Astronomical Discoveries
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Astronomers Discover A Massive Distant Spiral Galaxy from the Early Universe
Astronomers, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), have identified Zhúlóng, a massive spiral galaxy with a redshift of 5.2. This discovery places the galaxy in a time when the universe was under a billion years old, providing critical insights into early galactic formation. Zhúlóng, named after a mythical Chinese dragon, spans 62,000 lig...
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Karnal Students Recognised by NASA for Discovering Main Belt Asteroid TD40
12 students and two teachers from Dyal Singh Public School in Karnal have been honoured by NASA’s International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) for discovering a main belt asteroid, TD40. The team, under the guidance of Principal Sushma Devgun and Dr Kaveri Chauhan, also registered 11 near-Earth objects. Diksha, a Class XI student, was r...
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Top 5 Black Hole Discoveries of 2024: Plasma Jet, Intermediate Black Hole, and More
Scientists have unveiled extraordinary discoveries about black holes, offering new insights into their evolution and impact on the universe. Among these findings is the potential detection of an intermediate black hole near Sagittarius A*, bridging the gap between stellar-mass and supermassive black holes. The James Webb Space Telescope observed a ...
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5 Major Ancient Egyptian Discoveries in 2024: Rare Artefacts, Rituals, Ancient Medical Insights, and More
Throughout 2024, Egypt's archaeological sites revealed groundbreaking discoveries, including the first known astronomical observatory, evidence of hallucinogenic rituals, and ancient medical practices. Highlights include the intact tomb of Idi, a governor’s daughter, gold tongues believed to aid afterlife communication, and a 4,500-year-old skull...
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Astronomers Spot New Cosmic Explosions 100 Times Brighter Than the Sun
Astronomers have discovered a new class of cosmic explosions, known as 'millinovas,' which are 100 times brighter than the Sun. These events, first identified in 2023, were observed in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. The millinovas are thought to occur when white dwarfs feed off a companion star, prod...
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FAST Telescope Detects New Pulsar PSR J1922+37 in Open Cluster NGC 6791
Astronomers, using China's FAST telescope, have detected a new pulsar, PSR J1922+37, in the direction of the open cluster NGC 6791. This 1.92-second spin pulsar may become the first-ever identified within an open cluster, offering exciting opportunities for understanding stellar dynamics. Its position and dispersion measures closely align with the ...
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Binary Star System D9 Found Orbiting Sagittarius A* Near Milky Way’s Core
Astronomers have detected a young binary star system, D9, orbiting Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's centre. This challenges previous assumptions about star survival near intense gravitational forces. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. Future research with advanced tel...
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James Webb Telescope Spots 138 New Asteroids in the Main Belt, Some Heading Towards Earth
Astronomers have discovered 138 new asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These decametre-sized asteroids, some of which are on paths that could bring them close to Earth, were identified through a new computational technique. The discovery enhances our understanding of small space...
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Scientists From India, A Telescope In Chile, And An Astronomical Discovery
Astronomers from India have made an intriguing discovery in a unique tri-star solar system located 489 light years from Earth. The discovery will help astrophysicists get a better understanding of planetary formations.
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Arecibo Observatory Data Helps SETI Uncover Secrets of Pulsar Signals and Cosmic Distortions
Data from the now-collapsed Arecibo Observatory continues to drive major discoveries in space science. Sofia Sheikh and her team from the SETI Institute utilised archived data to investigate the signals of pulsars—dense neutron stars emitting radiation like cosmic lighthouses. Their study focused on how these signals are distorted by interstellar...
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Scientists Discover First Astrosphere Around Sunlike Star: What You Need to Know?
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting the first-ever astrosphere around a sunlike star. The astrosphere, a protective bubble formed by stellar wind, was detected around HD 61005, providing insights into early solar activity and its role in shielding planets from cosmic radiation. This discovery offers a glimpse into the Sun'...
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NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Fourth Planet in Kepler-51 System
A study published in The Astronomical Journal reveals the discovery of Kepler-51e, the fourth planet in the Kepler-51 system, led by Dr Jessica Libby-Roberts of Penn State and Dr Kento Masuda of Osaka University. Observations indicated that only a four-planet model could explain the transit timing variations. Kepler-51e’s orbit, just inside the s...
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Crab Nebula’s Strange Zebra Pattern Pulsars Could Be Due to Its Unusual Plasma Density
The Crab Nebula, home to the Crab Pulsar, has long fascinated astronomers due to its unique zebra-like radiation pattern. This strange emission, which has puzzled researchers since its discovery in 2007, is now explained by new research. A team led by Mikhail Medvedev, a physicist at the University of Kansas, uncovered that the unusual pattern is c...
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This Alien Planet Has Astronomers Puzzled. Defies Current Understanding Of Physics
Astronomers have spotted orbiting around a young star a newborn planet that took only 3 million years to form - quite swift in cosmic terms - in a discovery that challenges the current understanding of the speed of planetary formation.
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Here's How James Webb Space Telescope Helps Us Look Back in Time
The James Webb Space Telescope allows astronomers to explore the universe’s history by observing light that has travelled across billions of light-years. This unique capability enables scientists to see how galaxies, stars, and other celestial bodies appeared billions of years ago, offering a glimpse into the early stages of the universe. By stud...
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Astronomers Discover A Massive Distant Spiral Galaxy from the Early Universe
Astronomers, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), have identified Zhúlóng, a massive spiral galaxy with a redshift of 5.2. This discovery places the galaxy in a time when the universe was under a billion years old, providing critical insights into early galactic formation. Zhúlóng, named after a mythical Chinese dragon, spans 62,000 lig...
-
Karnal Students Recognised by NASA for Discovering Main Belt Asteroid TD40
12 students and two teachers from Dyal Singh Public School in Karnal have been honoured by NASA’s International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) for discovering a main belt asteroid, TD40. The team, under the guidance of Principal Sushma Devgun and Dr Kaveri Chauhan, also registered 11 near-Earth objects. Diksha, a Class XI student, was r...
-
Top 5 Black Hole Discoveries of 2024: Plasma Jet, Intermediate Black Hole, and More
Scientists have unveiled extraordinary discoveries about black holes, offering new insights into their evolution and impact on the universe. Among these findings is the potential detection of an intermediate black hole near Sagittarius A*, bridging the gap between stellar-mass and supermassive black holes. The James Webb Space Telescope observed a ...
-
5 Major Ancient Egyptian Discoveries in 2024: Rare Artefacts, Rituals, Ancient Medical Insights, and More
Throughout 2024, Egypt's archaeological sites revealed groundbreaking discoveries, including the first known astronomical observatory, evidence of hallucinogenic rituals, and ancient medical practices. Highlights include the intact tomb of Idi, a governor’s daughter, gold tongues believed to aid afterlife communication, and a 4,500-year-old skull...
-
Astronomers Spot New Cosmic Explosions 100 Times Brighter Than the Sun
Astronomers have discovered a new class of cosmic explosions, known as 'millinovas,' which are 100 times brighter than the Sun. These events, first identified in 2023, were observed in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. The millinovas are thought to occur when white dwarfs feed off a companion star, prod...
-
FAST Telescope Detects New Pulsar PSR J1922+37 in Open Cluster NGC 6791
Astronomers, using China's FAST telescope, have detected a new pulsar, PSR J1922+37, in the direction of the open cluster NGC 6791. This 1.92-second spin pulsar may become the first-ever identified within an open cluster, offering exciting opportunities for understanding stellar dynamics. Its position and dispersion measures closely align with the ...
-
Binary Star System D9 Found Orbiting Sagittarius A* Near Milky Way’s Core
Astronomers have detected a young binary star system, D9, orbiting Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's centre. This challenges previous assumptions about star survival near intense gravitational forces. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. Future research with advanced tel...
-
James Webb Telescope Spots 138 New Asteroids in the Main Belt, Some Heading Towards Earth
Astronomers have discovered 138 new asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These decametre-sized asteroids, some of which are on paths that could bring them close to Earth, were identified through a new computational technique. The discovery enhances our understanding of small space...
-
Scientists From India, A Telescope In Chile, And An Astronomical Discovery
Astronomers from India have made an intriguing discovery in a unique tri-star solar system located 489 light years from Earth. The discovery will help astrophysicists get a better understanding of planetary formations.
-
Arecibo Observatory Data Helps SETI Uncover Secrets of Pulsar Signals and Cosmic Distortions
Data from the now-collapsed Arecibo Observatory continues to drive major discoveries in space science. Sofia Sheikh and her team from the SETI Institute utilised archived data to investigate the signals of pulsars—dense neutron stars emitting radiation like cosmic lighthouses. Their study focused on how these signals are distorted by interstellar...
-
Scientists Discover First Astrosphere Around Sunlike Star: What You Need to Know?
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting the first-ever astrosphere around a sunlike star. The astrosphere, a protective bubble formed by stellar wind, was detected around HD 61005, providing insights into early solar activity and its role in shielding planets from cosmic radiation. This discovery offers a glimpse into the Sun'...
-
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Fourth Planet in Kepler-51 System
A study published in The Astronomical Journal reveals the discovery of Kepler-51e, the fourth planet in the Kepler-51 system, led by Dr Jessica Libby-Roberts of Penn State and Dr Kento Masuda of Osaka University. Observations indicated that only a four-planet model could explain the transit timing variations. Kepler-51e’s orbit, just inside the s...
-
Crab Nebula’s Strange Zebra Pattern Pulsars Could Be Due to Its Unusual Plasma Density
The Crab Nebula, home to the Crab Pulsar, has long fascinated astronomers due to its unique zebra-like radiation pattern. This strange emission, which has puzzled researchers since its discovery in 2007, is now explained by new research. A team led by Mikhail Medvedev, a physicist at the University of Kansas, uncovered that the unusual pattern is c...
-
This Alien Planet Has Astronomers Puzzled. Defies Current Understanding Of Physics
Astronomers have spotted orbiting around a young star a newborn planet that took only 3 million years to form - quite swift in cosmic terms - in a discovery that challenges the current understanding of the speed of planetary formation.
-
Here's How James Webb Space Telescope Helps Us Look Back in Time
The James Webb Space Telescope allows astronomers to explore the universe’s history by observing light that has travelled across billions of light-years. This unique capability enables scientists to see how galaxies, stars, and other celestial bodies appeared billions of years ago, offering a glimpse into the early stages of the universe. By stud...
