Fermi Data Reveal New Clues to Dark Matter
New maps from the Fermi-LAT Collaboration show that the galactic center produces more high-energy gamma rays than can be explained by known sources, suggesting that…
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics News
Distant Galaxy Seen As It Was 800 Million Years After The Big Bang
Using gravitational lensing, astronomers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics measured the spectra of carbon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and water in a galaxy seen a…
Astronomers Probe the Transition Disk Around Sz 91
CfA astronomers used the Submillimeter Array to probe the transition disk around Sz 91, finding that it is more like a ring than a disk…
Researchers Discover the First Direct Evidence of Cosmic Inflation
Researchers have discovered the first direct evidence of cosmic inflation, confirming a deep connection between quantum mechanics and general relativity. Almost 14 billion years ago,…
Researchers Model the Workings of an X-ray Binary Star
Using ten years’ worth of optical, infrared, and X-ray data on LMC X-3, astronomers developed a model that can successfully explain the workings of an…
Galaxy X-Rays Could Emanate From Dark Matter Particles
Two new studies report that x-rays emanating from the hearts of nearby galaxies and galaxy clusters could be signs of particles of dark matter decaying…
Astronomers Examine Star Formation in Luminous, Colliding Galaxies
By combining computer simulations with multi-band observations, two new studies examine how luminosity, star formation, dust heating, and other effects evolve during a galaxy collision….
Researchers Study Mysterious Gamma Ray Source with No Known Counterpart
Using the VERITAS gamma-ray telescope, astronomers studied a mysterious VHE gamma-ray source from the constellation of Cygnus that has no known counterpart at other wavelengths….
SMA Reveals New Insights Into How Cosmic Seeds Grow Into Massive Stars
New research from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics reveals new insights into how cosmic seeds can grow into massive stars. Cambridge, Massachusetts – New images…
Researchers Trace the Evolution of Galaxies that Host Massive Black Holes
A newly completed statistical study of the optical and infrared properties of 330,811 galaxies traces the evolution of galaxies that host massive black holes. Our…
Distinguishing Black Holes from Naked Singularities
A new theoretical paper from researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics finds there is a way in principle to make a black hole with…
Astronomers Track the Motions of Masers, Find That They Move at 45,000 MPH
Using a coordinated set of widely separated radio telescopes, astronomers tracked the motions of masers over a ten-year period, finding that they moved at velocities…
Researchers Calibrate the Strength of X-Ray Emission against Star Formation Rate
Researchers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics calibrate the strength of X-ray emission against star formation rate, finding a very good correlation. Star formation lights…
Asteroid Belt More Diverse than Previously Realized
New research shows that the asteroid belt is a melting pot of objects arriving from diverse locations and backgrounds, revealing that as the planets migrated…
Chandra Reveals Shock Heated Gas in Colliding Galaxies
Using images and spectra from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, researchers discovered evidence of shock-heated gas moving at speeds of about 2200 kilometers per second in…
The Formation of Pluto and Its Moons
A newly published study looks at the formation of Pluto and its low-mass satellites, finding Pluto and Charon formed from particles that coalesced together in…
Astronomers Discover the First Earth-Mass Transiting Planet
While searching Kepler data for exomoons, astronomers discovered the first Earth-mass planet that crosses in front of its host star. Cambridge, Massachusetts – An international…
Spitzer Measures the Physical Properties of NEO 2009BD
Using the Spitzer Space Telescope, a new study measures the physical properties of NEO 2009BD. Asteroids (or comets) whose orbits bring them close to the…