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UrduAdam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at The Ohio State University, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Henry Draper Medal.
Tag: Astronomy
Black Hole Explorer Hopes to Reveal New Details of Supermassive Black Holes
A new agreement between the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) and the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) will help the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) take its next steps – into space.
The EHT made headlines around the world in 2019 after it took the first images of a black hole, and then in 2022, imaged the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. The Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) mission would extend this work by combining several of NRAO’s ground-based radio antennas with a space-based telescope to produce the most detailed images in history. BHEX would allow scientists to reveal the light that orbits the edge of a black hole before it escapes, known as a photon ring.
A BLACK HOLE JET STUMBLES INTO SOMETHING IN THE DARK
Even matter ejected by black holes can run into objects in the dark. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have found an unusual mark from a giant black hole’s powerful jet striking an unidentified object in its path.
Astronomers Discover Magnetic Loops Around Supermassive Black Hole
NGC 1068 is a well-known, relatively nearby, bright galaxy with a supermassive black hole at its center. Despite its status as a popular target for astronomers, however, its accretion disk is obscured by thick clouds of dust and gas. A few light-years in diameter, the outer accretion disk is dotted by hundreds of distinct water maser sources that hinted for decades at deeper structures. Masers are distinct beacons of electromagnetic radiation that shine in microwave or radio wavelengths; in radio astronomy, water masers observed at a frequency of 22 GHz are particularly useful because they can shine through much of the dust and gas that obscures optical wavelengths.
Led by astronomer Jack Gallimore of Bucknell University, an international team of astronomers and students set out to observe NGC 1068 with twin goals in mind: astrometric mapping of the galaxy’s radio continuum and measurements of polarization for its water masers. “NGC 1068 is a bit of a VIP among active galaxies,”
Bringing dark comets to light
Where did Earth’s water come from? It’s a fundamental scientific question that has never been answered. In fact, NASA reports that we can only observe and understand 5% of the universe — with a whopping 95% remaining a complete mystery because of unobservable dark matter and dark energy.
UC Irvine researchers reveal superconductivity secrets of an iron-based material
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 5, 2024 — Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have uncovered the atomic-scale mechanics that enhance superconductivity in an iron-based material, a finding published recently in Nature. Using advanced spectroscopy instruments housed in the UC Irvine Materials Research Institute, the researchers were able to image atom vibrations and thereby observe new phonons –quasiparticles that carry thermal energy –at the interface of an iron selenide (FeSe) ultrathin film layered on a strontium titanate (STO) substrate.
Novel supernova observations grant astronomers a peek into the cosmic past
An international team of researchers has made new observations of an unusual supernova, finding the most metal-poor stellar explosion ever observed.
Astronomers’ theory of how galaxies formed may be upended
The standard model for how galaxies formed in the early universe predicted that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would see dim signals from small, primitive galaxies. But data are not confirming the popular hypothesis that invisible dark matter helped the earliest stars and galaxies clump together.
Scientists prepare for the most ambitious sky survey yet, anticipating new insight on dark matter and dark energy
Argonne scientists are contributing to the success of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time through advanced simulation, analysis and collaborative partnership.
PLANETS BEWARE: NASA UNBURIES DANGER ZONES OF STAR CLUSTER
Most stars form in collections, called clusters or associations, that include very massive stars. These giant stars send out large amounts of high-energy radiation, which can disrupt relatively fragile disks of dust and gas that are in the process of coalescing to form new planets.
A team of astronomers used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, in combination with ultraviolet, optical, and infrared data, to show where some of the most treacherous places in a star cluster may be, where planets’ chances to form are diminished.
A Cosmic Chemical Breakthrough: Astronomers Discover New Building Blocks for Complex Organic Matter
The element carbon is a building block for life, both on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the vast reaches of space. There should be a lot of carbon in space, but surprisingly, it’s not always easy to find. While it can be observed in many places, it doesn’t add up to the volume astronomers would expect to see. The discovery of a new, complex molecule (1-cyanopyrene), challenges these expectations, about where the building blocks for carbon are found, and how they evolve. This research was published today in the journal Science.
NASA’s Hubble, New Horizons Team Up for a Simultaneous Look at Uranus
Uranus, the planet second most distant from our Sun, has been described as mysterious, strange, and fairly unknown to those of us here on Earth. However, in astronomy, these terms are pretty relative. Compared to the remote, dark stretches of the early universe or oddball exoplanets dozens of light-years from our solar system, researchers actually know a lot about Uranus.
BLACK HOLE DESTROYS STAR, GOES AFTER ANOTHER, NASA FINDS
A massive black hole has torn apart one star and is now using that stellar wreckage to pummel another star or smaller black hole that used to be in the clear.
Astrophysicist takes ‘supermassive’ leap in the study of black holes
Nico Cappelluti has been studying supermassive black holes for nearly two decades. NASA recently selected a project he is involved with for closer review, taking him one step closer to understanding the origins of these mysterious cosmic objects.
Q&A: UW researchers examine link between light pollution and interest in astronomy
Rodolfo Cortes Barragan, research scientist the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), and Andrew Meltzoff, co-director of I-LABS and professor of psychology, recently co-authored a study in Nature Scientific Reports showing a link between the ability to see the stars unblocked by light pollution and an interest in astronomy.
In Odd Galaxy, NASA’s Webb Finds Potential Missing Link to First Stars
Amid a crowded field of galaxies captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, one otherwise inconspicuous galaxy stands out for emitting a light signature that astronomers have never seen before. Together, an observational astronomer and a theorist investigated potential causes.
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory’s Unparalleled Vision Will Revolutionize Multi-Messenger Astronomy
Photons, neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves all carry information about the Universe. Multi-messenger astronomy brings together these four signals to investigate astronomical events from multiple cosmic perspectives.
Formation of super-Earths proven limited near metal-poor stars
In a new study, astronomers report novel evidence regarding the limits of planet formation, finding that after a certain point, planets larger than Earth have difficulty forming near low-metallicity stars.
ALMA Detects Hallmark “Wiggle” of Gravitational Instability in Planet-Forming Disk
Traditionally, planet formation has been described as a “bottom-up” process, as dust grains gradually collect into bigger conglomerations over tens of millions of years: from microns, to centimeters, to meters, to kilometers.
‘Nowhere Near Done’ — UAlbany Physicists Hail Latest in Dark Matter Hunt
Physicists at the University at Albany hail the latest progress in the hunt for direct evidence of dark matter — believed to be a massive-but-so-far-invisible building block to the universe.
NASA’s Webb Reveals Distorted Galaxy Forming Cosmic Question Mark
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope were surprised to find a distant, red galaxy distorted into the shape of a question mark. A specific, rarely-seen type of natural gravitational lens is causing the galaxy to appear multiple times.
Smithsonian Scientists Help Uncover How The Solar Wind Gets Its Energy
Since the 1960s, astronomers have wondered how the Sun’s supersonic “solar wind,” a stream of energetic particles that flows out into the Solar System, continues to receive energy once it leaves the Sun. Now, thanks to a lucky line up of two spacecraft currently in space studying the Sun, they may have discovered the answer.
Collaborative Effort Uncovers Rare Meteorite in Eastern Cape
The spectacular entry of a meteorite into Earth’s atmosphere over South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province on Sunday 25 August has unleashed a chain of events that would not be out of place in a Hollywood movie script.
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope to Investigate Galactic Fossils
The universe may seem static, only capable of being captured in still frames, but that is far from the truth. It is actually ever-changing, just not on timescales clearly visible to humans. NASA’s upcoming Roman Space Telescope will bridge this gap in time, opening the way to the dynamic universe.
New Horizons Spacecraft Measurements Shed Light on the Darkness of the Universe
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft measured the feeble background glow that comes from myriad galaxies filling the universe. The finding has settled a long-standing mystery about the source of background light.
New sensor tackles high-curvature wavefront measurement challenges
Conventional Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors struggle with high-curvature surfaces due to limited dynamic range. This research introduces an adaptive spot matching (ASM) technique that significantly expands the sensor’s capabilities.
Producing “artificial stars” to calibrate telescopes
Astronomy professor Jonathan Gagné will be part of the Landolt space mission, which involves solving problems caused by errors in astronomical calibrations.
NASA Exploration Science Forum 2024: Advancing Lunar and Planetary Exploration
The NASA Exploration Science Forum (NESF), taking place from July 23-25, 2024, at Moffett Field, CA, is a significant event for space science, bringing together experts to discuss the latest advancements in lunar and planetary exploration.
Telescope Tag-Team Discovers Galactic Cluster’s Bizarre Secrets
Towards the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, in the constellation Sagittarius, astronomers have discovered 10 monstrous neutron stars. Astronomers already knew that 39 pulsars call Terzan 5 home.
Found with Webb: a potentially habitable icy world
A team of astronomers has made an exciting discovery about the temperate exoplanet LHS 1140 b: it could be a promising “super-Earth” covered in ice or water.
NA-ROAD Announces 2024 Cohort of 10 Women and Girls in Astronomy for Development Projects
The North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (NA-ROAD) is pleased to announce the selection of 10 astronomy for development projects as part of the 2024 cohort. These projects will receive funding as part of the Women and Girls in Astronomy Program (WGAP).
A million light years and still going
In a breakthrough discovery that challenges the conventional understanding of cosmology, scientists at Case Western Reserve University have unearthed new evidence that could reshape our perception of the cosmos.
Galactic Bloodlines: Many Nearby Star Clusters Originate from Only Three “Families”
An international team of astronomers led by the University of Vienna has deciphered the formation history of young star clusters, some of which we can see with the naked eye at night.
LSST Camera Arrives at Rubin Observatory in Chile, Paving the Way for Cosmic Exploration
Another exciting milestone in the construction of Rubin Observatory has been achieved! On May 16th Rubin’s LSST Camera reached its forever home, the summit facility on Cerro Pachón.
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Could Help Researchers Detect the Universe’s First Stars
The universe’s earliest stars, known as Population III stars, are notoriously hard to detect with even our most powerful observatories due to their great distance and short lifetime.
First year of DESI results unveil new clues about dark energy
Researchers at The Ohio State University played a major role in analyzing the first year of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument’s survey into the history of the universe.
Rubin Observatory Achieves Another Major Milestone: Reflective Coating of the 8.4-meter Primary/Tertiary Mirror
Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s successfully coats 8.4-meter primary/tertiary mirror in on-site coating chamber
UC Irvine astronomers’ simulations support dark matter theory
Computer simulations by astronomers support the idea that dark matter – matter that no one has yet directly detected but which many physicists think must be there to explain several aspects of the observable universe – exists, according to the researchers, who include those at the University of California, Irvine.
Researchers advance detection of gravitational waves to study collisions of neutron stars and black holes
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering co-led a new study by an international team that will improve the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in space and time.
Potential new worlds rescued by citizens of Earth! Early results of people-powered astronomy project ‘out of this world’
Eagle-eyed, armchair astronomers have almost certainly made a number of thrilling discoveries, including two possible Jupiter-sized ‘exoplanets’ – planets outside our solar system – in an international, citizen-science project run out of a UK university.
The Charge-Coupled Device: Revolutionizing How Astronomers See the Universe
In a flash the charge-coupled device ignited a revolution in astronomy, fundamentally altering our approach to exploring the cosmos while advancing many other areas of science and technology. What’s next?
UAH astrophysics research advances understanding of how the light of gamma-ray bursts is produced
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are intense bursts of gamma radiation, typically generating more energy in a few seconds than the Sun will produce over its ten-billion-year lifetime.
FAU Experts Available to Discuss Upcoming Solar Eclipse
Experts from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science are available to discuss various aspects related to the upcoming solar eclipse.
Northern Arizona U. astronomer, “eclipse chaser” available to comment on April 8 total solar eclipse
In advance of the rare total solar eclipse coming on Monday, April 8, Northern Arizona University astronomer and “eclipse chaser” Cristina Thomas is available for comment. Thomas can share insights on: How solar eclipses work When and where this eclipse…
Broadband Will Bring High-Speed Internet Connectivity to the National Radio Quiet Zone
Pocahontas County, West Virginia residents are set to experience a transformative shift in their internet connectivity, as the state of West Virginia announces substantial developments in the broadband infrastructure.
Condor Telescope Reveals a New World for Astrophysicists
A new telescope called the “Condor Array Telescope” may open up a new world of the very-low-brightness Universe for astrophysicists.
Peering Into the Tendrils of NGC 604 with NASA’s Webb
In the astronomy field, the term “nearby” is quite relative. Neighboring galaxies to our home galaxy, the Milky Way, are a few million light-years away. In contrast, some of the most distant galaxies ever detected, closer to the Big Bang, are billions of light-years away.
Expert Available: April 8, 2024, Total Solar Eclipse – Deborah Skapik, NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassador
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, from Texas to Maine. Observers viewing the eclipse from outside the path of totality may observe a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers most, but not all…
Can Astronomers Use Radar to Spot a Cataclysmic Asteroid?
How does ground-based astronomical radar expand our understanding of the Universe? By allowing us to study our nearby Solar System, and everything in it, in unprecedented detail. Radar can reveal the surface and ancient geology of planets and their moons, letting us trace their evolution.
SETI institute employs SETI ellipsoid technique for searching for signals from distant civilizations
In a paper published in the Astronomical Journal, a team of researchers from the SETI Institute, Berkeley SETI Research Center and the University of Washington reported an exciting development for the field of astrophysics and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), using observations from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission to monitor the SETI Ellipsoid, a method for identifying potential signals from advanced civilizations in the cosmos.