Peculiar nova eruption inspected by astronomers
An international team of astronomers has employed NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to observe the eruption of Nova Vulpeculae 2021. Results of the observational campaign, published November 8 on the pre-print server arXiv, provide.....»»
High-precision measurements challenge our understanding of Cepheids
"Classical Cepheids" are a type of pulsating star that rhythmically brighten and dim over time. These pulsations help astronomers measure vast distances across space, which makes Cepheids crucial "standard candles" that help us understand the size an.....»»
Coming in hot: NASA"s Chandra checks habitability of exoplanets
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's (European Space Agency's) XMM-Newton, astronomers are exploring whether nearby stars could host habitable exoplanets, based on whether they emit radiation that could destroy potential conditions for li.....»»
Atmospheric sulfur dioxide levels hit historic high in Scotland following Icelandic volcanic eruption
Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen over the past 30 years. While sea haar from the North Sea often blankets Scotland's capital, the haze observed that Friday felt di.....»»
While aiming for massive gas cloud, astronomers spot differences in thickness of Milky Way Galaxy
Space may appear vast and empty, but it's full of cosmological objects that are invisible to the human eye. From our vantage point on Earth, many of these objects fall between astronomers and what they hope to observe, impacting what they find. This.....»»
Astronomers discover parallel disks and jets erupting from a pair of young stars
Most of the universe is invisible to the human eye. The building blocks of stars are only revealed in wavelengths that are outside of the visible spectrum. Astronomers recently used two very different, and very powerful, telescopes to discover twin d.....»»
Observations explore the halo of Centaurus A
Using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, astronomers have observed the halo of a nearby giant elliptical galaxy known as Centaurus A. Results of the observational campaign, published June 1 on the pre-print server arXiv, yield important insight.....»»
Chinese astronomers discover a high-velocity star ejected from globular cluster Messier 15
Chinese astronomers report the discovery of a new high-velocity star about 4,200 light years away. The newfound star, designated J0731+3717, turned out to be ejected from the globular cluster Messier 15 by an intermediate-mass black hole. The finding.....»»
Origins of fast radio bursts come into focus through polarized light
What scientists previously thought about where Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) come from is just the tip of the iceberg, according to new research led by astronomers at the University of Toronto. The mysteries of the millisecond-long cosmic explosions are u.....»»
First map of outflows from nearby quasar I Zwicky 1
SRON astronomers have for the first time mapped the outflows from one of the closest quasars to Earth. Quasars are bright cores of galaxies powered by the supermassive black hole in their center. The team has probed gas outflows in I Zwicky 1, a clos.....»»
Euclid is finding free floating planets in Orion, too
There are likely millions of "rogue" or free-floating planets (FFPs) spread through the galaxy. These planets, which aren't big enough to become stars but also aren't beholden to a star's gravity, are some of the hardest objects for astronomers to sp.....»»
Star cluster shines in new look from NASA"s Chandra
Westerlund 1 is the biggest and closest "super" star cluster to Earth. New data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, in combination with other NASA telescopes, is helping astronomers delve deeper into this galactic factory where stars are vigorousl.....»»
Astronomers observe giant outburst of a distant X-ray binary
Using the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) onboard the International Space Station, astronomers have observed a distant X-ray binary known as EXO 2030+375. The observational campaign allowed them to explore a giant outburst that occ.....»»
NASA, global astronomers await rare nova explosion
Around the world this summer, professional and amateur astronomers alike will be fixed on one small constellation deep in the night sky. But it's not the seven stars of Corona Borealis, the "Northern Crown," that have sparked such fascination......»»
Reconnaissance of potentially habitable worlds with Webb
Exoplanets are common in our galaxy, and some even orbit in the so-called habitable zone of their star. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has been busy observing a few of these small, potentially habitable planets, and astronomers are now hard at wor.....»»
Astronomers investigate giant molecular clouds in the galaxy NGC 613
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA), an international team of astronomers has performed high-resolution observations of a nearby galaxy known as NGC 613. Results of the observational campaign, published May 30 on the prepri.....»»
Researchers develop instrument to measure lava viscosity in the field
Millions of people live near active volcanoes that are constantly monitored for signs of an impending eruption. When one occurs, scientists and governments rely on data to estimate the extent of the possible damage, informing evacuation plans and dis.....»»
Researcher introduces strategies to sustain aesthetics and performance in anthropogenic landscapes
Entering the Anthropocene, humans are confronted with a grim yet peculiar state of increasing natural landscapes inching closer to extinction. Notably, the Aral Sea retains a mere 10% of its original volume, highlighting the urgency of the situation......»»
TOI-1685 b is a hot and rocky super-Earth exoplanet, observations find
An international team of astronomers has performed follow-up observations of a nearby alien world known as TOI-1685 b. Results of the observations, published May 21 on the pre-print server arXiv, indicate that TOI-1685 b is a hot and rocky alien worl.....»»
Study investigates a massive "spider" pulsar
Astronomers from the Stanford University in California have performed joint X-ray and optical observations of a massive "spider" pulsar designated PSR J2215+5135. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper published May 22 on the pre.....»»
A new deep-learning algorithm can find Earth 2.0
How can machine learning help astronomers find Earth-like exoplanets? This is what a new study hopes to address as a team of international researchers investigated how a novel neural network-based algorithm could be used to detect Earth-like exoplane.....»»