Astrophysics News - SciTechDaily

Unlocking Cosmic Mysteries: Scientists Develop Innovative New Method To Probe Dark Matter

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:26:40 +0000

Dark matter is fundamental to our understanding of the Universe, yet its exact nature remains a mystery. Uncovering the identity of dark matter is a...

“Unusually Massive” – Astronomers Discover a Planet That Shouldn’t Exist

Penn State — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 13:39:06 +0000

Researchers at Penn State have discovered an unusually massive planet, LHS 3154b, orbiting an ultracool dwarf star. This finding, contradicting current theories, prompts a reassessment...

NASA’s SunRISE Mission: Six Mini-Satellites Set To Illuminate Solar Mysteries

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:19:56 +0000

The satellites are part of the agency’s SunRISE mission, which will study the physics behind explosions that the Sun generates. Most NASA missions feature one...

Reimagining the Cosmos: New Theory Unites Einstein’s Gravity With Quantum Mechanics

University College London — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:15:23 +0000

A radical theory that consistently unifies gravity and quantum mechanics while preserving Einstein’s classical concept of spacetime is announced today in two papers published simultaneously...

Webb Captures Mysterious Reappearance of a Ghostly Object – “This Thing Is a Real Monster!”

University of Texas at Austin — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 16:09:04 +0000

The James Webb Space Telescope’s discovery of AzTECC71, a dusty star-forming galaxy from the early universe, challenges previous assumptions about galaxy prevalence and composition, offering...

“Teenage Galaxies” Unveiled: Webb Space Telescope’s Remarkable Glimpse Into the Early Universe

Carnegie Institution for Science — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:39:56 +0000

Studying “teenage galaxies” from the ancient universe can teach scientists about how these massive systems of stars mature and evolve. Galaxies that formed just 2...

The Stellar Forge: Charged Particles and Element Creation in Stars

Tracey Peake, North Carolina State University — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 00:25:05 +0000

New research offers an innovative approach to model star-based elemental formation, improving our grasp of nuclear reactions in the cosmos. New research from North Carolina...

Cosmic Rhythms: Strange Discovery of a Six-Planet System in Perfect Harmony

University of Chicago — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 22:03:17 +0000

Study led by University of Chicago astronomer Rafael Luque may tell us about how planets form. Scientists have discovered a rare sight in a nearby...

Cosmic Cartography Mission: NASA’s IMAP To Set Sail for Interstellar Mapping

Desiree Apodaca, NASA — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 14:33:16 +0000

IMAP, set for launch in late April to May 2025, marks a key phase in space exploration, focusing on mapping solar wind interactions and the...

Lost in Space: Is a Giant Void Driving the Universe Apart?

Indranil Banik, University of St Andrews — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 09:25:42 +0000

Cosmologists propose a giant void in space as a solution to the “Hubble tension,” challenging conventional models and suggesting a revision of Einstein’s gravity theory....

Cosmic Cannonballs: Unraveling the Mystery of a Pulsar’s Bizarre Brightness Shifts

ESO — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:32:22 +0000

An extensive astronomical study involving 12 telescopes both on the ground and in space, including three European Southern Observatory (ESO) facilities, astronomers have uncovered the...

Watch Live: Historic Launch of EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s First Satellite

European Space Agency (ESA) — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:50:40 +0000

Watch the live launch broadcast of Ireland’s first satellite EIRSAT-1 on ESA Web TV Channel 2 and ESA YouTube, currently scheduled for December 1. Coverage...

Webb’s Galactic Surprise: Reveals Rocky Planet Secrets in Cosmic Extremes

Space Telescope Science Institute — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:40:48 +0000

Astronomers find a range of molecules that are among the building blocks for rocky planets. Space is a harsh environment, but some areas are even...

Cosmic Choreography: Unraveling the 6-Planet Resonance Mystery

Pat Brennan, NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 05:18:40 +0000

Researchers led by Rafael Luque discovered six planets in a rare gravitational resonance around a smaller, cooler star. This unique arrangement, stable since the system’s...

New Astrophysics Model Unveils the Secrets of Long Gamma-Ray Bursts

Simons Foundation — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 23:53:45 +0000

Using state-of-the-art computer simulations, astrophysicists at the Flatiron Institute and their colleagues have sharpened our picture of how black holes may generate some of the...

NASA’s Antarctic Airships: Scientific Voyages Above the Ice

Olivia F. Littleton, NASA — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:44:03 +0000

NASA’s Antarctic Long Duration Balloon Campaign includes the GUSTO mission to map the Milky Way and other missions for cosmic ray measurement and technology testing....

Extragalactic Surprise: First-Ever Circumstellar Disc Discovered Beyond the Milky Way

Durham University — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:43:59 +0000

A groundbreaking discovery by astronomers reveals a rotating disk around a high-mass star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, offering new insights into star formation in...

A Cosmic First: Astronomers Uncover a Planet-Forming Disc in Another Galaxy

European Southern Observatory (ESO) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:00:58 +0000

Using the ALMA telescope, astronomers have detected a disc forming around a young star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, marking the first discovery of its...

Cosmic Enigma Solved? Extreme Stars May Hold the Key to Mysterious Radio Bursts

Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 03:20:03 +0000

A universal relation for pulsars, magnetars, and potentially fast radio bursts. An international research team led by Michael Kramer and Kuo Liu from the Max...

Science Made Simple: What Is Cosmology?

U.S. Department of Energy — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:35:27 +0000

What Is Cosmology? Cosmology is the study of the origin, development, structure, history, and future of the entire universe. In modern science, cosmology is divided...

Strange Chemistry: Webb Reveals “Teenage Galaxies” Are Unusually Hot, Glowing With Unexpected Elements

Northwestern University — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 09:31:24 +0000

JWST unexpectedly reveals nickel and oxygen, which are typically difficult to observe. Similar to human teenagers, teenage galaxies are awkward, experience growth spurts and enjoy...

Hidden Depths: Uncovering Theia’s Mysterious Remnants Inside Earth

David Rothery, The Open University. — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:39:00 +0000

New research suggests that large remnants of Theia, a Mars-sized object that collided with Earth to form the Moon, still exist within Earth’s mantle. These...

Christmas Tree Galaxy Cluster: NASA’s Webb and Hubble Unite for Dazzling Masterpiece

Shana K. Hutchins, Texas A&M University — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 19:50:01 +0000

The striking image represents one of the most comprehensive views of the universe ever taken and reveals a vivid landscape of galaxies along with more...

Astronomers Shocked by Mysterious Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Ray – “What the Heck Is Going On?”

University of Utah — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 09:58:07 +0000

Second only to the Oh-My-God particle, the newly dubbed Amaterasu particle deepens the mystery of the origin, propagation and particle physics of rare, ultra-high-energy cosmic...