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☆ Planet 9: Inside the search for a hidden planet in our solar system
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

“It could completely reshape our understanding of the solar system and of other planetary systems, and how we fit into that context. Brown and his colleague, planetary scientist Konstantin Batygin, reported having strong evidence of a hidden planet on the fringes of our solar system. “If you look at these bodies, their lifetimes are tiny compared to the age of the solar system,” Batygin said. “By now, we expected to have found many more of these extreme trans-Neptunian objects,” Sheppard said in an email. Finding a smaller planet would also spark excitement, Rice added, because every solar system planet is immensely useful for extrapolating information about the thousands of comparable exoplanets that researchers are uncovering across the galaxy.

Persons: Mike Brown, Pluto, ”, Brown, Pluto’s, Malena Rice, ” Rice, Konstantin Batygin, Neptune, they’ve, Brown’s, “, we’re, Scott Sheppard, Chadwick Trujillo, Trujillo, ” Brown, Batygin, ” Batygin, Patryk Sofia Lykawka, ” Lykawka, Lykawka, Rice, Hur, Renu Malhotra, Malhotra, Sheppard, ” Sheppard, ” Malhotra, she’s, “ It’s, Sigurd Naess, ” Naess, Vera C, Rubin, That’s Organizations: CNN, Caltech, NASA, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Research, International Astronomical, ESA, Yale University, Getty, California Institute of Technology, Planet Nine, Carnegie Institution for Science, Northern Arizona University, Sheppard, Kindai University, Rice of Yale University, University of Arizona, Survey Telescope, Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, US National Science Foundation, Stanford University, Rubin, Rubin Observatory, Nine Locations: Pasadena , California, AFP, Washington ,, Japan, Neptune, Hawaii, Chile, Norway

☆ New 3D map reveals strange, glowing filaments surrounding a supernova
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In this case, filaments radiate away from a “zombie star” the explosion created. Then, in 2023, astronomers spied weird filaments glowing with light from sulfur within the nebula. Scientists know the supernova created the filaments, but it’s unclear how or when the structures formed. The robust data that the instrument captured allowed the team to measure the motions of each filament and create a 3D map. The Keck Cosmic Web Imager enabled measurements of the velocity of any material within the nebula that emits light.

Persons: ”, Christopher Martin, “ KCWI, Dana Patchick, Patchick, NASA’s, Albert Zijlstra, Ilaria Caiazzo, Tim Cunningham, Zijlstra, Cunningham, ” Cunningham, James Webb, Takatoshi Ko, Ko Organizations: CNN, Keck, California Institute of Technology, Survey, University of Manchester, Pa, Institute of Science, Technology, NASA Hubble, Center, Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Southern, Research Center, University of Tokyo Locations: Hawaii, England, Technology Austria

☆ Two NASA telescopes capture closest pair of supermassive black holes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Two telescopes have spotted the closest pair of supermassive black holes to date. Active galactic nuclei are supermassive black holes that release bright jets of material and high winds that can shape the very galaxies where they are found. Astronomers discovered these black holes dancing around one another at the center of a pair of colliding galaxies called MCG-03-34-64, which is 800 million light-years away. Astronomers serendipitously found the black holes when Hubble’s observations revealed three spikes of bright light within the glowing gas of a galaxy. Both supermassive black holes once served as the centers of their respective galaxies, but a galactic merger brought the two objects much closer together.

Persons: Chandra, serendipitously, ”, Anna Trindade Falcão, Hubble, Falcão, “, Karl G, ” Falcão, haven’t, LISA Organizations: CNN, Hubble, Astronomers, Astrophysical, Center, Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, NASA, ESA, European Space Agency Locations: Cambridge , Massachusetts, Socorro , New Mexico

☆ ‘Zombie star’ of supernova that exploded in 1181 revealed by study
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But Zijlstra, who was not involved with the new study, was the first to make the connection to SN 1181. The report suggested that SN 1181 might belong to the elusive Type Iax category of supernova due to the presence of this “zombie” white dwarf. That energy causes the sudden brightness of the supernova.”That massive collision might explain another curious aspect of the SN 1181 zombie star. “We theorize that the star reignited because SN 1181 was a Type Iax supernova, which is an incomplete explosion. Schaefer added that SN 1181 represents one of the few reliable connections from supernova to supernova remnant.

Persons: ”, Takatoshi Ko, Albert Zijlstra, Dana Patchick, Zijlstra, ” Zijlstra, “, coauthors, NASA's Chandra, ” Ko, Chandra, Ko, Bradley Schaefer, Schaefer, ” Schaefer, astrophysicists Organizations: CNN, Astrophysical, University of Tokyo, University of Manchester, Survey, NASA, ESA, JPL, Caltech, Subaru, Louisiana State University Locations: China, Japan, England, New Mexico, Hawaii

☆ Scientists have discovered a theoretically habitable, Earth-size planet
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Two teams of scientists have discovered a theoretically habitable planet, smaller than Earth but bigger than Venus, orbiting a small star about 40 light-years away. Working on the assumption that the exoplanet doesn’t have an atmosphere, scientists calculated its surface temperature to be around 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). Once temperate Earth-size planets have been identified, scientists can then analyze them to determine which elements are contained in their atmospheres and, crucially, whether water is present to sustain life. This method involves capturing starlight that shines through an exoplanet’s atmosphere and seeing which wavelengths are absorbed by certain molecules, revealing their presence in the atmosphere. As well as shedding light on the exoplanet itself, Palethorpe said scientists are hoping that this work can help us understand our own planet better.

Persons: “ We’ve, ”, Masayuki Kuzuhara, Akihiko Fukui, “, ” Larissa Palethorpe, —, Palethorpe, James Webb Organizations: CNN, Royal Astronomical Society, Astrobiology, University of Tokyo, University of Edinburgh and University College London, James Webb Space Telescope Locations: Tokyo, ”

☆ This new photo of a supermassive black hole is unlike any before, showing powerful magnetic fields spiraling around it
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThe supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy has a side you've never seen before. A new image reveals powerful magnetic fields swirling around our hometown black hole, which is called Sagittarius A* (pronounced "A-star"). EHT had previously imaged its first black hole, Messier 87, in polarized light as well, though it doesn't look quite as striking:The Messier 87 supermassive black hole imaged in polarized light. EHT CollaborationSince both black holes have similar structures of magnetic fields, despite their immense difference in size, the EHT scientists now suspect that all supermassive black holes might have magnetic structures like this. Bigger black hole breakthroughs may be in storeFurther imaging with new innovative techniques and technologies could reveal even more secrets of supermassive black holes, both big and small.

Persons: —, EHT, Sara Issaoun, Issaoun, We've, NASA's, Michael Johnson, Johnson, that's Organizations: Service, Business, Messier, Harvard, Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, American Astronomical Society Locations: Greenland

☆ White dwarf star has metal scar after gobbling planetary fragment
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Astronomers have spotted an unusual sign that a dead star feasted on a fragment of a planet orbiting it: a metal scar on the star’s surface. The observation revealed a metallic feature on the star’s surface that the researchers determined was related to a change detected in the star’s magnetic field. The strength of the metal detection also synced with changes observed in the star’s magnetic field, which led the team to determine that the metal scar was located on one of the star’s magnetic poles. The star’s magnetic field pulled the metals toward the star, which led to the presence of the scar, the finding has suggested. But WD 0816-310 presents an entirely different scenario orchestrated by the star’s magnetic field.

Persons: ”, Dr, Stefano Bagnulo, Jay Farihi, John Landstreet, Landstreet Organizations: CNN —, Southern, Planetarium, University College London, Western University, NASA Locations: Chile, Armagh, Northern Ireland, Swiss, Canada

☆ Black holes are rampaging through our universe at more than 2.2 million mph and scientists think they now know why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

These black holes get kicked into space, moving as fast as 1,000 kilometers per second. AdvertisementScientists studying how supernovas explode may have discovered a new process for how certain black holes form. Turns out, some baby black holes hit the ground running at colossal speeds just moments after they take shape. Asymmetrical explosions can lead to powerful kicks that send black holes shooting into space at over 2 million mph. AdvertisementIf the black holes are movingIf you hear blazing-fast black holes and start to panic, don't.

Persons: —, MARK GARLICK, GARLICK, Adam Burrows, Burrows, Vijay Varma, Ivo Labbe, Swinburne, Rachel Bezanson, Varma Organizations: Service, Princeton University, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, NASA, ESA, CSA, University of Pittsburgh

☆ Hubble finds water vapor in small exoplanet’s atmosphere
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected water molecules in the atmosphere of a small, blazing-hot exoplanet 97 light-years from Earth. The planet, named GJ 9827d, is about twice Earth’s diameter, and it’s the smallest exoplanet found to have water vapor in its atmosphere, according to a new study. Starlight filtering through the planet’s atmosphere helped astronomers measure the signature of water molecules. It’s possible that the planet is a mini-Neptune with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere that contains water vapor. Or astronomers suspect that GJ 9827d could be a warmer version of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which contains an ocean beneath a thick, icy crust.

Persons: ”, Laura Kreidberg, Max Planck, Björn Benneke, Hubble, Ian Crossfield, Pierre, Alexis Roy, we’re, ” Benneke, “, GJ, Benneke, Thomas Greene, James Webb, Webb, ” Kreidberg Organizations: CNN —, Hubble, Max, Max Planck Institute, Astronomy, University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute for Research, University of Kansas, University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute, GJ 9827d, NASA’s Ames Research, James Webb Space Telescope, ”, 9827d Locations: Heidelberg, Germany, Lawrence , Kansas, Silicon

☆ Something in the universe is spewing surprising amounts of high-energy radiation, and astronomers don't know what or why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The astronomers were mapping space's background glow of gamma rays, the brightest and most energetic type of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. They were surprised to find way more gamma rays coming from one part of the sky than anywhere else. AdvertisementAn artist's concept shows the entire sky in gamma rays, with the plane of our galaxy across the middle. Magenta circles indicate the area where astronomers found more high-energy gamma rays than average. Some unknown object or process out there in the universe may be producing both the gamma rays and the UHECRs.

Persons: —, Alexander Kashlinsky, NASA's, Swift, Cruz deWilde Kashlinsky, it's, Kashlinsky, Fernando Atrio, UHECRs, they're Organizations: Service, NASA, Business, University of Maryland, American Astronomical Society, NASA's Goddard Space, Fermi, Planck, ESA, University of Salamanca, JPL, Caltech Locations: New Orleans, UHECRs, Spain

☆ Nasa astronomers says signal coming from outside our galaxy is 'unexpected and as yet unexplained'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NASA scientists have found a powerful new gamma-ray signal coming from outside our galaxy. AdvertisementNASA astronomers have discovered an unexpected "signal" coming from outside our galaxy, which they can't explain. The scientists were analyzing 13 years of data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope when they noticed the mysterious signal. NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, illustrated here, scans the entire sky every three hours as it orbits Earth. NASA's unexpected discovery could help astronomers confirm or challenge ideas about how the dipole structure is created.

Persons: —, Francis Reddy, NASA's, Alexander Kashlinsky, Fermi, Chris Smith, Chris Shrader, Pierre Auger, Fernando Atrio Organizations: NASA, Service, Fermi, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, University of Maryland, American Astronomical Society, Goddard Locations: Argentina

☆ Webb space telescope spies precocious 'teenage' galaxies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

But Webb has obtained even better data on galaxies a bit further along in development. The gas detected in star-forming regions - stellar nurseries - of teenage galaxies was much hotter, at about 24,000 degrees Fahrenheit (13,350 degrees Celsius), than observed in galaxies today. The galaxies were observed glowing with eight elements - hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, argon, nickel and silicon. Incidentally, oxygen is also the third-most abundant element in the universe (behind hydrogen and helium)," Strom said. The new study presents the first results from the CECILIA Survey that uses Webb to scrutinize the chemistry of distant galaxies.

Persons: James Webb, Webb, Allison Strom, Gwen Rudie, Strom, Rudie, CECILIA, Cecilia Payne, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Hubble, Northwestern University, Astrophysical, Carnegie, CECILIA Survey, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Illinois, California

☆ Cosmic ‘Christmas tree’ dazzles in new image captured by Hubble and Webb
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New details of the celestial feature have emerged in the colorful image, which unites the observational powers of Hubble Space Telescope in visible light and the James Webb Space Telescope in infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye. Hubble has long been used to search for faint, distant galaxies across different wavelengths of light. This cosmic effect occurs when closer objects — such as the galactic clusters — act like a magnifying glass for distant objects. The Webb and Hubble composite image includes "Mothra," a star system magnified by the galactic cluster pair as well as another unseen object. NASA/ESA/CSA/STScIThe team nicknamed the star system Mothra due to its extreme magnification and brightness.

Persons: James Webb, Hubble, Webb, ”, Rogier Windhorst, Windhorst, ” Windhorst, Haojing Yan, Yan, José Diego Organizations: CNN, Hubble, James Webb Space, Arizona State University’s School of Earth, Exploration, University of Missouri, Astrophysical Journal, NASA, ESA, CSA, Institute of Physics, Astrophysics Locations: Arizona, Japanese, Cantabria, Spain

☆ Most distant black hole discovered by Chandra, Webb telescopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Two powerful NASA telescopes have detected the oldest and most distant black hole ever found. “We needed Webb to find this remarkably distant galaxy and Chandra to find its supermassive black hole,” said lead study author Akos Bogdan, in a statement. Potential black hole theoryTypically, black holes located at the centers of galaxies only have about 0.1% the mass of the stars within their host galaxy. The unusual black hole could be an “Outsize Black Hole” that formed when a huge cloud of gas collapsed, as theorized in 2017 by Priyamvada Natarajan, a coauthor on both studies and the Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton professor of astronomy and professor of physics at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. “We think that this is the first detection of an ‘Outsize Black Hole’ and the best evidence yet obtained that some black holes form from massive clouds of gas,” Natarajan said.

Persons: Chandra, James Webb, Webb, ”, Akos Bogdan, “, ” Bogdan, Abell, they’ve, Andy Goulding, Priyamvada Natarajan, Joseph S, Sophia S, ” Natarajan Organizations: CNN, NASA, Telescope, Harvard - Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Chandra, telltale, Princeton University, Yale University Locations: Cambridge , Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Haven , Connecticut

☆ NASA missions spy celestial features that resemble a ghostly hand and eerie face
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The cosmos is full of mysteries waiting to be solved, and some of them appear especially eerie with the arrival of Halloween. A haunting “face” on Jupiter and a ghostly, skeletal hand-shaped nebula are just a couple of creepy celestial features recently spotted by NASA missions. Jupiter's swirling atmosphere appears to include a face in this image taken by JunoCam. The nebula, known as MSH 15-52, is located about 16,000 light-years from Earth. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory observed the pulsar, known as PSR B1509-58, for the first time in 2001.

Persons: Vladimir Tarasov, Juno, Wilhelm Röntgen, Chandra, ’ ”, Roger Romani Organizations: CNN, NASA, JunoCam, JPL, Caltech, Astrophysical, Stanford University in Locations: —, Stanford University in California

☆ Quartz crystals detected swirling in atmosphere of exoplanet WASP-17b
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have for the first time detected tiny quartz crystals containing silica — a common mineral on Earth — within the atmosphere of a blazing hot exoplanet. An artist's concept depicts what the exoplanet WASP-17b could look like. What the quartz crystals reveal about WASP-17bWasp-17b takes 3.7 Earth days to complete one orbit around its star. Webb detected quartz crystals in the atmosphere of WASP-17b. While the clouds can drift around the planet, they likely vaporize on the hot day side, which could send the quartz particles swirling.

Persons: James Webb, Ralf Crawford, “, ”, David Grant, Hannah Wakeford, ” Grant, Wakeford Organizations: CNN —, NASA, ESA, CSA, University of Bristol, WASP, Minerals, “ WASP

☆ Scientists untangle mystery about the universe's earliest galaxies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Star formation in the early galaxies occurred in occasional big bursts, they found, rather than at a steady pace. "According to the standard model of cosmology, there should not be many very massive galaxies during cosmic dawn because it takes time for galaxies to grow after the Big Bang. And the reason this is so significant is that we explain these very bright galaxies without having to break the standard cosmological model," Faucher-Giguère added. They blast gas into space that becomes ingredients for another burst of star formation. But the stronger gravitational effects in larger galaxies prevent these bursts, favoring steady star formation.

Persons: NASA's James Webb, James Webb, Sun, Webb, Claude, André, Giguère, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Northwestern University, Astrophysical, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Illinois

☆ Astronomers aren't crying 'aliens' yet, but NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is making this planet look a lot more habitable
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope discovered signs of a vast ocean on the planet K2-18 b. Astronomers can't directly look at the surface of the planet, called K2-18 b, but Webb analyzed its atmosphere for hints of what may lie below. That's a strong mark against the molecule's existence on K2-18 b. Confirming these findings requires a lot more observation of K2-18 b. As Blain put it: "K2-18 b is not exactly an Earth twin."

Persons: NASA's James Webb, Webb, James Webb, Madhusudhan, That's, Aaron Gronstal, Doriann Blain, Max Planck, Blain, peered, Webb’s, Crawford, J, Olmsted, haven't, Eliza Kempton, we've, Markus Scheucher, Kempton, I'd, there's, Marianne Guenot Organizations: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Service, NASA, University of Cambridge, DMS, Max, Max Planck Institute, Astronomy, Hubble, European Space Agency, CSA, ESA, Cambridge University, Astrophysical Journal, University of Maryland, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Webb telescope spies signs of water on habitable-zone exoplanet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Webb telescope, which can detect infrared light invisible to the human eye, searched for exactly what elements are featured in the planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, dimethyl sulfide “is only produced by life,” according to NASA. Hot ocean worldsThe discoveries about its atmospheric composition suggest it could be a “Hycean exoplanet,” a theoretical type of exoplanet that runs hot but is covered in oceans and has a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. There are no confirmed Hycean exoplanets just yet. “This means our work here is but an early demonstration of what Webb can observe in habitable-zone exoplanets.”

Persons: CNN — Waters, James Webb, Webb, Nikku Madhusudhan, Madhusudhan, —, ” Madhusudhan, ”, Savvas Constantinou Organizations: CNN, James Webb Space Telescope, NASA, Hubble, University of Cambridge, Astrophysical

☆ Break Out the S’mores: This Star Is Cooler Than a Campfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Kate Golembiewski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When you sit at a campfire and look up at the stars, even the tiniest pinpricks of light that you see are massive furnaces, producing intense heat. But hidden among these infernal embers are celestial bodies so dim that they’re invisible to the naked eye. One such star, a brown dwarf smaller than Jupiter, recently became the coldest star ever to be detected with a radio telescope. At a paltry 797 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s cooler than the average campfire: an ideal star for roasting marshmallows. The existence of brown dwarfs was hypothesized 60 years ago, but “they were very hard to find, because they’re not very bright,” Dr. Murphy said.

Persons: Don’t, graham, Kovi Rose, ”, Tara Murphy, Rose, “, they’re, Dr, Murphy Organizations: University of Sydney

☆ James Webb Space Telescope spots a supermassive black hole in the early universe, much sooner after the Big Bang than scientists can explain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The most distant supermassive black hole seen yet appears as three bright spots clumped together. Webb shows details of the supermassive black hole's size and structureAn artist's conception of the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique GutierrezNot only is this mysterious beast the earliest supermassive black hole ever observed, it's also the most distant active supermassive black hole on record. For comparison, a 9 million solar mass black hole is closer to the size of the supermassive black hole at the center of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. The first image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.

Persons: —, James Webb, NASA's Webb, Webb, Leah Hustak, Steven Finkelstein, NASA GSFC, Adriana Manrique Gutierrez, it's, Dale Kocevski Organizations: Service, NASA, ESA, CSA, James Webb Space Telescope, Colby College, Bang

☆ An experiment that reaches across the galaxy has 'heard' an invisible sea of ripples in space-time for the first time. It's surprisingly loud.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Those ripples are probably the distant thunder of countless collisions between supermassive black holes, throughout space and time. He predicted that the intense gravity of extremely massive objects, like black holes, warps the fabric of space-time. The NSF funded the 15-year experiment, which is called the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav). Supermassive black holes are thought to exist at the center of every galaxy. Her lab runs computer models of merging supermassive black holes to predict how they behave and what signals they send out into space.

Persons: —, Albert Einstein's, Aurore, Sean Jones, Manuela Campanelli, NASA's James Webb, Noll, Kip Thorne, NASA Goddard Thorne, NANOGrav, LIGO, Stephen Taylor, Lorenzo Ennoggi Organizations: Service, Sciences, National Science Foundation, NSF, American Nanohertz, Rochester Institute of Technology, NASA's James Webb Space, Hubble, Telescope, NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Locations: Louisiana, Washington, Europe, India, Australia, China

☆ Astronomers ‘hear’ the celestial choir of gravitational waves for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Astronomers have been able to “hear” the celestial hum of powerful gravitational waves, created by collisions between black holes, echoing across the universe for the first time. Gravitational waves, initially predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916, are ripples in space-time that were first detected in 2015. Einstein theorized that gravitational waves would stretch and compress space as they moved across the universe, affecting how radio waves travel. More than 190 scientists set out to discover the frequencies of gravitational waves as part of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves collaboration, also known as NANOGrav. Searching for a celestial choirThe newly detected gravitational waves are the most powerful ever measured.

Persons: Albert Einstein, Einstein, ”, Chiara Mingarelli, We’ve, Simonnet, Scott Ransom, “, ” Ransom, Luke Kelley, ” Kelley, it’s, ” Mingarelli, “ It’s, Stephen Taylor Organizations: CNN —, American Nanohertz, Green Bank, Yale University, National Radio Astronomy, University of California, Vanderbilt University Locations: Arecibo, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, New Mexico, Berkeley, Europe, India, China, Australia

☆ Structures newly discovered in the Milky Way
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —An international team of astrophysicists has discovered hundreds of mysterious structures in the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Sagittarius A* “is the closest supermassive black hole to us, but it’s relatively quiet and therefore somewhat difficult to really study,” Hamden added. The vertical filaments surround the nucleus of the Milky Way, but the horizontal ones appear to spread out to one side toward the black hole. The vertical filaments, on the other hand, are magnetic and hold cosmic ray electrons moving nearly as fast as the speed of light. “One way to confirm that the (filament) structure is created by something like a jet is to find both sides of it.”This would add “to the complex, active picture of our own Milky Way,” she said.

Persons: astrophysicists, Farhad Yusef, Yusef, Zadeh, “, ”, who’s, Erika Hamden, ” Yusef, Hamden Organizations: CNN, Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration, Research, Astrophysics, University of Arizona, South African Locations: Hamden

☆ A mysterious object has been spotted that is 10 million times brighter than the sun. Scientists can't work out why it hasn't exploded
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULX) are objects that shine ten million times brighter than the sun. NASA has been tracking so-called ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULX), impossible objects that can be 10 million times brighter than the sun, to understand how they work. A new study categorically confirms that M82 X-2, a ULX 12 million light-years away, is as bright as previous observation suggested it to be. But if it were not falling in, the matter shouldn't be radiating, which means the object shouldn't be that bright. (A neutron star is a superdense object left behind when a star has run out of energy and dies.)

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