Astronomy

James Webb telescope detects carbon-rich disk around young exoplanet

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has observed a carbon-rich disk surrounding the exoplanet CT Cha b, 625 light-years from Earth, potentially serving as a moon factory. The disk, separate from the star's own disk, offers insights into early planet and moon formation. The young star system is just 2 million years old.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS produces water emissions from surface

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third such object detected, is spewing water in the form of hydroxyl emissions. Researchers using NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory have confirmed water on its surface. This suggests a structure differing from solar system comets.

JWST identifies candidates for dark matter-powered first stars

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that the universe's earliest stars may have been supermassive dark stars powered by dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion. A new study identifies four distant objects matching this description, potentially explaining bright early galaxies and supermassive black holes. These findings build on theories proposed over a decade ago.

JWST uncovers chaotic early galaxies in young universe

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have found that the universe's first galaxies were turbulent and disorderly, far from the stable structures seen today. Led by University of Cambridge researchers, the study examined over 250 galaxies from when the universe was 800 million to 1.5 billion years old. These findings challenge prior views and show a transition from cosmic chaos to ordered formation.

AI software fixes James Webb telescope's image distortions

Two PhD students from the University of Sydney have developed innovative software to correct blurring in images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Their tool, AMIGO, restores the telescope's sharp vision using AI without requiring a space mission. This breakthrough enhances observations of distant celestial objects.

Astronomers achieve sharpest view of distant star using single telescope

A UCLA-led team has captured the most detailed image ever of a disk around the distant star beta Canis Minoris using a innovative photonic lantern on a single telescope. This breakthrough reveals hidden structures without needing multiple telescopes. The discovery uncovers a lopsided hydrogen disk 162 light-years away.

Double sky phenomena over Sweden on Saturday

19 अक्टूबर 2025 Maria Karlsson

On Saturday evening and into the night toward Sunday, Swedes witnessed both the northern lights and Comet Lemmon across various parts of the country. The phenomena were visible unusually far south, including in Uppsala, Stockholm, and Småland. Hobby photographer Marie Larsson captured both on camera outside Markaryd.

Rogue black hole produces fastest radio signals outside galaxy center

18 अक्टूबर 2025 Theo Klein

Astronomers have observed a black hole tearing apart a star far from its galaxy's center, producing the fastest-changing radio signals ever recorded from such an event. Named AT 2024tvd, this tidal disruption event reveals supermassive black holes can exist and remain active in unexpected locations. The discovery, led by an international team, suggests complex, delayed energy releases from black holes.

Scientists uncover cause of rapid solar rain during flares

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy have solved the mystery of why solar rain forms so quickly during solar flares. Their work reveals that changing elemental abundances, like iron, enable the rapid cooling of plasma in the Sun's corona. This breakthrough could enhance predictions of space weather impacts on Earth.

Early universe radio waves may reveal dark matter

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have proposed detecting faint radio waves from the cosmic dark ages to uncover dark matter's properties. These signals, emitted by hydrogen gas influenced by dark matter clumps just 100 million years after the Big Bang, could be best observed from the Moon. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, highlight a new method to probe the Universe's earliest moments.

Astronomers discover Earth's seventh quasi-lunar moon

Earth has gained its seventh confirmed quasi-lunar moon, a small asteroid named 2025 PN7. This Apollo-type object was detected in August by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. The discovery highlights ongoing astronomical efforts to track near-Earth objects.

Astronomers propose detecting gravitational wave beats via pulsars

Researchers at Hirosaki University have suggested a method to identify the source of ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves by looking for 'beat' patterns in pulsar signals. This approach could distinguish between waves from cosmic inflation and those from supermassive black hole binaries. The proposal builds on 2023 evidence from pulsar timing arrays that falls short of full confirmation.