Cosmic Observations
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NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launching Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to Explore Cosmic Evolution
NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, launching on Feb 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, will map the entire sky in infrared, observing 450 million galaxies and 100 million Milky Way stars. The mission aims to uncover the large-scale structure of the universe, track icy molecules in interstellar space, and study cosmic inflation. Equipped with a spectrophotometer...
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NASA Supercomputer Finds Spiral Structure in the Oort Cloud’s Inner Region
A NASA supercomputer model suggests that the Oort Cloud’s inner structure forms a spiral, influenced by galactic tides. The Oort Cloud, a distant icy shell surrounding the solar system, has remained unobservable due to its vast distance. Researchers believe this finding could redefine understanding of how comets originate and interact with cosmic...
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Astronomers Spot Galaxy NGC 3640 With a Past of Consuming Smaller Galaxies
Recent observations of NGC 3640 reveal a history of merging with smaller galaxies. Located 88 million light-years away, the elliptical galaxy is suspected to be on a collision course with NGC 3641. The Very Large Telescope captured structural distortions, hinting at previous mergers. Researchers have identified ancient stars acting as fossil marker...
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Unusual X-ray Flash in Large Magellanic Cloud Puzzles Astronomers
A brief yet intense X-ray flash, XRT 200515, was detected in NASA's Chandra telescope data from 2000. The signal, originating from the Large Magellanic Cloud, has left scientists debating its cause. Possible explanations include a neutron star pulling in gas from a companion star or a powerful flare from a distant magnetar. Researchers also specula...
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Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know
The universe's large-scale uniformity is under scrutiny through weak gravitational lensing. Researchers are analysing data from the Euclid Space Telescope to detect potential anisotropies in cosmic expansion. If confirmed, these findings could challenge the fundamental Cosmological Principle, which assumes the universe has no preferred direction. T...
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Hubble Spots Distant Supernova in Gemini, Enhancing Cosmic Distance Studies
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of SN 2022aajn, a Type Ia supernova in the constellation Gemini. Located 600 million light-years away, the explosion was first detected in November 2022. Type Ia supernovae serve as essential cosmic distance markers due to their predictable brightness. Hubble’s observations, part o...
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JWST Detects Unexpectedly Massive Black Holes in the Early Universe
A new study led by Jorryt Matthee of ISTA reveals that black holes in early galaxies were significantly more massive than expected. Using JWST data, researchers found that some black holes accounted for nearly 10% of their galaxy's stellar mass—far exceeding the 0.01% ratio seen in modern galaxies. The findings challenge existing growth models, s...
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New Cosmic Surveys Reveal Unexpected Clues About Universe’s Evolution
A new study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics reveals a potential discrepancy in the expected clumpiness of cosmic structures. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analysed data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (...
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Vera C. Rubin Observatory to Detect Millions of Exploding Stars
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, set to begin its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) later this year, will track millions of Type Ia supernovae to advance our understanding of dark energy. These supernovae, resulting from white dwarf stars in binary systems, will be studied in detail to provide crucial data on the universe’s acceleratin...
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Invisible Boson Stars Could Hold the Key to Dark Matter's Mysteries
Boson stars, invisible celestial objects theorised to form from axions, are now at the centre of dark matter research. Axions, light and wave-like bosons, may cluster under gravity, forming these mysterious entities. Unlike normal stars, boson stars neither emit light nor interact with regular matter in observable ways. With sizes ranging from smal...
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Astronomers Spot Hundreds of Hidden Supermassive Black Holes Using Infrared
Hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes have been identified using infrared observations, offering fresh insights into their role in galaxy formation. Researchers relied on data from NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) to detect emissions from black holes obscured by thick clouds ...
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Astronomers Observe Black Hole Reactivate, Emitting Jets of Plasma
A supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy 1ES 1927+654 has been observed reactivating after a quiet period. Jets of hot gas were released from both sides of the black hole, surprising astronomers. Researchers speculate that a white dwarf star in close orbit may be interacting with the black hole, providing key insights into cosmic behavior....
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Astronomers Uncover New Details of CIZA0107 Galaxy Cluster Merger with VLA
A team of astronomers, led by Emma Schwartzmann from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, used the Very Large Array (VLA) to study the nearby galaxy cluster merger CIZA J0107.7+5408 (CIZA0107). The observations provided new insights into the dynamics of galaxy mergers, revealing a disturbed system with two subclusters and diffuse radio emission span...
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Thunderstorms May Skew Ultra-High-Energy Gamma Ray Measurements, Experts Warn
The detection of ultra-high-energy gamma rays by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) in Tibet has sparked debate over the accuracy of the findings. Experts suggest that thunderstorms could interfere with measurements by amplifying particle showers in the atmosphere, leading to overestimated gamma ray energy levels. A study by As...
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MeerKAT Detects Gravitational Wave Background, Uncovering Cosmic Activity
Scientists using the MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array have made a groundbreaking discovery, confirming the presence of a gravitational wave background in the universe. This unexpected phenomenon, detected with unprecedented precision, suggests that supermassive black hole collisions may occur more frequently than previously thought. By observing the sig...
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NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launching Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to Explore Cosmic Evolution
NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, launching on Feb 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, will map the entire sky in infrared, observing 450 million galaxies and 100 million Milky Way stars. The mission aims to uncover the large-scale structure of the universe, track icy molecules in interstellar space, and study cosmic inflation. Equipped with a spectrophotometer...
-
NASA Supercomputer Finds Spiral Structure in the Oort Cloud’s Inner Region
A NASA supercomputer model suggests that the Oort Cloud’s inner structure forms a spiral, influenced by galactic tides. The Oort Cloud, a distant icy shell surrounding the solar system, has remained unobservable due to its vast distance. Researchers believe this finding could redefine understanding of how comets originate and interact with cosmic...
-
Astronomers Spot Galaxy NGC 3640 With a Past of Consuming Smaller Galaxies
Recent observations of NGC 3640 reveal a history of merging with smaller galaxies. Located 88 million light-years away, the elliptical galaxy is suspected to be on a collision course with NGC 3641. The Very Large Telescope captured structural distortions, hinting at previous mergers. Researchers have identified ancient stars acting as fossil marker...
-
Unusual X-ray Flash in Large Magellanic Cloud Puzzles Astronomers
A brief yet intense X-ray flash, XRT 200515, was detected in NASA's Chandra telescope data from 2000. The signal, originating from the Large Magellanic Cloud, has left scientists debating its cause. Possible explanations include a neutron star pulling in gas from a companion star or a powerful flare from a distant magnetar. Researchers also specula...
-
Weak Gravitational Lensing Examines Universe’s Structure: What You Need to Know
The universe's large-scale uniformity is under scrutiny through weak gravitational lensing. Researchers are analysing data from the Euclid Space Telescope to detect potential anisotropies in cosmic expansion. If confirmed, these findings could challenge the fundamental Cosmological Principle, which assumes the universe has no preferred direction. T...
-
Hubble Spots Distant Supernova in Gemini, Enhancing Cosmic Distance Studies
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of SN 2022aajn, a Type Ia supernova in the constellation Gemini. Located 600 million light-years away, the explosion was first detected in November 2022. Type Ia supernovae serve as essential cosmic distance markers due to their predictable brightness. Hubble’s observations, part o...
-
JWST Detects Unexpectedly Massive Black Holes in the Early Universe
A new study led by Jorryt Matthee of ISTA reveals that black holes in early galaxies were significantly more massive than expected. Using JWST data, researchers found that some black holes accounted for nearly 10% of their galaxy's stellar mass—far exceeding the 0.01% ratio seen in modern galaxies. The findings challenge existing growth models, s...
-
New Cosmic Surveys Reveal Unexpected Clues About Universe’s Evolution
A new study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics reveals a potential discrepancy in the expected clumpiness of cosmic structures. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analysed data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (...
-
Vera C. Rubin Observatory to Detect Millions of Exploding Stars
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, set to begin its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) later this year, will track millions of Type Ia supernovae to advance our understanding of dark energy. These supernovae, resulting from white dwarf stars in binary systems, will be studied in detail to provide crucial data on the universe’s acceleratin...
-
Invisible Boson Stars Could Hold the Key to Dark Matter's Mysteries
Boson stars, invisible celestial objects theorised to form from axions, are now at the centre of dark matter research. Axions, light and wave-like bosons, may cluster under gravity, forming these mysterious entities. Unlike normal stars, boson stars neither emit light nor interact with regular matter in observable ways. With sizes ranging from smal...
-
Astronomers Spot Hundreds of Hidden Supermassive Black Holes Using Infrared
Hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes have been identified using infrared observations, offering fresh insights into their role in galaxy formation. Researchers relied on data from NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) to detect emissions from black holes obscured by thick clouds ...
-
Astronomers Observe Black Hole Reactivate, Emitting Jets of Plasma
A supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy 1ES 1927+654 has been observed reactivating after a quiet period. Jets of hot gas were released from both sides of the black hole, surprising astronomers. Researchers speculate that a white dwarf star in close orbit may be interacting with the black hole, providing key insights into cosmic behavior....
-
Astronomers Uncover New Details of CIZA0107 Galaxy Cluster Merger with VLA
A team of astronomers, led by Emma Schwartzmann from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, used the Very Large Array (VLA) to study the nearby galaxy cluster merger CIZA J0107.7+5408 (CIZA0107). The observations provided new insights into the dynamics of galaxy mergers, revealing a disturbed system with two subclusters and diffuse radio emission span...
-
Thunderstorms May Skew Ultra-High-Energy Gamma Ray Measurements, Experts Warn
The detection of ultra-high-energy gamma rays by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) in Tibet has sparked debate over the accuracy of the findings. Experts suggest that thunderstorms could interfere with measurements by amplifying particle showers in the atmosphere, leading to overestimated gamma ray energy levels. A study by As...
-
MeerKAT Detects Gravitational Wave Background, Uncovering Cosmic Activity
Scientists using the MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array have made a groundbreaking discovery, confirming the presence of a gravitational wave background in the universe. This unexpected phenomenon, detected with unprecedented precision, suggests that supermassive black hole collisions may occur more frequently than previously thought. By observing the sig...
