Nature Astronomy
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8 Must-Visit Dark Sky Destinations For Astronomy Lovers
Stargazing has captivated humans for centuries, and while city life can make it hard to experience, there are still some incredible spots around the world where the night sky is as breathtaking as it's been for millennia.
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New Analysis of 1977 Wow! Signal Reveals Stronger Cosmic Mystery
The famous 1977 “Wow!” signal — a mysterious radio burst detected by Ohio’s Big Ear telescope — has been reanalyzed using modern computing techniques. Researchers digitized old telescope records, finding the signal was about four times stronger than first thought, peaking at 250 Janskys. The recalculations also refined its frequency and s...
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Scientists Say Dark Matter Could Turn Failed Stars Into ‘Dark Dwarfs’
Astronomers suggest that brown dwarfs—dim, failed stars—could transform into “dark dwarfs” by capturing dark matter in their cores. When dark matter particles annihilate, they release heat, potentially lighting up these stars. Physicist Jeremy Sakstein and researchers like Jillian Paulin and Rebecca Leane support this idea, which could help...
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Dark Dwarfs: New Star-Like Objects May Reveal Nature of Dark Matter
Scientists have proposed a new class of stellar objects called “dark dwarfs,” sub-stellar bodies that may glow faintly from the energy released by annihilating dark matter particles. Found near the galaxy’s core, these objects could hold crucial clues about the elusive nature of dark matter. Powered not by fusion but by WIMP-like particles, d...
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Astronomers Capture First-Ever Image of a Dead Star That Exploded Twice in Rare Supernova Event
Astronomers have captured the first-ever image of a white dwarf star undergoing a rare double-detonation supernova. Using the Very Large Telescope, the team revealed that such explosions can occur without a star reaching the Chandrasekhar limit. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, could reshape existing theories about stellar death and imp...
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Fast Radio Bursts Reveal Universe’s Missing Matter Hidden in Cosmic Intergalactic Fog
Astronomers have uncovered the universe’s missing baryonic matter using rapid radio bursts. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, shows that most ordinary matter lies between galaxies, hidden in faint intergalactic clouds. This breakthrough highlights FRBs as powerful tools to probe cosmic structures, paving the way for discoveries in large-s...
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Astronomers Baffled By Mysterious Object Emitting X-Rays And Radio Waves In Milky Way
The object, designated ASKAP J1832-0911, is located 15,000 light-years away and its nature is currently unknown, though it could be a highly magnetized dead star or something entirely new.
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New Study Sets Stronger Mass Limit on Ultralight Bosonic Dark Matter
A groundbreaking study has set a new lower bound on the mass of ultralight bosonic dark matter particles—2.2 × 10⁻²¹ eV. Using stellar motion data from the dwarf galaxy Leo II and advanced computational models, the team ruled out lighter masses that cannot form observed structures. This challenges the popular fuzzy dark matter theory and pav...
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New Research Suggests Dark Energy Is Evolving, Challenging Cosmology Models
New research from the DESI project suggests that dark energy, once thought to be a constant force, may actually be changing over time. This challenges long-held cosmological models that assume a stable influence of dark energy on the universe’s expansion. By mapping 15 million galaxies, DESI’s data raises new questions about cosmic evolution. S...
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Scientists Discover Hidden Clues to the Dark Universe in 3D Galaxy Maps
A breakthrough study has revealed new insights into the "dark universe," which consists of dark matter and dark energy. By using a novel technique called field-level inference (FLI), scientists have discovered previously hidden details in 3D galaxy maps. This method preserves the three-dimensional nature of the data, unlike traditional compression ...
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The Star of Bethlehem: Astronomical and Religious Mystery Explained
The Star of Bethlehem has sparked various theories, from astronomical events like planetary conjunctions to astrological signs. Experts, including Professor Grant Mathews and David Weintraub, have explored possibilities ranging from comets and novas to celestial alignments that guided the Magi to Jesus. Despite advances in understanding, the true n...
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TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
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Venus Never Had Oceans or Conditions to Support Life, New Study Finds
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have concluded that Venus likely never had oceans or conditions to support life. Their study, published in Nature Astronomy, analysed atmospheric chemistry and volcanic activity. They found that volcanic gases lacked significant steam, indicating the planet's interior has always been dry. This research ha...
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Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
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Astronomers Confirm Brown Dwarf Gliese 229B as Twin Pair Orbiting in 12 Days
Scientists have discovered that Gliese 229B, the first brown dwarf discovered 30 years ago, is actually two brown dwarfs orbiting close to each other. This unexpected find was made using the Very Large Telescope in Chile, solving a long-standing puzzle about the object's dim appearance. The twins, Gliese 229Ba and Gliese 229Bb, orbit each other in ...
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8 Must-Visit Dark Sky Destinations For Astronomy Lovers
Stargazing has captivated humans for centuries, and while city life can make it hard to experience, there are still some incredible spots around the world where the night sky is as breathtaking as it's been for millennia.
-
New Analysis of 1977 Wow! Signal Reveals Stronger Cosmic Mystery
The famous 1977 “Wow!” signal — a mysterious radio burst detected by Ohio’s Big Ear telescope — has been reanalyzed using modern computing techniques. Researchers digitized old telescope records, finding the signal was about four times stronger than first thought, peaking at 250 Janskys. The recalculations also refined its frequency and s...
-
Scientists Say Dark Matter Could Turn Failed Stars Into ‘Dark Dwarfs’
Astronomers suggest that brown dwarfs—dim, failed stars—could transform into “dark dwarfs” by capturing dark matter in their cores. When dark matter particles annihilate, they release heat, potentially lighting up these stars. Physicist Jeremy Sakstein and researchers like Jillian Paulin and Rebecca Leane support this idea, which could help...
-
Dark Dwarfs: New Star-Like Objects May Reveal Nature of Dark Matter
Scientists have proposed a new class of stellar objects called “dark dwarfs,” sub-stellar bodies that may glow faintly from the energy released by annihilating dark matter particles. Found near the galaxy’s core, these objects could hold crucial clues about the elusive nature of dark matter. Powered not by fusion but by WIMP-like particles, d...
-
Astronomers Capture First-Ever Image of a Dead Star That Exploded Twice in Rare Supernova Event
Astronomers have captured the first-ever image of a white dwarf star undergoing a rare double-detonation supernova. Using the Very Large Telescope, the team revealed that such explosions can occur without a star reaching the Chandrasekhar limit. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, could reshape existing theories about stellar death and imp...
-
Fast Radio Bursts Reveal Universe’s Missing Matter Hidden in Cosmic Intergalactic Fog
Astronomers have uncovered the universe’s missing baryonic matter using rapid radio bursts. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, shows that most ordinary matter lies between galaxies, hidden in faint intergalactic clouds. This breakthrough highlights FRBs as powerful tools to probe cosmic structures, paving the way for discoveries in large-s...
-
Astronomers Baffled By Mysterious Object Emitting X-Rays And Radio Waves In Milky Way
The object, designated ASKAP J1832-0911, is located 15,000 light-years away and its nature is currently unknown, though it could be a highly magnetized dead star or something entirely new.
-
New Study Sets Stronger Mass Limit on Ultralight Bosonic Dark Matter
A groundbreaking study has set a new lower bound on the mass of ultralight bosonic dark matter particles—2.2 × 10⁻²¹ eV. Using stellar motion data from the dwarf galaxy Leo II and advanced computational models, the team ruled out lighter masses that cannot form observed structures. This challenges the popular fuzzy dark matter theory and pav...
-
New Research Suggests Dark Energy Is Evolving, Challenging Cosmology Models
New research from the DESI project suggests that dark energy, once thought to be a constant force, may actually be changing over time. This challenges long-held cosmological models that assume a stable influence of dark energy on the universe’s expansion. By mapping 15 million galaxies, DESI’s data raises new questions about cosmic evolution. S...
-
Scientists Discover Hidden Clues to the Dark Universe in 3D Galaxy Maps
A breakthrough study has revealed new insights into the "dark universe," which consists of dark matter and dark energy. By using a novel technique called field-level inference (FLI), scientists have discovered previously hidden details in 3D galaxy maps. This method preserves the three-dimensional nature of the data, unlike traditional compression ...
-
The Star of Bethlehem: Astronomical and Religious Mystery Explained
The Star of Bethlehem has sparked various theories, from astronomical events like planetary conjunctions to astrological signs. Experts, including Professor Grant Mathews and David Weintraub, have explored possibilities ranging from comets and novas to celestial alignments that guided the Magi to Jesus. Despite advances in understanding, the true n...
-
TRAPPIST-1b Could Have Carbon Dioxide-Rich Atmosphere, Study Reveals
A new study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, might have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. This discovery comes from new data showing a reflective haze in the planet's upper atmosphere. Scientists are also investigating the possibility of volcanic activity based on the planet’s...
-
Venus Never Had Oceans or Conditions to Support Life, New Study Finds
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have concluded that Venus likely never had oceans or conditions to support life. Their study, published in Nature Astronomy, analysed atmospheric chemistry and volcanic activity. They found that volcanic gases lacked significant steam, indicating the planet's interior has always been dry. This research ha...
-
Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories
Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...
-
Astronomers Confirm Brown Dwarf Gliese 229B as Twin Pair Orbiting in 12 Days
Scientists have discovered that Gliese 229B, the first brown dwarf discovered 30 years ago, is actually two brown dwarfs orbiting close to each other. This unexpected find was made using the Very Large Telescope in Chile, solving a long-standing puzzle about the object's dim appearance. The twins, Gliese 229Ba and Gliese 229Bb, orbit each other in ...
