies.
Researchers detect 18 examples of antihelium-4, a massive antimatter partner of helium, in data from over 1 billion collisions at RHIC. The discovery could provide crucial insights into the early universe's matter-antimatter balance and the search for bulk antimatter elsewhere.
Two unique types of mirrors, Primary and Secondary EDUs, have arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The mirrors will work together to observe distant galaxies and unexplored planets. The Primary mirror is composed of 18 hexagonal segments, while the Secondary mirror directs light from the Primary mirror to Webb's instruments.
Italian researchers created space-like conditions in a vessel to confirm the behavior of astrophysical jets, which travel at high speeds and stretch across vast distances. The study found that these jets behave according to Newtonian Dynamics, confirming successful 3D simulations.
A newly merged black hole can be detected by observing the tidal disruption of surrounding stars, which will provide accurate distances and precise sky coordinates. This could lead to a better understanding of dark energy and Einstein's general theory of relativity.
A new model developed by Sheldon Jacobson predicts the most likely Final Four combinations based on seedings, rather than team performance. The model suggests that choosing a combination of two top-seeded teams, a No. 2 seed, and a No. 3 seed is the best bet for winning the office pool.
Researchers have developed a new strategy to improve microscopy by following the astronomers' guide star technique, allowing for sharper images of biological samples. This method uses adaptive optics and two-photon fluorescence microscopy to correct for light waves hitting cells in different directions.
Researchers have discovered a thick stellar disc in the Andromeda galaxy, composed of older stars with distinct chemical and orbital properties. This finding sheds light on the formation and evolution of spiral galaxies like our own Milky Way.
Physicists propose beaming laser at atmospheric sodium to measure global magnetic field, offering cheaper alternative to satellites. Ground-based measurements can avoid problems caused by satellite movement and electronic instrument effects.
The Kepler-11 system features five inner planets with masses between 2.3 and 13.5 times that of Earth, orbiting within 50 days, and a sixth planet with an orbital period of 118 days. The planets' densities suggest they may be mostly water or hydrogen-helium gases, defying expectations for small hot planets.
A NASA team led by University of Florida astronomers has discovered six new planets in a distant solar system resembling our own. The planets, orbiting Kepler-11, are rocky or ice-combined and have densities lower than water but higher than Earth.
M82's rapid star formation is believed to have been triggered by a close encounter with neighboring galaxy M81. The Chandra image reveals a unique opportunity to study conditions similar to those of the early universe and the consequences of supernovas in starburst galaxies.
The Planck satellite mission has provided unprecedented all-sky coverage of cosmic dust, offering insights into dust evolution in different environments. The data will help researchers understand the complex history of our universe and its present form.
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole in a nearby dwarf galaxy, Henize 2-10, which is thought to be one of the first galaxies to form in the early Universe. The finding suggests that supermassive black holes formed before their surrounding galaxies, challenging current understanding of galaxy evolution.
Astronomers used Hubble Space Telescope to observe eight massive stars in Small Magellanic Cloud, finding five without large neighbors and three in tiny clusters. The study suggests that giant stars can form randomly across the universe, including in isolation.
Astronomers have discovered a new alien world, Qatar-1b, a hot Jupiter located 550 light-years from Earth. The planet orbits extremely close to its star, resulting in scorching temperatures and a unique rotational period.
Elliptical galaxies are found to contain five to ten times as many red dwarfs as thought, with implications for galaxy formation and evolution. The discovery could lead to a reevaluation of dark matter in these galaxies.
Astronomers Andrey Kravtsov and Nick Gnedin's simulations reveal why galaxies were less efficient at making stars in the early universe. The team's model explains the connection between dust, gas, and star formation, shedding light on the evolution of spiral galaxies.
Astronomers from Bonn and St. Andrews discover that the discrepancy between calculated and observed star numbers may be due to an overestimation of stellar crowding, a phenomenon where young stars are born in groups, leading to more massive stars being overlooked.
New work by astrophysicist David Kipping reveals that astronomers can calculate a star's mass using its orbiting planet and moon. By measuring the size of the planet and moon relative to the star and their orbital periods, scientists can use Kepler's Laws of Motion to determine the density of the star.
A team of astronomers has discovered that young galaxies can grow by sucking in cool streams of hydrogen and helium gas, forming new stars. This process, known as accretion, provides a gentler alternative to galaxy mergers, which are thought to be the primary mechanism for galaxy growth.
Distant galaxies in the early Universe are creating 1,000 new stars per year, exceeding our galaxy's star formation rate. These galaxies contain enormous amounts of raw material for new stars, suggesting a higher gas content than previously thought.
A team of astronomers has confirmed the presence of an extreme ultra-luminous X-ray source in a nearby galaxy, which may indicate the presence of an intermediate mass black hole. The object, HLX-1, is located ~300 million light years from Earth and emits radiation 100 times brighter than most other objects in its class.
A team of astronomers from the University of Florida has discovered two Saturn-sized planets and a possible third planet with an Earth-like size orbiting a distant star. The discovery was made using a new method of confirming planets called transit timing variation, which allows for more efficient confirmation of planetary systems.
Astronomers at Texas A&M University have discovered that a significant fraction of ancient galaxies in the CLG J02182-05102 cluster are still actively forming stars. The team found that star-forming galaxies are more common in this cluster than in nearby galaxy clusters.
A team of astronomers from the University of Arizona developed a technique called laser adaptive optics, allowing for sharper images and faster data collection. This technology will enable scientists to study ancient galaxies and star clusters more efficiently.
Rochester Institute of Technology scientist Don Figer is developing a new detector technology that can directly image and characterize exoplanets, potentially finding smaller, rocky planets like Earth. This technology could reduce detection time by one-third and overcome current limitations.
Astronomers propose a new method for detecting extraterrestrial life by analyzing signals from advanced civilizations. The Benford beacons concept suggests that alien signals would not be continuously broadcast but rather pulsed and narrowly directed, potentially making them more detectable.
Researchers at Durham University use huge computer simulations to recreate the beginnings of the Milky Way, finding that many ancient stars originated from smaller galaxies torn apart by galaxy collisions. The simulations provide a blueprint for galaxy formation and reveal clues to the early history of the Milky Way.
A team of scientists led by Jay Pasachoff observed the shiniest object in the solar system, 2002 TX300, a fragment of Haumea, using a network of telescopes. The measurements reveal its icy surface and size, confirming it as a small, reflective body with an age estimated to be around a billion years.
Newberg's team will use LAMOST data to plot the position, speed, and composition of over 7 million stars, shedding light on dark matter distribution and galaxy formation
Researchers have developed a new method for describing proton and neutron binding in nuclei, enabling more accurate predictions of astrophysical reactions. This breakthrough may improve our understanding of star life cycles.
Astronomers have observed a galaxy 10 billion light-years away, finding four discrete star-forming regions making new stars 250 times faster than the Milky Way. The study reveals exquisite detail of these regions, which are 100 times brighter than nearby galaxies.
A massive galaxy in the early Universe created stars like our sun at a rate equivalent to 250 suns per year, researchers say. The team observed four star-forming regions within the galaxy, each over 100 times brighter than similar regions in the Milky Way.
Researchers have solved a 20-year-old astrophysical puzzle using gas dynamical simulations. Filamentary structures formed during the collapse of infalling gas absorb massive stars' radiation, shielding surrounding nebulae from heating.
Researchers at Durham University have discovered a massive explosion that halted star birth in an early galaxy. The blasts scattered gas needed for new stars, regulating the galaxy's growth.