Astronomy

Astronomy

Quasars’ distance no longer in question

Astronomers now know quasars live around black holes in remote galaxies, but 50 years ago, one researcher argued they were much closer.

Astronomy

Black hole smashup generated yottawatts of power

For a split second, LIGO’s black hole collision generated 36 septillion yottawatts of power, or 50 times the power from all the stars in the universe.

Astronomy

A fast radio burst’s home galaxy may not be known after all

The recently claimed host galaxy of a fast radio burst may have been signs of a snacking black hole instead, study claims.

Astronomy

Repeating fast radio bursts recorded for the first time

Until now, ephemeral blasts of radio waves from other galaxies have never repeated; this one erupted 10 times last year.

Astronomy

Astronauts set to return to Earth after nearly a year in space

Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko are scheduled to return Earth on Tuesday after a record-setting 340 days in space.

Astronomy

Fast radio burst tracked to its galaxy of origin

After years of searching, astronomers finally track an elusive cosmic radio signal to its home: a galaxy about 6 billion light-years away.

Astronomy

Black hole heavyweights triggered gravity wave event

Those gravity waves came from two black holes more massive than any known outside a galactic core and formed in an environment different than the Milky Way.

Astronomy

Planets may emerge from stellar duo gathering icy dust

Gas freezing onto dust grains around a binary star could be setting up a site where comets or even planets might someday form.

Physics

‘Gravity waves’ is an OK way to refer to gravitational radiation

There’s not lexicographical basis for complaints that ‘gravity wave’ is incorrect usage for gravitational waves.

Physics

The long road to detecting gravity waves

Thanks to two colliding black holes, Einstein's historic prediction of gravitational waves disturbing the fabric of spacetime has finally been realized.

Physics

Gravitational waves explained

Colliding black holes send ripples through spacetime that can be detected here on Earth. What are these gravitational waves, and how did Advanced LIGO detect them?

Physics

Gravity waves from black holes verify Einstein’s prediction

Gravitational waves, tremors in the cosmic fabric of space and time predicted by Einstein a century ago, have finally been detected, opening a new avenue for exploring the universe.