Astronomy

Astronomy

Cosmic Dawn

New computer simulations suggest that the first stars in the universe were extremely massive and left behind gamma-ray bursts that may already have been detected by telescopes orbiting Earth.

Astronomy

More evidence for a revved-up universe

By studying the clustering pattern of galaxies, astronomers have obtained additional evidence that cosmic expansion is accelerating.

Astronomy

Heavenly Taffy: Galaxies in collision

Astronomers have discovered a pair of colliding galaxies connected by a bridge of high-speed electrons and elongated magnetic fields.

Astronomy

Physics-astronomy merger wins big

A new report recommends fostering the extraordinary collaboration taking place between particle physics and astronomy.

Astronomy

Sharper Images: New Hubble camera goes the distance

Astronomers have unveiled a picture of the distant universe that ranks as the sharpest and most detailed ever recorded.

Astronomy

Faded Stars Get New Role: Hubble takes a long look

By setting their sights on the galaxy's faintest stars, scientists have calculated the universe's age to be between 13 billion and 14 billion years old.

Astronomy

Elliptical duet rides the Kuiper belt

Follow-up observations of an icy object in the Kuiper belt and its moon reveal that the two bodies revolve about each other in the most elongated orbit of any pair of objects in the solar system.

Astronomy

Dusty Disks May Reveal Hidden Worlds

Images of gaps, rings, arcs, warps, and clumps in disks of dusty debris surrounding nearby stars are providing new clues about the nature of planets that lie beyond the solar system.

Astronomy

Super Wallops: Tracking the origin of cosmic rays

Two new studies shed light on the longstanding mystery of where cosmic rays—the energetic charged particles that bombard our galaxy—originate.

Astronomy

Strange Stars? Odd features hint at novel matter

Two stellar corpses thought to be made of neutrons may actually contain weird forms of matter never observed before.

Astronomy

Cosmic Remodeling: Superwinds star in early universe

New measurements reveal that some of the earliest galaxies in the universe produced winds so powerful and persistent that they blew material from one galaxy to another, temporarily separating dark matter from visible matter and profoundly influencing the evolution of future generations of galaxies.

Astronomy

Gamma-Ray Burst: A black hole is born

New evidence supports the notion that gamma-ray bursts, the most violent explosions in the universe, are the primal calling cards of newborn black holes.