Shedding new light on the brightest objects in the universe
Astrophysicists have documented the immense power of quasar radiation, reaching out for many thousands of light years to the limits of the quasar's galaxy.
Jul 24th, 2013
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The limits to galactic growth
In the system NGC 253, astronomers observe outflows of matter curtailing the birth of stars.
Jul 24th, 2013
Read moreSolar system's youth gives clues to planet search
Comets and meteorites contain clues to our solar system's earliest days. But some of the findings are puzzle pieces that don't seem to fit well together. A new set of theoretical models from Carnegie's Alan Boss shows how an outburst event in the Sun's formative years could explain some of this disparate evidence. His work could have implications for the hunt for habitable planets outside of our solar system.
Jul 24th, 2013
Read moreAncient snowfall likely carved Martian valleys
Researchers at Brown University have shown that some Martian valleys appear to have been caused by runoff from orographic precipitation - moisture carried part of the way up a mountain and deposited on the slopes. The findings help to answer the question of whether water flowing on ancient Mars bubbled up from the ground or fell down from the atmosphere.
Jul 24th, 2013
Read moreSpitzer observes gas emission from comet Ison
Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have observed what most likely are strong carbon dioxide emissions from Comet ISON ahead of its anticipated pass through the inner solar system later this year.
Jul 23rd, 2013
Read moreA new record for cosmic X-ray sightings
Scientists led by the University of Leicester have set a new record for cosmic X-ray sources ever sighted - creating an unprecedented cosmic X-ray catalogue that will provide a valuable resource allowing astronomers to explore the extreme Universe.
Jul 23rd, 2013
Read moreNASA releases images of Earth by distant spacecraft
Color and black-and-white images of Earth taken by two NASA interplanetary spacecraft on July 19 show our planet and its moon as bright beacons from millions of miles away in space.
Jul 23rd, 2013
Read moreA warmer planetary haven around cool stars, as ice warms rather than cools
In a bit of cosmic irony, planets orbiting cooler stars may be more likely to remain ice-free than planets around hotter stars. This is due to the interaction of a star's light with ice and snow on the planet's surface.
Jul 19th, 2013
Read moreSnow in an Infant Solar System - A frosty landmark for planet and comet formation
A snow line has been imaged in a far-off infant solar system for the very first time. The snow line, located in the disc around the Sun-like star TW Hydrae, promises to tell us more about the formation of planets and comets, the factors that decide their composition, and the history of the Solar System.
Jul 18th, 2013
Read moreHubble hows link between stars' ages and their orbits
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have determined the orbital motion of two distinct populations of stars in an ancient globular star cluster, offering proof they formed at different times and providing a rare look back into the Milky Way galaxy's early days.
Jul 18th, 2013
Read moreESA test opens way to UK spaceplane engine investment
The UK government has announced plans to invest in the development of an air-breathing rocket engine - intended for a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane - following the ESA-managed feasibility testing of essential technology.
Jul 18th, 2013
Read moreNew study predicts slow bow shock ahead of the Sun's heliosphere
A new study indicates that a bow shock (a dynamic boundary between sun's heliosphere and the interstellar medium) is highly likely. These findings challenge recent predictions that no such bow shock would be encountered.
Jul 18th, 2013
Read moreEarth's gold came from colliding dead stars
Gold is rare on Earth in part because it's also rare in the universe. Unlike elements like carbon or iron, it cannot be created within a star. Instead, it must be born in a more cataclysmic event.
Jul 17th, 2013
Read moreIn the clutches of a black hole
Gas cloud swings around gravity monster at the heart of the Milky Way.
Jul 17th, 2013
Read moreNew findings on makeup of universe may spawn research
New areas of extragalactic study may emerge from research by astrophysicists using data from the Chandra Space Telescope to conclude that baryons making up all visible matter - once thought to be missing from clusters - are present in the expected ratios in large, luminous clusters.
Jul 16th, 2013
Read moreThe heart of space weather observed in action (w/video)
Two NASA spacecraft have provided the most comprehensive movie ever of a mysterious process at the heart of all explosions on the sun: magnetic reconnection. Magnetic reconnection happens when magnetic field lines come together, break apart and then exchange partners, snapping into new positions and releasing a jolt of magnetic energy. This process lies at the heart of giant explosions on the sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can fling radiation and particles across the solar system.
Jul 15th, 2013
Read moreHubble finds new Neptune moon
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a new moon orbiting the distant blue-green planet Neptune. This brings the number of known satellites circling the giant planet to 14.
Jul 15th, 2013
Read moreStudy shows disks don't need planets to make patterns (w/video)
A new study by NASA scientists sounds a cautionary note in interpreting rings and spiral arms as signposts for new planets. Thanks to interactions between gas and dust, a debris disk may, under the right conditions, produce narrow rings on its own, no planets needed.
Jul 14th, 2013
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