“What came first, the galaxy or its monster black hole?” Technically, it’s an even more ancient riddle than the one about the chicken or the egg — though we’ve only relatively recently become aware of it. And, according to new research, scientists may finally have an answer. Supermassive black holes that existed close to the […]
If the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) investigates tiny and bright galaxies in the early universe, it may be able to to shine a light on dark matter — the universe’s most mysterious stuff. Such is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of California, who ran a simulation of the cosmos that tracks […]
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has spotted a ‘super-Earth’ planet orbiting in the habitable zone of a relatively nearby red dwarf star. The extrasolar planet or ‘exoplanet,’ which has been designated TOI-715 b, might have company in the form of an Earth-sized planet. The discovery is significant because red dwarfs, which are smaller and […]
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has zoomed in on one side of a cosmic tug-of-war that will rage between two galaxies for tens of millions of years. Frustratingly, this is one competition in which a clear winner may never emerge, as the two galaxies could well be drawn together to merge into one at the end […]
Astronomers have observed a supermassive black hole in Earth’s cosmic backyard as it blasts out jets of matter at near-light speeds. These outflows tell the tale of a battle for supremacy between magnetism and gravity. The discovery could help scientists better understand how black holes feed on matter and eject powerful jets that extend far […]
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has already proven itself adept at peering into the past by imaging objects at tremendous distances, but a new breakthrough may have seen the powerful instrument act almost like a scientific crystal ball, staring into the far future of the solar system. The JWST performed its prognostication when it […]
A peek into the future of exoplanet science suggests the forthcoming European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is going to give us our best chance in the next two decades of detecting biosignatures on nearby rocky worlds orbiting other stars. Such is the conclusion of a new study that simulated what it will take to characterize […]
Astronomers have discovered a rare system of six young planets and a possible seventh that dance around a misbehaving infant star. Not only could this system provide much-needed insight into how planets form and evolve around an infant star, but its similarity to the solar system could provide astronomers with a snapshot of what our […]
Recently released James Webb Space Telescope images of 19 distant galaxies shine an entirely new, dynamic and vibrant light on these gorgeous realms. The treasure trove of cosmic portraits taken by this $10 billion telescope reveals highly detailed, and quite breathtaking, face-on views of the spirals as seen from the instrument’s vantage point in space. […]
A stunning new Hubble Space Telescope image shows a huge ‘bridge of stars’ extending from one of the galaxies in a galactic grouping to another. The image focuses on the galaxy Arp 295a, from which the 250,000 light-year-long streamer of stars is stretching, as it is seen edge-on by Hubble and surrounded by a milky-colored […]
A treasure trove of images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) showcases 19 spiral galaxies in never-before-seen detail. The new set of pictures show stars, gas, and dust on the smallest scales observed. Researchers are studying the images to uncover the origins and evolution of the intricate structures. Following each of the galaxy’s clearly […]
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered that the atmosphere of a relatively small planet outside the solar system is rich with water vapor. Don’t plan a vacation to this destination just yet, however. The planet’s surface is hot enough to melt lead, meaning it’s a steamy world inhospitable to life as we know […]