A recent study reveals that the orbital motions of widely separated binary stars, or “wide binaries,” break the standard model of gravity at low accelerations.…
Could this supermassive black hole form just by direct collapse?
Almost every galaxy in the universe contains a supermassive black hole. Even galaxies that are billions of light years away. This means that supermassive black…
Dark matter is still ‘dark’: scientists are using atomic clocks to shed new light
Astronomical observations indicate that dark matter, which makes up more than 80% of all matter, interacts only gravitationally with visible matter. The PTB researchers used…
TRAPPIST-1 EXOPLANETS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HABITABLE THAN SCIENTISTS THOUGHT
A new computer model that simulates the evolution of planetary atmospheres has discovered that water could have survived on some planets in the fascinating planetary…
Gravitational waves can reveal the nature of dark matter
Observing gravitational waves from merging black holes may reveal new insights into dark matter, a study led by University College London suggests. The research, published…
Quadruple stellar system linked in the same nucleus
G206.93-16.61E2 is close to the reflection nebula NGC 2023 in the Orion B molecular cloud. The zoom-in pictures show the 1.3mm continuum emission (blue) and…
Will Earth be swallowed up by a black hole?
Black holes are famous for their immense gravity: they can swallow stars, planets, and even other black holes. But could a black hole consume the…
Study discovers three baby stars powered by spiral gas arms
An international team of researchers has discovered how three child stars are powered by spiral arms of gas in a triple protostar system. The team…
NASA’s distant spacecraft captures incredibly impressive views of the volcanic world
A new image of the volcanic moon Io captured by NASA’s Juno probe. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Thomas Thomopoulos (CC BY…
Astronomers discover an exoplanet the size of Jupiter with unusual characteristics
The unprecedented features of the gas giant, named TOI-4860 b, surprised astronomers. The unusual find was first identified using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. An…