Articles tagged with Stars
Astronomers have discovered 'embryonic planets' forming in nearby star systems using new Hubble Space Telescope imagery. These small, Pluto-sized bodies are thought to be the first stage of planet formation and may hold the key to understanding how our own planet came to be.
Researchers found a strong correlation between black hole presence and reduced star formation in heavy galaxies. The energy generated by massive black holes may heat up gas, preventing new stars from forming.
A groundbreaking study reveals that the first stars formed at the start of the Universe depend on dark matter's nature. The research suggests that some of these primordial stars can still be found in the Milky Way galaxy today.
Astronomers have witnessed the rare sight of four galaxies crashing into each other, kicking up billions of stars and forming a single, massive galaxy. The merger, observed using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and WIYN Telescope, provides unprecedented insight into how the most massive galaxies in the universe form.
A new study using Chandra finds that younger, more distant galaxy clusters contain far more actively growing supermassive black holes than older, nearby ones. This rapid growth allows these black holes to thrive and influence their host galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope model is on display in Dublin, Ireland, providing a glimpse into the successor to the Hubble Telescope. The model was built by Northrop Grumman and weighs over 12,000 lbs., featuring a sunshield that 'breathes' thanks to a special material imported from France.
Researchers used supercomputers to simulate galaxy mergers, revealing the formation of a new type of structure - a central disk of gas that can be thousands of light years wide. The simulations predict that the gas in this disk will extract energy from the orbiting black holes, causing them to merge and produce strong gravitational waves.
Researchers have captured an image of Altair, a hydrogen-burning star like our own sun, for the first time. The image was made possible by a novel system to clean up distortions from Earth's atmosphere and a multi-telescope system that combines information from small, distantly spaced telescopes.
The Cassini spacecraft has mapped the structure of Saturn's rings, revealing densely packed particle clumps that are constantly forming and colliding. The findings suggest the mass of the rings may be twice or more previous estimates, with implications for understanding the origin and age of Saturn's ring system.
The University of Colorado at Boulder will collaborate with major partners to design and build a 25-meter far-infrared telescope in the Atacama Desert. The telescope will enable scientists to study early stages of star and galaxy formation, as well as solar system origins.
Researchers used adaptive optics to precisely locate and study the environments of two supermassive black holes at the center of a galaxy merger. The observations revealed young star clusters and rotating disks of stars surrounding each black hole.
Astronomers have measured the age of a star in our Galaxy using ESO's VLT, finding it to be 13.2 billion years old, nearly as old as the Universe itself. This discovery was made possible by a new technique that combines radioactive elements thorium and uranium to accurately determine a star's age.
Researchers found evidence of three distinct star populations born within 200 million years in the massive globular cluster NGC 2808. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that all stars originated at the same time and place, shedding new light on stellar formation in distant galaxies.
The AEGIS survey reveals a consistent relation between galaxy mass and star and gas orbital speed over billions of years, constraining galaxy formation theories. The findings suggest fundamental properties of galaxies have changed little over the past 8 billion years.
The James Webb Space Telescope will enable fundamental breakthroughs in our understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planetary systems. The telescope will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope with longer wavelength coverage and greatly improved sensitivity.
Researchers used Hubble Space Telescope to reveal a large elliptical galaxy with hundreds of globular clusters at an unprecedented 1 billion light-year distance. The discovery provides insights into the age, origin, and evolution of these clusters.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have observed a superbubble forming in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a galactic neighbor of the Milky Way. The study reveals that multiple massive stars are blowing bubbles and overlapping supernova remnants, which may eventually merge into one enormous cavity.
Astronomer Nathan Smith proposes a new theory for the origin of the 1987 supernova's triple-ring nebula, suggesting that unstable blue supergiant stars, called luminous blue variables, may be responsible. Three nearby stars with similar nebulae have been discovered, contradicting the prevailing merger and red-to-blue transition explana...
Researchers found that gas giants either form within the first 10 million years of a sun-like star's life or not at all. The study suggests that gas giant planets must form early in a star's history, offering insights into planet formation.
Astronomers have discovered an enormous halo of red giant stars surrounding the Andromeda galaxy, extending beyond its visible disk and indicating that it may be five times larger than previously believed. The discovery is based on observations of over 500,000 light-years of starry space using advanced telescopes.
A team of astronomers discovered that many large galaxies in the early universe had a low stellar birth rate, suggesting a cosmic 'birth control' mechanism that prevented excessive star formation. The study found that these galaxies formed stars when the universe was just 20% of its current age.
Researchers have found direct proof of dark matter's existence in a study using state-of-the-art telescopes. The team observed two merging galaxy clusters, revealing massive amounts of non-luminous matter that don't interact with normal matter.
Scientists have discovered large, rotating disc galaxies that formed on a rapid time scale, just 3 billion years after the Big Bang. These findings reveal unprecedented details about the anatomy of these distant proto-disc galaxies, including their gas motions and star formation rates.
A University of Colorado study suggests using a gigantic, daisy-shaped space shield to block out light from parent stars and allow telescopes to image distant Earth-like planets. The concept enables astronomers to identify planetary features and detect biomarkers like methane and oxygen.
A team of astronomers produced the clearest map to-date of star-forming clouds in the Milky Way, enabling deeper insights into the origin of stars. The new illustration reveals similar lumpy structures in molecular clouds, suggesting that all clouds form stars in roughly the same proportion.
Scientists study stardust in labs to understand element formation and stellar evolution. The analysis of isotopic compositions provides clues about nuclear and chemical processes in stars.
Researchers have discovered young, massive stars in ultra-luminous infrared galaxies, surrounded by delicate crystalline silicates called Forsterite. This finding provides new insights into the formation and evolution of these violent cosmic environments.
Astronomers detect a vast hot halo extending over 60,000 light years around the massive spiral galaxy NGC 5746. This discovery resolves a long-standing issue in galaxy formation theory, suggesting that large spiral galaxies should be immersed in halos of hot gas left over from the galaxy formation process.
Researchers at the University of Illinois created composite images of optical, radio, infrared, ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths to understand massive stars' impact on their galactic surroundings. The study reveals that massive stars energize and enrich the interstellar medium with strong ultraviolet radiation and fast stellar winds.
Two new studies using Hubble Ultra Deep Field data show a link between galaxy assembly and supermassive black hole growth. Tadpole galaxies, with bright knots and tails caused by mergers, suggest that black holes are enshrouded in dust, making them invisible during the merging process.
Researchers searched for dwarf galaxies in nearby galaxy cloud using Two Micron All Sky Survey and Very Large Telescope. However, no stars were detected, suggesting alternative explanations for the missing galaxies.
A new study analyzing data from the Extended Groth Strip Survey found that galaxy weights play a crucial role in determining star formation rates. Researchers discovered that heavy galaxies form stars early and rapidly, while smaller galaxies form their stars over longer timescales.
Astronomers have found a massive star cluster in the Milky Way, consisting of 14 supergiants with a total mass of at least 20,000 solar masses. This discovery may challenge existing massive star formation models and provides valuable insights into the evolution of these stars.
A team of astronomers used a rare stellar occultation to determine Charon's radius with great accuracy, finding it to be 603.6 km. They also set an upper limit on the existence and pressure of Charon's atmosphere, suggesting it is likely icy with little or no nitrogen.
A study using hundreds of images from two deep sky surveys found that more than half of the largest galaxies in the nearby universe have collided and merged with another galaxy. The mergers occur quickly, leaving faint features difficult to detect, but confirm predictions for large-scale structure formation. Ongoing study will reveal i...
Astronomers find massive stars forming close to super-massive black holes, challenging previous theories about their role in galaxy evolution. Researchers used Chandra X-ray Observatory data to study the Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) star cluster near the Milky Way's central black hole.
The $400,000 award will fund a starshade-shaped 'New Worlds Observer' that blocks parent star light and captures planet images. Scientists can map planetary systems, detect biomarkers and study features like oceans and continents.
A new technique uses a machine vision algorithm to identify individual whale sharks based on their spot patterns, allowing for better conservation efforts. The ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library has been established to store and analyze whale shark photographs.
A recent study published in Nature refutes previous claims of missing dark matter in elliptical galaxies, suggesting that massive dark-matter halos are present around these galaxies as well. The research uses simulations of galaxy mergers to explain the observations made by earlier studies.
Astronomers observed quasars with the VLT and HST to detect host galaxies, but found that one quasar, HE0450-2958, has no massive galaxy. Instead, they detected a bright cloud of gas ionized by the quasar's radiation, which may be feeding the black hole.
Astronomers detect unusual quasar with no visible host galaxy, sparking debate about its origin. The object's properties suggest a rare collision between galaxies, potentially illuminating the formation of massive black holes and their role in shaping the universe.
Astronomers have found a large population of obscured quasars, which are thought to be hidden behind dust in galaxies. The discovery sheds light on the growth habits of black holes at the heart of active galaxies.
RIT's new gravitySimulator supercomputer can simulate galaxy evolution with unprecedented precision, handling up to 4 million stars at once. The machine, one of only two in the world, achieves a top speed of 4 Teraflops, enabling researchers to study complex astrophysical phenomena.
A Penn-led team has launched a balloon-borne telescope, BLAST, to survey the universe for faint stellar objects and gain insights into the formation of stars and galaxies. The telescope will capture light at three wavelengths, allowing astronomers to determine an object's distance and luminosity.
Researchers have found that some galaxies and their central black holes underwent a phenomenal growth spurt, setting the stage for the birth of quasars. The study used Chandra X-ray observations to track the growth of supermassive black holes alongside the formation of stars in these galaxies.
Scientists at PNNL discovered that micron-wide dust particles encrusted with molecularly gluey ice enabled planets to bulk up quickly enough to overcome solar winds. Fluffy ice provided a cushioning effect, allowing icy grains to stick together and grow into large lumps.
Scientists at the University of Illinois discovered a collapsing bubble that reached temperatures of 20,000 degrees Kelvin, four times hotter than the surface of the sun. This result was achieved through sonoluminescence, which generates intense local heating when bubbles in a liquid collapse.
Researchers found that growing black holes release energy that regulates galaxy evolution and black hole growth, matching observed relationships between black hole size and galaxy mass. The simulations also show that smaller galaxies have less gas to form stars, while larger galaxies produce more.
Simulations show that growing black holes release a blast of energy, powering strong winds that prevent material from falling in, inhibiting further growth. This process links black hole mass to the total mass of stars in galaxies, explaining observed phenomena and promising deeper insights into galaxy formation.
Researchers at CERN and European universities have re-evaluated the primary reaction creating carbon in stars, modifying the rate of this process. The findings suggest that the amount of carbon produced in the first stars was twice as fast as previously thought, with implications for element production in supernovae.
Astronomers have discovered a dwarf galaxy surrounded by a gigantic, pristine hydrogen gas disk. The large reservoir of unprocessed matter may hold clues to the early universe's formation.
A team of researchers uses the Keck laser system to observe distant galaxies in unprecedented detail, finding that some systems exhibit old stars despite recent mergers. This discovery challenges prevailing theories of galaxy formation and may help explain the existence of large galaxies with little young star population.
The discovery reveals a quasar with an extreme redshift of 2.11 found within the center of an active spiral galaxy called NGC 7319. This finding casts doubt on the idea that quasars are extremely distant objects and could impact our understanding of cosmology.
Astronomers have discovered that radio jets from black holes can trigger the collapse of interstellar clouds and induce star formation. The jets' collision with dense gas leads to the creation of new stars, bringing 'new life' to these systems.
The University of Colorado at Boulder has proposed a system to map planetary systems around other stars and detect exo-solar planets as small as Earth's moon. The New Worlds Imager concept uses a giant 'pinhole camera' in space to capture images of distant planets, including their oceans, continents, and atmospheres.
The Gemini Observatory has released a breathtaking image of Stephan's Quintet, capturing the intricate interactions between five galaxies. The image showcases sweeping arches of gas and dust, tracing the ongoing dance of gravitational forces that have warped their structures over millions of years.
Materials researchers created a metamaterial with a negative refractive index for microwaves, allowing it to transmit light differently than natural materials. This discovery has implications for space navigation and the location of stars, making it challenging to determine their origins.
A recent study has revealed surprisingly mature galaxies in the early universe, contradicting the long-held hierarchical model of galaxy formation. The Gemini Deep Deep Survey found that a large fraction of stars in massive galaxies were already present at 8 billion years old.
Researchers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to identify four massive elliptical galaxies at a redshift of 1.6-1.9, dating back to around 3,500 million years ago. These galaxies have ages between 1,000 and 2,000 million years and masses in excess of one hundred thousand million solar masses.
Researchers analyzed data from 96,545 galaxies to track star formation history. They found that massive galaxies formed stars earlier than smaller ones, and star formation has decreased since then, contributing to the gradual dimming of the universe.