Astronomy
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Astronomy
Telescope takes close-ups of distant star
Radio astronomers have for the first time probed ejected gas in the immediate surroundings of a distant star.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Young pulsar has a split personality
A new pulsar, the youngest discovered to date, unexpectedly exhibits properties of both regular pulsars and a recently explored class of supermagnetic pulsars, the magnetars.
By Ruth Bennett -
Astronomy
Big, Bigger . . . Biggest?
Galaxy map reveals the limits of cosmic structure.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Echoes of a stellar outburst
Light from the outburst of a star has revealed its dusty surroundings.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Comet LINEAR: Breaking up isn’t hard to do
New images reveal that Comet LINEAR, which passed near the sun late last month, has broken into at least 10 fragments.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Once Upon a Time in the Cosmos: Using distant galaxies to study the early universe
Peering far back in time, two teams of astronomers report that they have found some of the universe's earliest galaxies.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
All-sky survey makes Internet debut
An atlas of some 5 million images from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey is now available online.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Evidence grows for nearby planetary system
Astronomers have found the nearest known planet that lies outside the solar system, a mere 10.5 light-years from Earth.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
Cosmic Blowout: Black holes spew as much as they consume
Supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies can blow out as much material as they swallow, creating high-speed winds that may seed the universe with oxygen, carbon, iron, and other elements essential for life.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
By the light of a starry eruption
Astronomers calculating the brightness of a supernova explosion witnessed in the 11th century estimate that it was likely the most brilliant stellar event in recorded history.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
X-ray flare from a dim source
An X-ray flare coming from a old, failed star has surprised astronomers.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
A comet’s chilly origin
Astronomers have detected argon in comet Hale-Bopp, the first time an inert gas has been found in one of these icy bodies and an indication that the comet formed in the frigid outer solar system between the orbits of Uranus and Neptune.
By Ron Cowen