Astronomy

Astronomers have identified a hidden white dwarf companion as the source of extreme X-rays from the naked-eye star Gamma Cassiopeiae. Observations from Japan's XRISM space telescope revealed the companion's orbital motion through shifting plasma velocities. The discovery confirms a long-predicted class of binary star systems.

25 Mwezi wa tatu, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

A team led by Professor Lisa Kaltenegger at Cornell University has pinpointed 45 rocky exoplanets in the habitable zones of their stars, where liquid water might exist. The research, drawing on data from ESA's Gaia mission and NASA's Exoplanet Archive, highlights prime targets for the search for extraterrestrial life. Published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the study also notes 24 additional candidates in a stricter habitable zone.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected water in the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with deuterium levels 30 to 40 times higher than in Earth's oceans. This heavy hydrogen ratio exceeds that of any known solar system comet by at least 10 times. The findings suggest the comet originated from a cold, distant region around an ancient alien star.

17 Mwezi wa tatu, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Scientists led by Fumihiro Naokawa have developed a new method to measure cosmic birefringence more precisely, a subtle rotation in the polarization of the cosmic microwave background. Their analysis indicates the birefringence angle may exceed the earlier estimate of 0.3 degrees due to phase ambiguity. The findings, published in Physical Review Letters, could aid in probing new physics related to dark matter and dark energy.