The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) is a pivotal institution in the field of astronomical science in Japan. It was established in 1988 and operates as a division of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences. NAOJ provides a platform for astronomical research by developing and managing world-class observational facilities. These include the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, which is one of the largest optical-infrared telescopes in the world, and the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) in Chile, a state-of-the-art telescope for studying light from some of the coldest objects in the universe. NAOJ is also involved in theoretical and computational research and has contributed to significant discoveries in areas such as black holes, cosmic evolution, and the search for exoplanets. The organization not only focuses on advancing scientific knowledge but also plays a crucial role in promoting astronomy education and public outreach in Japan.
Researchers using ALMA and advanced simulations have clarified the formation of multi-star systems, identifying and explaining the role of “streamers” feeding developing protostars. New observations…
A team of researchers has used the gravitational lensing of the MG J0414+0534 system, observed with ALMA, to map dark matter distribution in unprecedented detail,…
Using the VERA network of radio telescopes, astronomers have gained new insights into the growth of young supermassive black holes in Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies….
Scientists using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have identified the sites of star formation and a possible site of star death in a galaxy…
Evidence gleaned from isotope ratios within meteorites indicates that a supernova detonation occurred nearby while our Sun and Solar System were still in their formative…
A team of researchers, including climatologists and an astronomer, has utilized an enhanced computer model to recreate the ice age cycles that occurred between 1.6…
Researchers discovered an unusual gas cloud called the “Tadpole” potentially orbiting a massive black hole 100,000 times the mass of the Sun, and plan to…
Neutron star mergers have been confirmed to synthesize rare Earth elements. For the first time, a group of scientists has identified rare earth elements produced…
A day at the beach for life on other planets. According to new simulations, fully Earth-like exoplanets with oceans and continents, as well as beaches…
Using star-shattering explosions to measure the universe. An multinational team of 23 scientists, led by Maria Dainotti, Assistant Professor at the National Astronomical Observatory of…
The world’s first 3D simulation simultaneously considering dust motion and growth in a disk around a young star has shown that large dust from the…
An international research team analyzed a database of more than 1000 supernova explosions and found that models for the expansion of the Universe best match…
Astronomers found a number of stellar eggs containing baby stars around the center of the Milky Way using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Previous…
Radio astronomers have detected jets of hot gas blasted out by a black hole in the galaxy at the heart of the Phoenix Galaxy Cluster,…
At around 1 a.m. local standard time on April 29, 2017, a fireball flew over Kyoto, Japan. Compared to other fireballs spotted from Earth, it…
Astronomers at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) have analyzed the paths of two objects heading out of the Solar System forever and determined…
The first dataset from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Plan (HSC-SSP) can be seen easily with the “HSC Viewer” on your PC or tablet. The…
Statistical analysis of supermassive black holes suggests that the spin of the black hole may play a role in the generation of powerful high-speed jets…