Astronomy Archives - Page 6 of 9

The Mysterious Nature of Dark Matter May Finally be Solved

Christopher Plain·May 2, 2023

A new study proposes that Dark Matter, the elusive substance that makes up 85% of the universe, is likely made up of ultralight particles known as axions and not the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, favored by most current theories.

Odd Green Light Filmed Over Japan Came from Space, but NASA Satellite Data Reveals It Was No Meteor

Micah Hanks·April 26, 2023

Whatever flashed through the skies over Japan certainly wasn’t a bird or a plane… could it have been a meteor? As it turns out, NASA satellite data had the answer.

Let There Be Gravity? New Theory Says Gravity May Have Created the Universe’s First Light

Christopher Plain·April 13, 2023

A potentially "illuminating" new theory says that the universe's first light may have been ripped from the fabric of space/time by the extreme forces of gravity in the form of gravitational waves that existed right after the big bang.

Einstein’s Theory of Gravity in Question? What a New Map Detailing One of the Great “Mysteries of the Cosmos” Helps Reveal

Christopher Plain·April 11, 2023

A stunningly detailed cosmological map that covers about of quarter of the entire sky shows the effects of dark matter on the cosmic microwave background radiation, lending strong support for Albert Einstein's theory of gravity.

The Hubble Tension: New Study Sheds Light on Puzzling Discrepancy in the Cosmic Expansion Rate

Micah Hanks·April 6, 2023

A new study may have revealed clues to understanding a long held cosmological puzzle, involving a discrepancy in the cosmic expansion rate of the universe.

A Mysterious Midnight Celestial Event Was Detected Using a Cold War Spying Technique

Micah Hanks·March 30, 2023

A seldom-seen midnight celestial event reportedly occurred in recent weeks, marking what may be just the second time the rare solar phenomena has been observed in more than a decade.

Extrasolar Space Dust Could Contain Signs of Alien Life, New Paper Suggests

Christopher Plain·March 28, 2023

A new paper from the University of Tokyo suggests that astrobiologists could find signs of alien life in particles of space dust that have been ejected from exoplanets and traveled across the vastness of space to reach earth.

Could Earth be at Greater Risk from a Deadly Asteroid Impact Than We Realize?

Micah Hanks·March 28, 2023

Recent studies indicate that potential threats related to an asteroid impact could be greater than previously realized.

A Space Enigma: Rare Celestial Object Defies Simple Classification, Resembles Three Distinct Phenomena

Micah Hanks·March 27, 2023

Like a celestial jack of all trades, Z 229-15 is many things all at once: an active galactic nucleus, a quasar and, a Seyfert galaxy.

Sandstorms on an Alien World Are Revealed in New Data Collected by the James Webb Space Telescope

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2023

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed swirling sandstorms in the atmosphere of a planet 40 light-years away from Earth.

Is `Oumuamua a Hydrogen-Water Iceberg?

Avi Loeb·March 22, 2023

Was `Oumuamua a hydrogen-water iceberg? Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb weighs in on a recent paper on the mysterious interstellar space object.

Source of the Sun’s Curious “Heartbeat” is Revealed in Unexpected Discovery

Micah Hanks·March 14, 2023

A new study reveals the source of a curious feature of the Sun’s atmosphere that produces a signal pattern that researchers have likened to a human heartbeat.

From the Far Side of the Moon, NASA and the DOE Plan to Search for Signals from the Dark Ages of the Universe

Micah Hanks·March 14, 2023

The “Dark Ages of the Universe” will be the focus of a new experiment conducted jointly by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), involving the placement of a new science observatory on the far side of the Moon.

Galactic Scale Shockwaves Are Rattling Through the Cosmic Web

Christopher Plain·March 9, 2023

Australian researchers have measured the effects of massive galactic-scale shockwaves rippling through the cosmic web, a structure that encompasses all of the matter in the known universe.

Hubble Telescope Captured the Moment NASA’s DART Spacecraft Smashed Into an Asteroid

Micah Hanks·March 6, 2023

NASA says the Hubble Telescope captured images of the space agency’s DART spacecraft as it collided with asteroid Dimorphos last September.

Webb Space Telescope’s Latest Discovery Could Completely Upend Our Current Understanding of the Universe

Tim McMillan·February 23, 2023

Images captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope lead to unexpected discovery that could upend our understanding of the universe.

Curious ‘Oblong’ Object Detected on Radar Was Closely Tracked by NASA, Officials Say

Micah Hanks·February 21, 2023

NASA officials say an odd, oblong-shaped object detected on radar was tracked by the space agency’s Deep Space Network earlier this month.

A New Era of Optical SETI: The Search for Artificial Objects of Non-Human Origin

Beatriz Villarroel and Geoff Marcy·February 20, 2023

Searching for artificial objects of non-human origin in our skies could provide a promising new route forward in SETI research.

Interstellar Romance: Connecting Our Human Affairs to the Stars

Avi Loeb·February 20, 2023

For the first time in the history of astronomy, connecting our human affairs to the stars might make complete sense.

Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Wolf 1069 b

Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Found in Our Cosmic Backyard

Christopher Plain·February 7, 2023

An earth-sized exoplanet that is orbiting within its star's habitable zone has been spotted a mere 31 light years away from Earth, offering astronomers and astrobiologists a tantalizingly close new target in the search for extraterrestrial life.

Rocky Exoplanet Nearly the Same Size as Earth Found in Star’s Habitable Zone

Christopher Plain·January 12, 2023

NASA and MIT researchers using the TESS telescope say they have spotted a nearly Earth-sized exoplanet hanging out in its star's habitable zone.

New Discovery Deepens Our Understanding of Extreme Phenomena Involving Neutron Star Collisions

Micah Hanks·January 10, 2023

A new discovery that could potentially hasten our knowledge about physics in some of the universe’s most extreme areas has been revealed from data collected by astronomers over the last several decades.

Planetary Scientists Used This New Model to Crack a Pair of Puzzling Astronomical Mysteries

Micah Hanks·January 3, 2023

A pair of puzzles that planetary scientists have observed amidst 3,800 different planetary systems may have been solved, with the aid of a new model that considers the influence of various forces on young planet formation.

HAARP Facility Experiment Bounces Radio Signals Off Space Object to Help Boost Planetary Defense

Micah Hanks·January 2, 2023

A 500-foot asteroid was recently the target of radio signals emitted by Alaska's HAARP facility, as part of an effort to enhance our ability to detect potentially deadly space objects.

U.S. Dept. of Energy Plasma Discovery Unravels Odd Solar Phenomenon, Offers Clues to Cosmic Mysteries

Micah Hanks·December 26, 2022

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) say they have untangled a solar mystery, in a breakthrough that could help resolve many lingering questions in astrophysics.

Creating a Transient Star in the Laboratory

Avi Loeb·December 19, 2022

The recent achievment of fusion ignition marks the first instance where humans were able to create the likeness of a tiny transient star in the lab.

The Case For Alien Life Elevated By The Exciting First-Ever Confirmation of Two Exoplanet Water Worlds

Christopher Plain·December 16, 2022

Researchers from the University of Montreal have confirmed the presence of two water worlds orbiting a star 218 light years from earth.

Despite Micrometeoroid Impacts NASA Says James Webb Telescope Should Survive and Thrive for Another 20 Years

Christopher Plain·December 15, 2022

Following the announcement that the James Webb Space Telescope has already endured 14 micrometeoroid impacts, NASA says that, barring an unforeseen event, the groundbreaking observatory should still be able to conduct science operations for another 20 years.

Dark Matter Could Actually Be Theoretical ‘Dark Photons’, New Research Suggests

Christopher Plain·December 14, 2022

Researchers have postulated that readings from the Hubble Space Telescope may help to explain the nature of the ever-elusive dark matter, which may actually be made up of something called dark photons.

Would We Notice Interstellar CubeSats in Our Cosmic Neighborhood?

Avi Loeb·December 12, 2022

If humans ever find interstellar CubeSats, it will change our priorities from funding military conflicts to space exploration.

Odd Emissions Detected from a High-Energy Space Object Prompted Investigations by Astronomers. Here’s What They Found.

Micah Hanks·December 7, 2022

Astronomers say the results of a long-term study of a distant, high-energy space object have yielded new details about the behavior of one of our universe’s most prevalent extragalactic sources of gamma rays.

Black Hole Simulated in the Lab Suddenly Starts Glowing, Potentially Pointing to a Unified Theory of Gravity

Christopher Plain·December 2, 2022

A team of European physicists simulated a "glowing" black hole in the lab, which they say might help confirm one famous physicist's theory.

The Discovery of Life on Titan Could Reveal Clues About Early Life in the Universe

Avi Loeb·December 1, 2022

Saturn's moon Titan has an atmosphere rich in organic compounds, which has led to speculations that chemical precursors of life may have been generated there.

Cosmic Seeds of the Biggest Black Holes

Avi Loeb·November 24, 2022

As any gardener knows, growth is initiated by seeds. What were the seeds that enabled supermassive black holes to grow so early in cosmic history?

Asteroid Impact in Canada May Have Left Something Behind That Astronomers Now Want

Micah Hanks·November 23, 2022

Astronomers say an asteroid impact in Canada near the shores of Lake Erie could provide a rich source of information for future studies.

New Measurements of Gravity Suggest Theory Proposed by Albert Einstein Could Be Wrong

Christopher Plain·November 23, 2022

A new study that used measurements of cosmic phenomena suggests the theory of gravity proposed by Albert Einstein may actually be wrong.

The State of the Universe: Lost Civilizations from Our Cosmic Past

Avi Loeb·November 22, 2022

Future interstellar travel could reveal that the "State of the Universe" is far more significant than our present concerns over worldly political matters at home.

Take a Scroll Through the Cosmos With This Awe-Inspiring New Map of the Universe

Micah Hanks·November 21, 2022

A new map of the universe has been made available free to the public, showing the cosmos in unprecedented color and detail.

Physicists Claim Wormholes May Have Been Detected, with Help from a New Theoretical Model

Micah Hanks·November 15, 2022

Wormholes may have already been detected, but have been hiding in plain sight, according to a team of Bulgarian physicists.

This Concerning Theory May Explain Why We Haven’t Found Evidence of Intelligent Alien Life

Micah Hanks·November 14, 2022

A team of researchers argues the "Great Filter" theory could offer a concerning explanation for why astronomers have yet to find evidence of intelligent alien life.

Knowledge, Belief, and the Cosmos: The Proper Way of Swiping Left or Right

Avi Loeb·November 14, 2022

The suite of instruments assembled by the Galileo Project will seek the evidence needed to properly swipe the extraterrestrial interpretation of UAP to the left or to the right.

Researchers Detect a Mysterious ‘Structure’ Hidden Beyond the Milky Way’s Zone of Avoidance

Micah Hanks·November 9, 2022

A research team has reported the discovery of a large extragalactic structure obscured from view beyond a portion of the Milky Way galaxy, in a new paper outlining their preliminary findings.

Let It Be… An Intelligent Signal

Avi Loeb·November 8, 2022

Will aliens ever see an intelligent signal from Earth, or only evidence of our self-destructive tendencies in flashes from nuclear blasts?

Existence of Long-Rumored ‘Strange Star’ Made of Weird Matter May Finally Be Confirmed

Micah Hanks·October 31, 2022

Composed entirely of strange “quark matter,” astronomers believe they may have discovered a long-rumored space object possessing unusual stellar qualities.

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation is Challenged by Controversial New Astrophysics Discovery

Micah Hanks·October 28, 2022

New discoveries by a team of astrophysicists are pointing to revelations that could challenge Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.

Solar Flares Might Actually Increase Habitability of Trappist-1 Exoplanets

Christopher Plain·October 27, 2022

A new study claims solar flares may actually make the planets in Trappist-1's habitability zone even more habitable than first thought. Teams using the James Webb Space Telescope are planning to search those same planets for chemical traces of extraterrestrial life, called 'biosignatures,' in their atmospheres.