There May Be a “Super-Earth” Orbiting the Nearest Star to the Sun
A low-mass planet candidate orbiting Proxima Centauri at a distance of 1.5 AU. An analysis of cyclical changes in the light spectrum emitted by Proxima…
ALMA
Strange Orbits of ‘Tatooine’ Planetary Disks – Striking Orbital Geometries Around Binary Stars
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found striking orbital geometries in protoplanetary disks around binary stars. While disks orbiting the most compact binary…
Secrets of Titan’s Atmosphere Revealed – Galactic Cosmic Rays Affect Saturn’s Largest Moon
Planetary scientists using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) revealed the secrets of the atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. The team found…
A Stellar Fight With a Beautiful Outcome Caught by ALMA [Video]
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner, have spotted a peculiar gas cloud that resulted from a confrontation…
Interstellar Thread of Key Piece in the Origin-of-Life Puzzle Revealed by Astronomers
ALMA and Rosetta map the journey of phosphorus Phosphorus, present in our DNA and cell membranes, is an essential element for life as we know…
Two Supermassive Black Holes Caught in a Galaxy Crash Seen in Unprecedented Detail
ALMA sees material around two growing supermassive black holes in unprecedented detail. An international team of astronomers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to…
Radio Jupiter: Seeing the Giant Planet in a Brilliant New Light
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It is also the brightest planet at radio frequencies. While radio astronomy often focuses on more…
Planet Formation Theory Questioned After Discovery of Massive Gas Disk Surrounding Young Star
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) found a young star surrounded by an astonishing mass of gas. The star, called 49 Ceti, is…
Mysterious Gigantic Carbon Cocoons Discovered Surrounding Growing Galaxies
ALMA Spots Earliest Environment Pollution in the Universe Researchers have discovered gigantic clouds of gaseous carbon spanning more than a radius of 30,000 light-years around…
Astronomers Discover MAMBO-9, Most Distant Dusty Star-Forming Galaxy – “We Were in Doubt if It Was Real”
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have spotted the light of a massive galaxy seen only 970 million years after the Big Bang….
Astronomers Spot Neutron Star That’s Been Missing for Over 30 Years
The leftovers from a spectacular supernova that revolutionized our understanding of how stars end their lives have finally been spotted by astronomers at Cardiff University….
Astronomers Catch Wind Rushing Out of Galaxy for the First Time [Video]
Researchers observe huge outflow of gas extending far beyond a galaxy for the first time. Exploring the influence of galactic winds from a distant galaxy…
Monster Galaxy Discovered by Accident – “Just the Tip of the Iceberg?” [Video]
UMass Amherst, Arizona, Australian team finds new evidence for huge deep space objects. A team of astronomers including assistant professor Kate Whitaker at the University…
Witness Planet Formation in Action: Gas “Waterfalls” Reveal Infant Planets Around Young Star
For the first time, astronomers using ALMA have witnessed 3D motions of gas in a planet-forming disk. At three locations in the disk around a…
Astronomers Unexpected Discovery Could Explain Supermassive Black Hole Growth in Early Universe
At the center of a galaxy called NGC 1068, a supermassive black hole hides within a thick doughnut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. When astronomers…
Early Stages of Planet Formation Revealed in Cascades of Gas Around Young Star
Astronomers see gestating baby planets, reveal the source of their formative atmospheres. What does a gestating baby planet look like? New research in Nature by…
A Cosmic Pretzel: Twin Baby Stars Grow Among a Twisting Network of Gas and Dust
Astronomers using ALMA have obtained an extremely high-resolution image showing two disks in which young stars are growing, fed by a complex pretzel-shaped network of…
A Rare Molecule Discovered Around a Young Star May Answer an Astronomical Conundrum
Astronomers using one of the most advanced radio telescopes have discovered a rare molecule in the dust and gas disck around a young star —…