Astronomers discover an unusual star with two spiral arms
Astronomers using the ALMA Observatory have discovered an unusual, massive star near the center of our galaxy, a star that has two spiral arms. The...
Liquid water could exist for billions of years on non-Earth-like planets
Low-mass planets with a primordial atmosphere of hydrogen and helium might have the temperatures and pressures that allow water in the liquid phase. The...
This star not only survived a supernova, but also became brighter
A supernova is the catastrophic explosion of a star. Thermonuclear supernovae, in particular, signal the complete destruction of a white dwarf star, leaving nothing behind. At...
Astronomers find a brand-new pulsar that’s probably less than 14 years old
Neutron stars are dense remnants of large stars. They are the collapsed cores of stars formed during a supernova explosion. While we know generally how...
New picture reveals the death of hypergiant stars
Astronomers have created a detailed, three-dimensional image of a dying hypergiant star. The team traced the distribution, directions, and velocities of a variety of molecules...
Scientists help unravel surprise asteroid mystery
When asteroid 2019 OK suddenly appeared barreling toward Earth on July 25, 2019, Luisa Fernanda Zambrano-Marin and the team at the Arecibo Observatory in...
Scientists find particle accelerator region inside a solar flare
Solar flares are among the most violent explosions in the solar system. But despite their immense energy -- equivalent to a hundred billion atomic bombs...
Scientists map sulfur residue on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa
Scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to observe Jupiter’s moon, Europa, at ultraviolet wavelengths, filling in a “gap” in the various wavelengths used to...
Why Uranus is lighter in color than Neptune
Neptune and Uranus are similar in size and atmospheric conditions but curiously, Neptune is a darker shade of blue. Astronomers used observations from the international...
New study reveals life forms that could survive on Mars
The extremely salty, very cold, and almost oxygen-free environment under the permafrost of Lost Hammer Spring in Canada’s High Arctic is the one that...