Galaxies and Cosmology
34 reportsStar formation history, galaxy formation, and dark matter halos provide separate checks. Together they examine how galaxies form and evolve and how dark matter shapes galaxies, showing how sparse measurements or incomplete records limit certainty.
Webb Telescope Detects Water and Dust Near Milky Way's Black Hole
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified water and silicate dust around a dying star less than 0.6 light-years from Sagittarius A*, challenging assumptions about molecule survival near supermassive black holes
Black Hole Winds Drive Turbulence Far Beyond Host Galaxy
Observations with Japan's XRISM X-ray satellite reveal that outflows from a supermassive black hole in a distant quasar are far more powerful than previously estimated, stirring hot gas across intergalactic space
Webb Telescope Resolves Closest Black Hole Pair in Early Universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA have identified two supermassive black holes just 4,900 light-years apart in a galaxy merger 1.3 billion years after the Big Bang, offering new insight into rapid black hole growth
eROSITA X-ray Survey Nearly Doubles Known High-Energy Cosmic Sources
The eROSITA X-ray telescope's latest data release catalogs nearly 2 million X-ray sources, offering an unprecedented view of black holes, galaxy clusters, and stellar remnants across the universe
NASA's Roman Space Telescope Targets Dark Energy and Exoplanets
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set for launch in 2026, will use infrared instruments to investigate dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets from a stable orbit 1.5 million kilometers from Earth
Astronomers Map 4 Billion Cosmic Objects in Largest 2D Sky Survey
A new 2D map of the universe, built from 13 years of ground and space-based observations, catalogs 4 billion stars, galaxies, and other objects, offering an unprecedented resource for future astronomical research
Hubble Data Links Andromeda's Star Formation Slowdown to Nearby Galaxy
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have mapped a sharp decline in star formation across the Andromeda galaxy, with evidence pointing to gravitational influence from its smaller neighbor, M32
Radio Surveys Reveal Millions More Milky Way Stars Searched for SETI
A new analysis using the Besançon Galactic Model suggests that radio telescopes have surveyed over 6 million stars for extraterrestrial signals, far exceeding previous estimates based on star catalogues
Hubble Finds Andromeda's Star Formation Is Winding Down
A Hubble analysis of about 200 million stars shows Andromeda has sharply reduced its star-making rate over the past 500 million years, while NASA's Roman telescope prepares to map the galaxy more completely
Webb Telescope Maps Dusty Structures in Active Galaxy Centaurus A
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed mid-infrared image of Centaurus A, revealing complex dust lanes and energetic activity in this nearby galaxy using its MIRI instrument
NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for Early Launch to L2 Orbit
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for launch on August 30, aiming to deliver wide-field infrared surveys and exoplanet imaging from a stable orbit beyond the Moon
Webb Telescope Study Links Little Red Dots to Black Hole Activity
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have traced the origins of mysterious 'little red dots' in deep space, suggesting these compact sources are linked to phases of intense supermassive black hole activity
Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals hot gas from early quasar
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected extremely hot gas surrounding a distant, radio-quiet quasar, offering new insight into the formation of galactic cluster atmospheres in the early universe
Dwarf Galaxy DF9 Found Without Dark Matter After Cosmic Collision
Astronomers using the Keck Cosmic Web Imager have identified a faint dwarf galaxy, DF9, that appears to lack dark matter, supporting the idea that galactic collisions can separate dark and visible matter
Milky Way Disk May Have Flipped, Altering Solar System's Orbit
Supercomputer simulations suggest the Milky Way's spiral disk may have rotated by 90 degrees in the distant past, potentially changing the solar system's path and explaining the galaxy's unusually slow stellar halo rotation
NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for 2026 Launch to L2 Orbit
NASA has fueled the Roman Space Telescope, a next-generation infrared observatory scheduled for launch in August 2026, aiming to collect hundreds of terabytes of cosmic data annually and expand studies of dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets
Swift Observatory Detects Black Hole Consuming Star Far From Galaxy Core
NASA's Swift Observatory has observed a rare tidal disruption event caused by a supermassive black hole devouring a star on the outskirts of a distant galaxy, challenging assumptions about where such events occur
Chandra X-ray Data Reveal Black Hole Jet Disrupting Early Galaxy
Astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory have detected a jet from a supermassive black hole disturbing gas in a distant galaxy known as the 'red potato,' offering new insight into how black holes can suppress star formation in the early universe
Ejected Matter May Account for Universe's Missing Baryons
Researchers analyzing intergalactic space have identified a significant fraction of the universe's missing ordinary matter, suggesting that violent galactic outflows may have expelled it beyond galaxies' boundaries
What a Parsec Really Measures in Astronomy and Why It Matters
Astronomers use the parsec to measure vast cosmic distances, relying on precise observations of stellar parallax to determine how far away stars are from Earth. The unit is central to mapping the Milky Way and beyond
Hubble Reveals Asymmetric Spiral Galaxy Shaped by Cluster Forces
A new Hubble Space Telescope image captures NGC 4654, a spiral galaxy in Virgo, showing dramatic asymmetry caused by ram pressure stripping and past gravitational encounters
Webb Telescope Links 'Little Red Dots' to Ancient Star Clusters
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have traced mysterious 'Little Red Dots' in the early universe to the possible origins of globular clusters, offering new clues about how these dense stellar systems formed
Webb Telescope Reveals How Early Galaxies Produced Cosmic Dust
Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to study a nearby dwarf galaxy, uncovering how ancient galaxies enriched the early universe with stardust essential for star and galaxy formation
Possible Twin Supernova Remnants Identified in the Jellyfish Nebula
Astronomers analyzing data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and other observatories have found evidence suggesting both stars in a binary system exploded as supernovae, leaving overlapping remnants in the IC 443 region
Webb Telescope Reveals 4.4-Billion-Year-Old Galaxy Cluster in Formation
The James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the young galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342, capturing light that began its journey 4.4 billion years ago and offering new insight into the assembly of large-scale cosmic structures
Detection of Four-Carbon Sugar Molecule in Interstellar Space
Researchers have identified the sugar molecule erythrulose in a molecular cloud near the Milky Way's center using radio telescopes, providing new evidence that complex organic compounds can form in interstellar environments under extreme conditions
Magnetic Field of Galaxy Cluster Abell 2255 Mapped in Unprecedented Detail
Astronomers have reconstructed the magnetic field structure of the galaxy cluster Abell 2255 using deep radio observations from LOFAR, revealing how gas dynamics shape cosmic magnetism across millions of light-years
Webb data links early red dots to UV-bright companions and black hole seeds
A new analysis of James Webb Space Telescope images suggests that compact 'little red dots' in the early universe may form near ultraviolet-bright companions, offering a possible route to the rapid birth of supermassive black holes
Webb Telescope Maps Gas Feeding a Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have mapped gas flows around a supermassive black hole, revealing a self-regulating cycle that may explain rapid black hole growth in the early universe
Webb Telescope Uses Gravitational Lensing to Reveal Ancient Galaxies
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of the galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342, using gravitational lensing to magnify galaxies from the universe's first billion years
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