Enormous M87 galaxy looks like giant potato in 1st-ever 3D map (image) By Robert Lea published 9 May 23 Astronomers have created a 3D map of the massive elliptical galaxy Messier 87 and gotten a better estimate of the mass of its central supermassive black hole.
James Webb Space Telescope snaps amazing photo of alien asteroid belt By Robert Lea published 8 May 23 The first asteroid belt ever found outside the solar system is more complex than expected, new observations by the James Webb Space Telescope reveal.
Giant proto-galaxy in early universe devours recycled material to birth new stars By Sharmila Kuthunur published 4 May 23 A faraway proto-galaxy has been observed feeding on recycled material, shedding more light on how galaxies sustain star birth across eons.
Satellite megaconstellations are threatening astronomy. What can be done? By Leonard David published 4 May 23 Astronomers are becoming increasingly concerned of being blinded by the light from an estimated 400,000 satellites planned for low Earth orbit in the coming years.
Guts of the universe's 1st stars found in distant gas clouds By Robert Lea published 3 May 23 Astronomers have found the fingerprints of material dispersed by the supernova deaths of the universe's first stars in distant gas clouds.
Scientists catch real-life Death Star devouring a planet in 1st-of-its-kind discovery By Charles Q. Choi published 3 May 23 The action 12,000 light-years away may presage what happens to Earth about 5 billion years from now.
Hubble telescope eyes galactic site of distant star explosion (video) By Sharmila Kuthunur published 29 April 23 The Hubble Space Telescope is on the track of a supernova that exploded in the region of a galaxy in 2020.
James Webb Space Telescope spots huge galactic protocluster in the early universe (photo) By Robert Lea published 28 April 23 Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have spotted seven galaxies that are part of a developing galactic cluster just 650 million years after the Big Bang.
Hubble Telescope celebrates 33rd anniversary with gorgeous photo of nearby stellar nursery By Samantha Mathewson published 27 April 23 A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope captures a nearby stellar nursery called NGC 1333. Bright stars shine through clouds of dust and gas, showcasing the chaotic nature of star formation.
Astronomers discover record haul of 25 new repeating 'fast radio bursts' By Robert Lea published 26 April 23 Fast radio bursts are one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy with origins that are currently unknown, but scientists now have twice as many of these repeating rapid bursts of energy to study.
'Dragon cloud' holds clues about how the biggest stars in the galaxy are born By Paul Sutter published 26 April 23 A massive, cold clump of material in the heart of the "Dragon cloud" is ready to form a single giant star, and astronomers got a rare glimpse of the event.
James Webb Space Telescope reveals rich chemistry of planet-forming disks for the 1st time By Sharmila Kuthunur published 25 April 23 For the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope revealed the chemical composition of dusty planet-birthing disks of material around distant stars.
New baby exoplanet discovered thanks to the 'wake' it leaves around its parent star By Robert Lea published 25 April 23 Astronomers witnessed a young Jupiter-size planet as it carves out spiral-shaped cavities in the disk of planet-birthing gas and dust that surrounds its parent star.
Merging galaxies shine with the light of a trillion suns in gorgeous James Webb Space Telescope photo By Sharmila Kuthunur published 18 April 23 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured an amazing photo of Arp 220, a collective name for two spiral galaxies that started merging 700 million years ago.
Why do some James Webb Space Telescope images show warped and repeated galaxies? By Robert Lea published 17 April 23 The James Webb Space Telescope has observed the earliest and most distant galaxies ever spotted by humanity. But why do some of them look so strange and distorted?
Galaxy cluster X-ray discovery scores another win for the Big Bang theory By Robert Lea published 17 April 23 Scientists have found that the distribution of matter in galactic clusters supports the lambda cold dark matter model of cosmology.
Astrophotographer captures Vela supernova remnant in exquisite detail By Daisy Dobrijevic published 16 April 23 Astrophotographer captures stunning image of Vela supernova remnant. The dramatic scene is located in the constellation Vela in the Southern Hemisphere sky.
How do we know how far away and early in the universe galaxies are? By Robert Lea published 14 April 23 The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted galaxies further away in the universe than any other instrument before. How can we be sure these early galaxies aren't closer and more recent?
Gaze into the mesmerizing Whirlpool Galaxy high in the sky tonight By Robert Lea published 14 April 23 Skywatchers will get the opportunity to take a good look at the galaxy Messier 51 with its incredible whirlpool shape when it rises high in the sky over Earth on Friday, April 14.
James Webb Space Telescope finds tiny early galaxy packing big star-forming punch By Keith Cooper published 14 April 23 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has observed a galaxy in the early universe that could be the progenitor of galaxies such as our own Milky Way.