Astronomy

Astronomers begin study of eccentric warm Jupiters

A three-year research project funded by the National Science Foundation is underway to uncover the origins of eccentric warm Jupiters, massive gas giants with elongated orbits around their stars. Led by an astronomer at Northern Arizona University, the study aims to explain why these planets align precisely with their stars' equators despite their unusual paths. The findings could reshape understanding of planet formation, including our own solar system.

Scientists detect torsional Alfvén waves in sun's corona

2025년 10월 27일 Theo Klein

Researchers have captured the first direct evidence of small-scale torsional Alfvén waves in the Sun's corona, potentially explaining its extreme heat. Using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii, the team observed these magnetic waves twisting through the solar atmosphere. The discovery, published on October 24 in Nature Astronomy, validates theories dating back to the 1940s.

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.

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.

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.

Gaia telescope uncovers giant wave rippling through Milky Way

2025년 10월 22일 Theo Klein

Astronomers using the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope have discovered a colossal wave propagating through the Milky Way galaxy, affecting stars tens of thousands of light-years away. This undulating motion, visible in the galaxy's disc, resembles ripples in a pond and involves both stellar positions and movements. The origin of this phenomenon remains unknown, though it may stem from a past galactic collision.

Astronomers uncover gas bridge between two dwarf galaxies

Scientists at the University of Western Australia's ICRAR node have discovered a massive bridge of neutral hydrogen gas connecting the dwarf galaxies NGC 4532 and DDO 137. This structure spans 185,000 light-years and is located 53 million light-years from Earth. The finding, part of the WALLABY survey, reveals how interactions with the Virgo cluster strip gas from galaxies.

Astronomers watch new rings form around distant Chiron

For the first time, astronomers are observing a ring system forming in real time around the comet-like object Chiron. This distant body, orbiting between Saturn and Uranus, shows changing rings with each observation. The discovery could reveal how such systems develop in the outer solar system.

Twin black hole mergers test Einstein's general relativity

Two black hole collisions detected in late 2024 have provided unprecedented tests of Einstein's general theory of relativity. The events, captured by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, revealed unusual spins and possible second-generation black holes. These detections confirm theoretical predictions with high precision and probe for new particles.

Virtual telescope uncovers jet in galaxy OJ 287

An international team of astronomers has captured the most detailed image yet of the core of the distant galaxy OJ 287, revealing a sharply curved plasma jet. The observation, made using a virtual telescope spanning multiple Earth diameters, supports the presence of two merging supermassive black holes at its heart. This breakthrough provides new insights into the extreme energies and structures around such cosmic phenomena.

Rogue black hole produces fastest radio signals outside galaxy center

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.

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.