Astronomy
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Astronomy
Starry View: Image reveals galaxy’s violent past
The most detailed visible-light picture ever taken of the heavens reveals that the nearby Andromeda galaxy has had a much more violent history than our own Milky Way has.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Fast-track planet
Astronomers have found a planet that's the closest yet known to its parent star, whipping around the star every 28.5 hours.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Chemistry of the Cosmos: Quasars illuminate the young universe
Measuring the composition of some of the earliest structures in the universe, two teams of astronomers have unveiled new findings about star formation in the young cosmos.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Telescope takes close-ups of distant star
Radio astronomers have for the first time probed ejected gas in the immediate surroundings of a distant star.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Young pulsar has a split personality
A new pulsar, the youngest discovered to date, unexpectedly exhibits properties of both regular pulsars and a recently explored class of supermagnetic pulsars, the magnetars.
By Ruth Bennett -
Astronomy
Big, Bigger . . . Biggest?
Galaxy map reveals the limits of cosmic structure.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Echoes of a stellar outburst
Light from the outburst of a star has revealed its dusty surroundings.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Comet LINEAR: Breaking up isn’t hard to do
New images reveal that Comet LINEAR, which passed near the sun late last month, has broken into at least 10 fragments.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Once Upon a Time in the Cosmos: Using distant galaxies to study the early universe
Peering far back in time, two teams of astronomers report that they have found some of the universe's earliest galaxies.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
All-sky survey makes Internet debut
An atlas of some 5 million images from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey is now available online.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Evidence grows for nearby planetary system
Astronomers have found the nearest known planet that lies outside the solar system, a mere 10.5 light-years from Earth.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Cosmic Blowout: Black holes spew as much as they consume
Supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies can blow out as much material as they swallow, creating high-speed winds that may seed the universe with oxygen, carbon, iron, and other elements essential for life.
By Ron Cowen