Astronomers utilizing ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have captured stunning shock waves surrounding the white dwarf star 1RXS J052832.5+283824 (commonly known as RXJ0528+2838). This extraordinary phenomenon challenges existing astrophysical models and has the potential to transform our understanding of stellar evolution.
Image credit: ESO / Iłkiewicz et al. showcasing the shockwave around the white dwarf RXJ0528+2838, captured by the MUSE instrument of ESO’s VLT.
Located approximately 730 light-years away in the constellation Auriga, RXJ0528+2838 orbits the center of the Milky Way, similar to our Sun and other stars.
According to Dr. Noel Castro-Segura from the University of Warwick, “As the white dwarf traverses space, it interacts with interstellar gas, causing a type of shock wave known as a bow shock, which resembles a wave building up in front of a moving ship.”
Interestingly, while bow shocks are typically produced by material expelled from the star, the mechanisms observed in RXJ0528+2838 remain unexplained.
RXJ0528+2838 is part of a binary system, with a sun-like companion star. In such systems, gas is often transferred to the white dwarf, creating an accretion disk. However, this disk appears absent, leading to questions about the source of the observed outflow and the surrounding nebula.
Dr. Simone Scaringi from Durham University expressed: “The fact that a seemingly quiet, diskless system could produce such an impressive nebula was a remarkable surprise.”
Astronomers initially identified an unusual nebula around RXJ0528+2838 through images captured by the Isaac Newton Telescope in Spain, prompting further investigation with the MUSE instrument at VLT.
The size and shape of the bow shock indicate that the white dwarf has been generating significant outflows for over 1,000 years.
Although the exact mechanism for such a prolonged outflow from a diskless white dwarf is still under investigation, scientists speculate that RXJ0528+2838 possesses a strong magnetic field, evidenced by MUSE data.
This magnetic field may funnel material directly from the companion star to the white dwarf, bypassing the formation of an accretion disk.
Dr. Christian Ikiewicz from the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center remarked, “Our findings indicate that diskless systems can still produce powerful outflows, revealing complex interactions that challenge traditional binary star models.”
While the detected magnetic field can sustain a bow shock for hundreds of years, it only partially accounts for the phenomena observed.
“We’ve uncovered something unprecedented and unexpectedly remarkable,” Dr. Scaringi noted.
For further reading on this groundbreaking discovery, refer to the published paper in the journal Nature Astronomy.
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K. Iwkiewicz et al. Persistent bow shock in a diskless magnetized accreting white dwarf. Nat Astron, published online on January 12, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41550-025-02748-8
By utilizing data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope along with ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), two separate teams of astronomers have captured mid-infrared images of a system featuring four intricate spirals of dust encircling a pair of aging Wolf-Rayet stars located in a system known as Apep (2XMM J160050.7-514245).
Webb’s mid-infrared images reveal four coiled dust shells surrounding two Wolf-Rayet stars known as Apep. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / California Institute of Technology Yeahuo Han / Macquarie University Ryan White / Alyssa Pagan, STScI.
Wolf-Rayet stars represent a rare class of massive binary stars where the universe’s earliest carbon is formed.
There are estimated to be only around 1,000 of these stars in the Milky Way galaxy, which contains hundreds of billions of stars in total.
Among the multiple Wolf-Rayet binaries observed so far, the Apep system stands out as the sole example of having two such Wolf-Rayet stars within our galaxy.
In a recent study, astronomer Ryan White from Macquarie University and his team set out to refine the orbital characteristics of the Wolf-Rayet stars in the Apep system.
They integrated precise ring position measurements from the Webb images with the shell’s expansion rate obtained over eight years of VLT observations.
“This is a unique system with a very extended orbital period,” White mentioned.
“The next longest orbit for a dusty Wolf-Rayet binary is roughly 30 years, while most orbits tend to span between 2 and 10 years.”
One of the team’s papers was published concurrently in the Astrophysical Journal alongside another study led by astronomer Yinuo Han from the California Institute of Technology.
“Observing the new Webb data felt like stepping into a dark room and flipping on a light switch. Everything became visible,” Dr. Han remarked.
“Dust is abundant throughout the Webb image, and telescope observations indicate that much of it is fragmenting into repeating and predictable structures.”
Webb’s observations yielded unprecedented images. It produced a clear mid-infrared image revealing a system of four swirling spirals of dust, each expanding in a consistent pattern. Ground-based telescopes had only identified one shell prior to Webb’s discoveries.
By merging Webb imagery with several years of VLT data, they refined the orbital frequency of the star pairs to every 190 years.
Within this remarkably lengthy orbit, the star approaches closely for 25 years, enabling dust formation.
Additionally, Webb’s observations confirmed the existence of three stars that are gravitationally bound to each other in this system.
The dust expelled by the two Wolf-Rayet stars is being cleaved by a third star, a massive supergiant, which creates holes in the dust cloud emanating from its expansive orbit.
“Dr. Webb has provided us with the ‘smoking gun’ evidence to confirm that a third star is gravitationally linked to this system,” Dr. Han noted.
Researchers were aware of this third star since VLT observed its brightest inner shell in 2018, but Webb’s findings helped refine the geometric model and reinforced the connection.
“We unraveled several mysteries with Webb,” Dr. Han added.
“The lingering mystery remains the precise distance from Earth to the star, which will necessitate further observations.”
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Ryan MT White et al. 2025. Snake eating its own tail: Dust destruction of the Apep impact wind nebula. APJ 994, 121; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/adfbe1
Han Yinuo et al. 2025. JWST reveals the formation and evolution of dust in APEP, a binary star with colliding winds. APJ 994, 122; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ae12e5
An astronomer utilizing the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) has discovered double deuterated water (D2O), commonly known as “heavy water,” in the protoplanetary disk surrounding the protostar V883 Orionis, situated 1,300 light-years away in the Orion constellation. This finding indicates that some of the water found in comets—and even on Earth—might predate the stars themselves, offering transformative insights into the history of water in our solar system.
This artist’s impression illustrates the evolution of heavy water molecules, previously detected in giant molecular clouds, planet-forming disks, and comets, before ultimately reaching Earth. Image credit: NSF / AUI / NRAO of NSF / P. Vosteen / B. Saxton.
Investigating the primordial material from the protoplanetary disk that gave rise to our solar system suggests that water may have been transported to Earth via comet or asteroid impacts.
However, it remains uncertain whether the water ice present on these celestial objects formed primarily during the protoplanetary disk phase or if it is considerably older, originating from parent molecular clouds.
“This detection clearly demonstrates that the water found in the planet-forming disk around V883 Orionis predates the central star and must have formed during the early phases of star and planet formation,” stated Dr. Margot Rehmker, an astronomer at the University of Milan.
“This marks a significant leap in our understanding of the journey of water throughout planet formation and how this water potentially reached the solar system, including Earth, through similar mechanisms.”
The chemical fingerprinting of heavy water indicates that these molecules have withstood the turbulent processes of star and planet formation, traversing billions of kilometers through the cosmos and ending up in planetary systems like ours.
Rather than being completely destroyed and reformed within the disk, a significant portion of this water is inherited from the earliest, most frigid stages of star formation, serving as a cosmic remnant that may still exist on Earth today.
“Until now, it was uncertain whether most of the water in comets and planets was newly formed in young disks such as Orionis V883 or whether it was ‘pure’ from ancient interstellar clouds,” remarked Dr. John Tobin, an astronomer at the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
“The detection of heavy water using sensitive isotopic isomer ratios (D2oh2O) validates that this water is an ancient relic, forming a crucial link between clouds, disks, comets, and planets.”
“This finding is the first direct evidence that water can traverse through stars unaltered and intact, moving from clouds to the materials that constitute planetary systems.”
The team’s paper is published in this week’s edition of Nature Astronomy.
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M. Riemker et al. Primitive ice within a planet-forming disk identified by heavy water. Nat Astron published online October 15, 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41550-025-02663-y
A digital depiction of a man, illuminated by blue light, comforting a grieving individual at a funeral. Illustration: Guardian Design/Guardian Design/Getty
Rod Stewart surprised concert-goers in Charlotte, North Carolina, with notable guests. His longtime friend, Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away last month, appeared as if reuniting with other stars who have departed, such as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and Bob Marley.
The AI-generated images stirred mixed reactions among Stewart’s fans, with some finding them disrespectful while others deemed them beautiful.
In a related incident, Jim Acosta, former CNN White House correspondent, interviewed a digital version of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of a 2018 school shooting in Florida. Avatars of the deceased teenagers, created by their parents, offered him a unique comfort.
Recently, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian shared an emotional experience on X, describing an animation of his late mother holding him as a child, admitting, “Damn, I wasn’t ready for how this would feel.” He reflected on the pain of not having video footage of their time together and the impact of re-watching the animation.
AI-generated images of Ozzy Osbourne and Tina Turner were showcased during Rod Stewart’s recent concert in North Carolina. Illustration: Iamsloanesteel Instagram
These instances exemplify the rising trend of ‘digital revival,’ where photos, videos, and various media create representations of deceased individuals. Numerous companies now market “grief bots” or “death bots,” raising critical concerns regarding exploitation, privacy, and the grieving process.
Elaine Kasket, a cybermedicist based in London, stated, “It’s now very technically possible because large-scale language models such as ChatGPT are now easily accessible to the general public.” These models can generate credible representations, using texts, emails, voice memos, images, and other digital remnants to create something that resonates deeply with those left behind.
Just a few years ago, the notion of “virtual immortality” felt like a distant dream; now, creating interactive avatars is not only feasible but becoming increasingly sought after.
Former CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta “interviews” the AI recreation of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of a 2018 Florida school shooting. Illustration: YouTube
The instinct to maintain bonds with deceased loved ones is not new. Families have traditionally cherished personal belongings that connect them to those they have lost—be it photographs, videos, audio messages, or songs that evoke memories. Dreams of the departed or perceived sightings in familiar places are also common. Some have even turned to seances for communication.
Michael Cholbi, a philosophy professor at the University of Edinburgh and author of *Grief,* noted, “We’ve built monuments, preserved hair, and kept letters. The question now is: does AI add anything to this?”
Louise Richardson, from York University’s Philosophy Department, emphasized that by visiting graves and interacting with personal items, individuals retain a sense of connection with their departed loved ones. “Deathbots can fulfill a similar role but may hinder the natural grieving process,” she cautioned, explaining that continuous engagement with a deathbot could obstruct acknowledgment and acceptance of loss.
People often ponder what a deceased relative would say or do in specific situations; “Now it feels like you can just ask them.”
However, there’s a concern that deathbots may present overly sanitized versions of individuals, as families might exclude less flattering traits when providing information for the AI generator.
There’s also a risk of dependency on technology. A report from Theos highlights that “digital necromancy can be misleading. You might think you’re interacting with a person, but you’re actually communicating with a machine.”
The emergence of virtual avatars has gained traction in Asia, particularly in China, where creating a digital avatar for a loved one costs as little as 20 yuan (£2.20). Estimates indicate that this market was valued at 12 billion yuan (£1.2 billion) in 2022, with projections quadrupling by 2025.
For a more advanced interactive avatar that moves and speaks with clients, costs can reach thousands of pounds. One prominent funeral service provider, Fu Shou Yuan International Group, suggests that the deceased can “come back to life” in a virtual setting. According to the Chinese Funeral Association, the total cost for creating such avatars can amount to about 50,000 yuan.
Cholbi pointed out that while the commercialization of grief raises ethical concerns, the funeral industry has a long history of upselling and deceptive practices.
Kasket warns about issues of privacy and the rights to one’s digital remnants. “The deceased have no say or control over how their materials are used,” she stated, noting the ethical ramifications of utilizing digital content to create profitable avatars without consent.
Some individuals are beginning to specify in their wills a desire for their digital materials to not be used posthumously.
Interactive avatars aren’t only for the deceased; the successful Abba Voyage show features digital replicas of the iconic Swedish pop group performing as they did in their prime, earning an estimated £1.6 million weekly. Audiences revel in singing along with the avatars while the actual band members, now in their 70s and 80s, look on from home.
Abba’s avatar, dressed in Dolce & Gabbana, as featured in Abba Voyage. Illustration: Abba Voyage
In a groundbreaking initiative, the UK’s National Holocaust Centre and Museum embarked on a project in 2016 to develop interactive avatars that can capture the voices and images of Holocaust survivors, enabling them to answer questions about their past in a future setting.
Cholbi noted that there’s an element of “AI hype” surrounding deathbots. “While some people may find this interesting, I anticipate that many will seek to maintain connections with the deceased through this technology for a considerable duration.”
He added, “This doesn’t imply that there won’t be enthusiastic participants; however, the prospects may not be as hopeful as commercial investors hope.”
Murazin highlighted that the rise of the deathbot industry prompts relevant discussions among ethicists and theologians. He suggested that the allure of digital revival could stem from a decline in traditional spiritual beliefs, leading to technological solutions that address the human desire for permanence and transcendence.”
“This reflects our modern era’s inclination to believe that technology can conquer death and offer eternity—a symptom of our contemporary culture,” he concluded.
Kasket remarked, “I have no doubt that these trends will continue to emerge and be utilized in beneficial ways.”
“When we lose our ability to navigate grief or convince ourselves that we cannot manage it, we risk becoming psychologically vulnerable. Grief and loss are fundamental aspects of the human experience, not merely technological challenges.”
A dying star is shedding a massive sphere of dust and gas approximately half the size of our solar system. Astronomers are puzzled by this phenomenon as there’s no known process capable of producing such an extensive amount of material from a single star.
Red supergiants are the universe’s largest stars, representing the final stages of a massive star that has exhausted most of its fuel before it eventually goes supernova. During this brief phase, the star expands rapidly, releasing copious amounts of gas and dust and forming bubbles around it.
Mark Siebert from the Chalmers Institute of Technology in Sweden and his colleagues found that the red supergiant star DFK 52 possesses the largest known environment for such celestial bodies, creating a bubble 50,000 times wider than the distance between Earth and the Sun. Curiously, these stars are relatively dim, suggesting they have less energy than what would typically be needed to generate such a vast debris field. “I can’t ascertain how I can disperse so much material in that timeframe,” Siebert remarks.
Previously, DFK 52 had been observed by various telescopes, allowing astronomers to conclude that it expelled a normal quantity of gas. However, when Siebert and his team used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, they detected light at longer wavelengths from older, much cooler materials.
“It reveals an extensive environment around DFK 52 with a very complex geometry that’s not entirely understood yet,” Siebert explains. “We don’t grasp the precise structure, but we acknowledge its immense scale.”
Similar to the intricate flow of bubbles throughout the structure, Siebert and his team observed ring-like formations at the core of the overall sphere, expanding at approximately 30 kilometers per second. They estimate that this activity likely stemmed from a significant event that occurred around 4,000 years ago, potentially key to understanding how the star generated so much material.
Location of DFK 52 observed by the Spitzer Space Telescope
NASA/JPL-CALTECH/IPAC
A potential explanation for the extensive environment is that these stars may have briefly increased in brightness and then dramatically faded, although red supergiants are not typically known for such fluctuations, according to Siebert. Alternatively, another star may be orbiting a larger star, stripping material from DFK 52, but this would likely result in a more symmetrical bubble, Siebert asserts. “It is evident that some additional energy sources must contribute to this phenomenon, but we remain uncertain about what they are,” he comments.
“The explosion won’t alter the star’s overall evolution, but it may significantly influence the future appearances of supernovas,” says Emma Beads from John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. “This is an intriguing development that enhances our understanding of unusual supernovae.”
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Astronomers have identified the largest known cloud of energy particles encircling galaxy clusters, with around 20 million annual clouds around the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9.
This new composite image, created using X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory (blue and purple), radio data from Meerkat Radio Telescope (orange and yellow), and optical images from Panstarrs (red, green, and blue), illustrates the giant galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. Image credit: NASA/CXC/CFA/Rajpurohit et al. / panstarrs / sarao / meerkat / sao / n. wolk.
Located 5 billion light years from Earth in the Hydra constellation, PLCK G287.0+32.9 has garnered astronomers’ attention since its initial detection in 2011.
Prior research uncovered two bright relics, revealing a massive shock wave illuminating the cluster’s edges. However, the extensive, faint radio emissions filling the space between them went unnoticed.
Recent radio images have shown that the entire cluster is enveloped in a faint radio glow that is nearly 20 times the diameter of the Milky Way, suggesting an extraordinary and powerful phenomenon at play.
“We anticipated finding a bright pair of relics at the cluster’s edge. Found “The Harvard & Smithsonian Astrophysics Center” mentioned: “The Harvard & Smithsonian’s Astrophysics Center is a great way to help you get started,” Dr. Kamursh Rajprohit, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, noted.
“No energy particle clouds of this magnitude have been spotted in such galaxy clusters or anything comparable.”
Previous record holders, located around Abel 2255 in the Galaxy Cluster, spanned about 16.3 million light years.
In the central region of the cluster, Dr. Rajprohit and his team identified radio halos where frequencies of this scale are typically undetectable, marking the first discovery of size at 114 million light years at 2.4 GHz.
The findings posed questions for the team, providing compelling evidence of magnetic fields where cosmic ray electrons and magnetic fields extend throughout the cluster.
However, it remains uncertain how these electrons can accelerate over such vast distances.
“Very extended radio halos are seldom visible across most frequencies, as the electrons responsible for them tend to lose energy. They are aged and have cooled over time,” Dr. Rajpurohit stated.
“The discovery of this colossal halo has now led to a significant increase in radio emissions between the catastrophic impact and the rest of the cluster.”
“This suggests something is actively accelerating or re-accelerating the electrons, yet none of the usual explanations apply.”
“We suspect that extensive shock waves and turbulence may be contributing factors, but additional theoretical models are needed to arrive at a definitive conclusion.”
This discovery offers researchers a new pathway to investigate cosmic magnetic fields—one of the primary unanswered questions in astrophysics—helping to elucidate how magnetic fields shape the universe on the largest scales.
“We’re beginning to perceive space in ways we have never imagined,” Dr. Rajprohit emphasized.
“This necessitates a reevaluation of how energy and matter traverse through its grandest structures.”
“Observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, managed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, reveal boxy structures, comet-like tails, and several other distinct features of the cluster’s hot gas, indicating that the cluster is highly disturbed.”
“Some of these X-ray features correspond with radio-detected structures, pointing to substantial shocks and turbulence driven by merging events, facilitating electron acceleration or re-acceleration.”
“In the core of a cluster, some of these features may arise from the merger of two smaller galaxy clusters, or an explosion triggered by an exceptionally large black hole, or a combination of both.”
“That’s the million-dollar question,” he remarked. “I don’t have a very satisfactory answer.”
There are three distinct types of Sargassum found in the Caribbean and surrounding regions, buoyed by small air sacs, which makes their presence truly remarkable. According to Burns, scientists are currently observing various factors influencing its growth, which depend on sunlight, nutrients, and water temperature.
Experts also point to agricultural runoff, warmer waters, and alterations in wind, currents, and rainfall as factors that can have an impact.
Large mats of algae in the open ocean create what Burns refers to as a “healthy and thriving ecosystem,” home to species ranging from tiny shrimp to endangered sea turtles. However, Sargassum close to shore can wreak havoc.
It can block sunlight essential for coral reefs and seagrasses, and when the algae sink, they may suffocate these ecosystems. Once washed ashore, the organisms that inhabit the algae either perish or are scavenged by birds, according to Burns.
The massive piles of odorous seaweed pose a significant challenge for the Caribbean, especially since tourism is a vital economic driver for many small islands.
“It’s a hurdle, but it hasn’t impacted every corner of the Caribbean,” said Frank Comitto, a special advisor to the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association.
At a popular tourist destination in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, officials have invested in barriers to keep Sargassum from reaching the beaches, he noted.
In St. Maarten’s Dutch Caribbean territory, teams equipped with backhoes were mobilized for an emergency cleanup after residents reported a strong ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odor.
“The smell is quite unpleasant,” Burns stated.
Meanwhile, in the French Caribbean, officials plan to quickly utilize storage barges and specialized vessels capable of collecting several tons of seaweed daily.
Sargassum “will harm our coastlines, hinder swimming, and create unbearable living conditions for local residents,” French Prime Minister François Beilou recently informed the press.
However, Comitto mentioned that employing such vessels is “very costly” and not widely accepted, while an alternative method (using heavy machinery) is labor-intensive.
“We must tread carefully, as sea turtle eggs might be affected,” he advised. “You can’t just go there and bulldoze everything away.”
As some Caribbean islands face financial challenges, most cleanup efforts fall to hotels, with certain guests receiving refunds and complimentary shuttles to unaffected beaches.
Each year, the volume of Sargassum increases at the end of spring, peaks during summer, and then starts to decline in late autumn or early winter, noted Burns.
The recent record levels remain relatively stationary. Experts are hopeful for more Sargassum in June.
Water ice plays a crucial role in the formation of giant planets and can also be delivered by comets to fully developed rocky planets. Utilizing data from the Near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSPEC), which is part of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have identified crystallized ice on a dusty fragment disk surrounding HD 181327.
Artist impression of a debris disk around the sun-like star HD 181327. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/RALF CRAWFORD, STSCI.
HD 181327 is a young main sequence star located approximately 169 light years away in the constellation Pictor.
Also referred to as TYC 8765-638-1 and WISE J192258.97-543217.8, the star is about 23 million years old and roughly 30% larger than the Sun.
Astronomer Chen Zai and a team at Johns Hopkins University utilized Webb’s NIRSPEC instrument to study HD 181327.
“The HD 181327 system is highly dynamic,” Dr. Xie noted.
“There are ongoing collisions occurring within the debris disk.”
“When these icy bodies collide, they release tiny particles of dusty water ice, which are ideally sized for Webb to detect.”
Webb’s observations reveal a significant gap between the star and its surrounding debris disk, indicating a considerable area devoid of dust.
Moreover, the structure of the fragment disk is reminiscent of the Kuiper Belt within our Solar System, where we find dwarf planets, comets, and various icy and rocky bodies that may also collide.
Billions of years ago, the Kuiper Belt in our own Solar System could have resembled the HD 181327 debris disk.
“Webb clearly detected crystallized water ice not only present in the debris disk but also in places like Saturn’s rings and the icy bodies of the Kuiper Belt,” Dr. Xie stated.
The water ice is not uniformly distributed across the HD 181327 system.
The majority is found in the coldest and most distant regions from the star.
“The area beyond the debris disk contains over 20% water ice,” Dr. Xie explained.
Near the center of the debris disk, Webb detected approximately 8% water ice.
In this region, frozen water particles may form slightly faster than they are destroyed.
Closest to the star, Webb’s detection was minimal.
Ultraviolet radiation from the star can evaporate the nearby water ice deposits.
It is also possible that the interiors contain rocky bodies, referred to as planets, which are “confined” such that their frozen water remains undetectable by Webb.
“The presence of ice facilitates planetary formation,” said Dr. Xie.
“Icy materials can ultimately contribute to the delivery of resources to terrestrial planets that may form over hundreds of millions of years in such systems.”
Survey results were published in the May 14, 2025 issue of the journal Nature.
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C. Xie et al. 2025. Water ice on debris disks around HD181327. Nature 641, 608-611; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08920-4
The recently identified planet orbits a binary system comprising two equal brown dwarf stars positioned at a 90-degree angle from 2mass J15104786-2818174 (hereafter referred to as 2M1510).
This diagram illustrates exoplanets orbiting two brown dwarfs. Image credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser.
Cardiovascular planets represent the realm of diabetes found within a binary star system.
These planets generally have orbits aligned with the planes in which their host stars revolve around one another.
Previously, there were indications that planets might exist in vertical or polar orbits. Theoretically, these orbits were stable, and disc formations observed suggested potential planets around polar orbits of stars.
However, astronomers have now obtained clear evidence of the existence of these polar planets.
“We are thrilled to have played a role in finding robust evidence for this configuration,” stated PhD candidate Thomas Beycroft from the University of Birmingham.
The newly discovered exoplanet, 2M1510B, orbits a unique pair of young brown dwarfs.
These brown dwarfs undergo mutual solar eclipses as viewed from Earth, a characteristic that qualifies them within what astronomers refer to as a binary system.
This configuration is exceptionally rare, marking only the second identified pair of brown dwarfs and the first solar system discovered at a right angle relative to the orbit of its two host stars.
Artist’s impression of the unusual trajectory of 2M1510B around the brown dwarf. Image credit: ESO/L. Calsada.
“The planet revolving around the binary brown dwarfs in a polar orbit is remarkably thrilling,” commented Amalie Triaudo, a professor at the University of Birmingham.
Astronomers discovered 2M1510B by refining the trajectories and physical characteristics of the two brown dwarfs using UV and Visual Echelle Spectroscopy (UVES) at ESO’s Very Large Telescope.
The researchers observed strange forces acting on the trajectory of the brown dwarf, leading to speculation about a unique formation with an unusual orbital angle.
“After considering all plausible scenarios, the only explanation consistent with our data is that the planet within this binary is in polar orbit,” Beycroft noted.
“This discovery was fortuitous, as our observations weren’t initially aimed at studying the composition or orbit of such a planet, making it an exciting surprise,” Professor Triaud explained.
“Overall, I believe this not only showcases our astronomers’ capabilities but also illuminates the possibilities within the intriguing universe we inhabit.”
This image depicts the triple system 2M1510. Image credits: Centre Donna Astromyk destrasbourg/Sinbad/Panstars.
This discovery was made possible due to innovative data analysis developed by Dr. Larita Sylum of Cambridge University.
“We can derive their physical and orbital parameters from the variation in speed between the two brown dwarfs, although these measurements were previously uncertain,” Dr. Sairam remarked.
“This improvement has revealed that the interactions between the two brown dwarfs are intricately influenced.”
Study published in the journal Advances in Science.
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Thomas A. Baicroft et al. 2025. Evidence of polar drainage bulges orbiting a pair of brown dwarfs. Advances in Science 11 (16); doi:10.1126/sciadv.adu0627
Einstein rings (also known as Einstein – Chuworson rings or Chuworson rings) pass through very large masses such as galaxy clusters and giant galaxies as light from distant objects, such as galaxies.
Close-up of Einstein rings around NGC 6505. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.
This is the first powerful gravitational lens discovered in Euclidean, and the first powerful lens in the NGC object of investigation.
In the Galaxy-Galaxy's strong gravitational lens, light from the distant source galaxy is distorted and enlarged by the gravitational field of the foreground lens galaxy, forming multiple images of the source galaxy.
When the source is resolved, that is, not like a point, but close to the projection center of the lens of the source plane, a so-called Einstein ring is formed.
Both Einstein rings and lensed sources have enormous scientific value and are used in a variety of applications.
“The Einstein ring is an example of a strong gravity lens,” says Dr. Conor O'Riordan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics.
“All powerful lenses are special because they are very rare and very scientifically useful.”
“This is especially special because it's very close to the Earth and makes the alignment very beautiful.”
The ring of light surrounding the NGC 6505, captured by ESA's Euclidean telescope, is a stunning example of the Einstein ring. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.
Not only are you on the ESA's Euclidean spacecraft using deep imaging data from visible cameras (VIS) and near-infrared spectrometers and photometers (NISP) equipment, but also Keck Cosmic Web Imager (kcwi) At the Wm Keck Observatory, astronomers discovered Einstein rings around the center NGC 6505An oval galaxy about 590 million light years from Earth.
The ring around the foreground NGC 6505 is made up of light from even brighter galaxies.
The galaxy in the background is 4.42 billion light years away, and the light is distorted by the force of gravity on its way towards us.
“I think it's very interesting to see this ring within the famous galaxy, first discovered in 1884,” says Dr. Valeria Pettorino, scientist of the ESA Euclid project.
“The galaxy has been known to astronomers for a very long time. Still, this ring has not been observed before.”
“This shows how powerful Euclidean is and we're finding new things in places we thought we knew well.”
“This discovery is extremely encouraging and demonstrates its incredible capabilities for the future of the Euclidean Mission.”
The discovery of the Einstein ring on the NGC 6505 is paper Published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
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CM Orioludan et al. 2025. Euclid: Complete Einstein Ring for NGC 6505. A&A 694, A145; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202453014
In 2003, Hubble provided evidence of giant exoplanets around very old stars. Such stars have only small amounts of the heavy elements that make up planets. This suggests that some planetary formation occurred when our universe was very young, and that those planets had time to form and grow large within the primordial disk, becoming even larger than Jupiter. I am. But how? To answer this question, astronomers used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to study stars in the nearby Small Magellanic Cloud, which, like the early Universe, lacks large amounts of heavy elements. They discovered that not only do some stars there have planet-forming disks, but that those disks are longer-lived than the disks found around young stars in our Milky Way galaxy.
This web image shows NGC 346, a massive star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Yellow circles superimposed on the image indicate the positions of the 10 stars investigated in the study. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Olivia C. Jones, UK ATC/Guido De Marchi, ESTEC/Margaret Meixner, USRA.
“With Webb, we have strong confirmation of what we saw with Hubble, and we need to rethink how we model planet formation and early evolution in the young Universe.” European Space Research Agency said Dr. Guido de Marchi, a researcher at Technology Center.
“In the early universe, stars formed primarily from hydrogen and helium, with few heavier elements such as carbon or iron, and were later born from supernova explosions.”
“Current models predict that because heavy elements are so scarce, the lifetime of the disk around the star is short, so short that in fact planets cannot grow,” said a researcher at NSF's NOIRLab's Gemini Observatory. said lead scientist Dr. Elena Sabbi.
“But Hubble actually observed those planets. So what happens if the model is incorrect and the disks have a longer lifespan?”
To test this idea, the astronomers trained Webb in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way.
In particular, they examined the massive star-forming cluster NGC 346, which also has a relative lack of heavy elements.
This cluster served as a nearby proxy for studying stellar environments with similar conditions in the distant early universe.
Hubble observations of NGC 346 since the mid-2000s have revealed that there are many stars around 20 to 30 million years old that are thought to still have planet-forming disks around them.
This was contrary to the conventional idea that such disks would disappear after two or three million years.
“Hubble's discovery was controversial and went against not only the empirical evidence for the galaxy, but also current models,” Dr. De Marchi said.
“This was interesting, but without a way to obtain the spectra of these stars, we will not know whether what we are witnessing is genuine accretion and the presence of a disk, or just an artificial effect. I couldn't actually confirm it.”
Now, thanks to Webb's sensitivity and resolution, scientists have, for the first time, spectra of the formation of Sun-like stars and their surrounding environments in nearby galaxies.
“We can see that these stars are actually surrounded by a disk and are still in the process of engulfing material even though they are relatively old, 20 or 30 million years old,” De Marchi said. Ta.
“This also means that planets have more time to form and grow around these stars than in nearby star-forming regions in our galaxy.”
This discovery contradicts previous theoretical predictions that if there were very few heavy elements in the gas around the disk, the star would quickly blow away the disk.
Therefore, the lifespan of the disk is very short, probably less than 1 million years.
But how can planets form if dust grains stick together to form pebbles and the disk doesn't stay around the star long enough to become the planet's core?
The researchers explained that two different mechanisms, or a combination of them, may exist for planet-forming disks to persist in environments low in heavy elements.
First, the star applies radiation pressure to blow the disk away.
For this pressure to be effective, an element heavier than hydrogen or helium must be present in the gas.
However, the massive star cluster NGC 346 contains only about 10 percent of the heavy elements present in the Sun's chemical composition.
Perhaps the stars in this cluster just need time to disperse their disks.
A second possibility is that for a Sun-like star to form when there are few heavier elements, it would need to start with a larger cloud of gas.
As the gas cloud grows larger, it produces larger disks. Therefore, because there is more mass in the disk, it will take longer to blow it away, even if the radiation pressure is acting the same.
“The more material around the star, the longer the accretion will last,” Sabbi says.
“It takes 10 times longer for the disk to disappear. This has implications for how planets form and the types of system architectures that can be used in different environments. This is very exciting.”
of study Published today on astrophysical journal.
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Guido de Marchi others. 2024. Protoplanetary disks around Sun-like stars appear to live longer when they are less metallic. APJ 977,214;Doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad7a63
This article is adapted from an original release by the Webb Mission Team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Messier 77 is a relatively nearby and well-known bright spiral galaxy with a supermassive black hole at its center.
Messier 77 concept by artist. It is characterized by its powerful black hole and accretion disk, as well as the polarized light of water masers located outside the Milky Way. Image credit: NSF / AUI / NRAO / S. Dagnello.
Messier 77 is a barred spiral galaxy located 62 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus.
Also known as NGC 1068, LEDA 10266, and Cetus A, it has an apparent magnitude of 9.6.
Messier 77 was discovered in 1780 by French astronomer Pierre Méchain, who initially identified it as a nebula. Méchain then relayed this discovery to his colleague, the French astronomer Charles Messier.
Messier believed that the extremely bright objects he saw were clusters of stars, but as technology advanced, their true status as a galaxy was recognized.
At 100,000 light-years in diameter, Messier 77 is one of the largest galaxies in the Messier catalog, and its gravity is enough to twist and distort other galaxies nearby.
It is also one of the closest galaxies to active galactic nuclei (AGNs).
These active galaxies are among the brightest objects in the universe, emitting light in many if not all wavelengths, from gamma rays and X-rays to microwaves and radio waves.
But Messier 77's accretion disk is hidden by a thick cloud of dust and gas, despite being a popular target for astronomers.
Several light-years in diameter, the outer accretion disk is dotted with hundreds of different water maser sources that have been hinting at deeper structures for decades.
Masers are clear beacons of electromagnetic radiation that shine at microwave or radio wavelengths. In radio astronomy, water masers, observed at a frequency of 22 GHz, are particularly useful because they can shine through many of the dusts and gases that block the wavelengths of light.
Bucknell University astronomer Jack Gallimore and his colleagues began observing Messier 77 with two goals in mind: astronomical mapping of the galaxy's radio continuum and measuring the polarization of water masers.
“Messier 77 is a bit of a VIP among active galaxies,” says Dr. CM Violette Impellizzeri, an astronomer at the Leiden Observatory.
“There's an accretion disk right next to the black hole, and it's unusually powerful. And because it's so close, it's been studied in great detail.”
But the study authors looked at Messier 77 in an entirely new way.
Their observations were recently upgraded High sensitivity array (HSA) consists of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and NSF's NRAO telescope at the Green Bank Telescope.
By measuring the water maser's polarization and the continuous radio emission from Messier 77, they reveal the compact radio source, now known as NGC 1068*, and the mysterious extended structure of the fainter emission. I created a map to
Mapping the astronomical distribution of galaxies and their water masers reveals that they are spread along structural filaments.
“These new observations reveal that the maser spot filaments are actually arranged like beads on a string,” Dr. Gallimore said.
“We were stunned to see that there was an apparent offset, or displacement angle, between the radio continuum, which describes the structure of the galaxy's core, and the position of the maser itself.”
“The configuration is unstable, so we're probably looking at a magnetically ejected source.”
Measuring the polarization of these water masers with HSA revealed significant evidence of a magnetic field.
“No one has ever seen polarization in water masers outside of our galaxy,” Dr. Gallimore said.
“Similar to the loop structures seen as prominences on the Sun's surface, the polarization patterns of these water masers clearly indicate that there is also a magnetic field at the root of these light-year-scale structures.”
“Looking at the filaments and making sure the polarization vector is perpendicular to the filaments is key to confirming that they are magnetically driven structures. It's exactly what you expected. It’s a thing.”
Previous studies of the region have suggested patterns, usually related to magnetic fields, but such conclusions were until recently beyond the scope of observational techniques.
The discovery reveals evidence for a compact central radio source (the galaxy's supermassive black hole), distinct polarization of water masers indicating structure within Messier 77's magnetic field, and spectacular extended signatures across the radio frequency continuum. It became.
Taken together, these findings indicate that magnetic fields are the underlying driving force for these phenomena.
However, many mysteries remain. For example, within the radio continuum map there is a diffuse, faint protrusion that the team has dubbed the foxtail foxtail, extending northward from the central region.
“When we set out on this, we said to ourselves, 'Let's really push the limits and see if we can get good continuum and polarization data,' and those goals were both It was a success,” Dr. Gallimore said.
“Using the NSF NRAO High Sensitivity Array, we detected the polarization of a water megamaser for the first time. We also created a very surprising continuum map, which we are still trying to understand.”
a paper The results will be explained today. Astrophysics Journal Letter.
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Jack F. Gallimore others. 2024. Discovery of polarized water vapor megamaser emission in molecular accretion disks. APJL 975, L9; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad864f
Polar vortices exist in the atmospheres of planets ranging from rocky Earth-like planets to gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. However, currently not much is known about their presence and characteristics on the Sun due to the lack of direct observations in the polar regions. Unlike planetary atmospheres, the Sun’s underground layers are greatly influenced by the presence of magnetic fields. New research shows that the solar cycle’s magnetic fields provide the mechanism for the formation of polar vortices in the Sun.
On August 31, 2012, the corona, a long filament of solar material suspended in the Sun’s atmosphere, erupted into space at 4:36 p.m. EDT. CME traveled at more than 900 miles per second. Although it did not fly directly towards Earth, the single shot connected with Earth’s magnetic environment, or magnetosphere, and caused the aurora borealis to appear on the night of September 3rd. Image credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
“No one can say exactly what’s going on at the solar pole,” says Dr. Mausmi Dikpati, a senior scientist at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory.
“But this new study gives us an interesting look at what we might expect to find when we are able to observe the solar pole for the first time.”
It is not surprising that some kind of polar vortex may exist on the Sun.
These rotating geological formations develop in the fluid surrounding rotating bodies due to the Coriolis force and are observed on most planets in the solar system.
On Earth, vortices rotate high in the atmosphere around both the north and south poles.
When these vortices are stable, frigid air is trapped at the poles, but when they weaken and become unstable, that cold air penetrates toward the equator, creating cold air in the midlatitudes. cause
NASA’s Juno mission has returned breathtaking images of Jupiter’s polar vortices, showing there are eight tightly packed vortices around the gas giant’s north pole and five around its south pole.
Saturn’s polar vortex, observed by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, is hexagonal at the north pole and more circular at the south pole.
These differences provide scientists with clues to the composition and dynamics of each planet’s atmosphere.
Polar vortices have also been observed on Mars, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn’s moon Titan, so the fact that the Sun (also a rotating body surrounded by fluid) has such a feature may be obvious in some ways. yeah.
However, the sun is fundamentally different from planets and satellites, which have atmospheres. The plasma surrounding the sun is magnetic.
How that magnetism affects the formation and evolution of the Sun’s polar vortex, or whether it forms at all, remains a mystery. This is because humans have never sent a probe into space that can observe the poles of the sun.
In fact, our observations of the Sun are limited to views of the Sun’s face when it points towards the Earth, which only provides hints about what’s happening at the poles.
Astronomers have never observed the sun’s poles, so the study authors turned to computer models to fill in the blanks about what the sun’s polar vortex looks like.
What they discovered is that the Sun does indeed likely have a unique polar vortex pattern that evolves as the solar cycle unfolds and depends on the strength of the particular cycle.
Simulations show that a tight ring of polar vortices forms at about 55 degrees latitude, which corresponds to Earth’s Arctic Circle, at the same time that a phenomenon called “polar plunge” begins.
At the maximum of each solar cycle, the magnetic field at the sun’s poles disappears and is replaced by a magnetic field of the opposite polarity.
This flip-flop is preceded by a “polar plunge” in which a magnetic field of opposite polarity begins to move toward the pole from about 55 degrees latitude.
After formation, the vortices move towards the poles within the constricting ring, releasing the vortices as the circle closes, until eventually only a pair of vortices directly adjacent to the poles remain, completely disappearing during solar maximum.
The number of vortices that form and their configuration as they move toward the poles changes with the strength of the solar cycle.
These simulations provide a missing piece to the puzzle of how the Sun’s magnetic field behaves near the poles and could help answer some fundamental questions about the Sun’s solar cycle.
For example, many scientists have traditionally used the strength of the magnetic field “pushing to the poles” as a proxy for how strong future solar cycles are likely to be.
However, the mechanism of how they are connected, if at all, is not clear.
The simulation also provides information that can be used to plan future missions to observe the Sun.
In other words, this result shows that some form of polar vortex is observable during all parts of the solar cycle except during solar maximum.
“You could launch a solar mission and arrive at the pole at exactly the wrong time,” says Scott McIntosh, also of the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory.
Solar Orbiter, a joint mission between NASA and ESA, may give researchers their first glimpse of the solar pole, but the first glimpse will be close to solar maximum.
Scientists say a mission aimed at observing the poles and providing researchers with multiple simultaneous views of the sun could help solve long-standing questions about the sun’s magnetic field.
Dr. McIntosh said, “Our conceptual boundaries are that we currently operate from only one perspective.”
“To make significant progress, we need the necessary observations to test our hypotheses and see if simulations like this are correct.”
of result will appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Mausumi Dikpati others. 2024. Magnetohydrodynamic mechanism of solar polar vortex formation. PNAS 121 (47): e2415157121;doi: 10.1073/pnas.2415157121
There is no clear evidence that one or more large exoplanets are punching through the frontal debris disk surrounding Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
Webb used the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to obtain images of the circumstellar disk around Vega. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / S. Wolff, University of Arizona / K. Su, University of Arizona / A. Gáspár, University of Arizona.
Vega is a young, massive star located about 25 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.
This star is classified as type A. This is the name of stars that tend to be larger, younger, and rotate much faster than the Sun.
Vega, also known as Alpharilla, Gliese 721, and HD 172167, is 455 million years old and has a mass equal to two solar masses.
It rotates around its axis every 16 hours. This is much faster than the Sun, which has a rotation period measured in 27 Earth days.
Vega is legendary because it provided the first evidence of matter orbiting a star.
this was the first made a hypothesis However, it took more than 200 years before the first observational evidence was collected in 1984.
A mysterious excess of infrared radiation from warm dust has been detected by NASA's Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS). It was interpreted to be a shell or disk of dust extending from the star to twice Pluto's orbital radius.
In the new study, astronomers analyzed images of Vega's debris disk taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.
“Vega was one of the first typical planetary debris disks to be discovered,” Dr. Kate Hsu of the University of Arizona and colleagues said in their paper. paper Introducing the results of a web survey.
“This opens up a wide field of research, which is now being used to identify relatively low-mass exoplanets that are unreachable with other discovery techniques, as well as to reveal detailed properties of small bodies in other planetary systems. It is used in
“Vega continues to be an anomaly,” added Dr. Schuyler Wolf, an astronomer at the University of Arizona and lead author of the paper. paper Introducing Hubble's discoveries.
“The structure of the Vega system is markedly different from our solar system, where giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn prevent dust from dispersing like Vega.”
“For comparison, there is a nearby star called Fomalhaut, which is about the same distance, age, and temperature as Vega.”
“However, Fomalhaut's circumstellar structure is very different from Vega's. Fomalhaut has three nested debris belts.”
“Exoplanets have been suggested to be bodies that guide the dust around Fomalhaut, which gravitationally compresses it into a ring, but no planets have yet been positively identified.”
“Given the physical similarities between Vega and Fomalhaut's stars, why does Fomalhat appear to be able to form planets, but Vega not?” George Rieke, also of the University of Arizona The doctor said:
“What's the difference? Did the circumstellar environment, or the star itself, make the difference? What's puzzling is that the same physics is at work in both,” Wolff added.
Hubble used the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) to obtain this image of the circumstellar disk around Vega. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / S. Wolff, University of Arizona / K. Su, University of Arizona / A. Gáspár, University of Arizona.
Webb observed the infrared glow from a disk of sand-sized particles swirling around a scorching blue-white star that is 40 times brighter than the Sun.
Hubble captures the disk's outer halo, which contains smoke-sized particles that reflect starlight.
The distribution of dust within Vega's debris disk is layered. This is because the pressure of the star's light pushes smaller particles out faster than larger ones.
“Between the Hubble and Webb telescopes, we get a very clear view of Vega,” said Dr. András Gaspard, an astronomer at the University of Arizona and co-author of both papers.
“This is a mysterious system because it is unlike any other circumstellar disk we have observed.”
“Vega discs are smooth. Incredibly smooth.”
The Vega disk has a subtle gap about 60 AU (astronomical units) from the star (twice the distance of Neptune from the Sun), but otherwise it is very smooth the entire time until it disappears into the star's glare. is.
This indicates that there are no planets, at least up to the mass of Neptune, orbiting large orbits like our solar system.
“We are looking in detail at how much diversity there is in the circumstellar disk and how that diversity is tied to the underlying planetary system,” Dr. Hsu said.
“Even if we can't see what the hidden planets are, we’re still discovering a lot about planetary systems.”
“There are still many unknowns about the process of planet formation, but we think these new observations from Vega will help constrain models of planet formation.”
L1527, shown in this image from Webb's MIRI instrument, is a molecular cloud enveloping the IRAS 04368+2557 protostar. The more diffuse blue light and filamentary structures in the image come from organic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while the red in the center of the image is a thick layer of energetic gas and dust that surrounds the protostar. The white intermediate regions are a mix of PAHs, ionized gases, and other molecules. Image courtesy of NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI.
L1527, also known as LDN 1527, is located about 447 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.
The young protostar, called IRAS 04368+2557, is embedded in a molecular cloud that is part of a star-forming region in the constellation Taurus.
IRAS 04368+2557 is a relatively young star, only 100,000 years old.
Given its age and brightness in the far-infrared, the star is likely a class 0 protostar, the earliest stage of star formation.
IRAS 04368+2557 has an edge-on disc with two misaligned parts.
The inner and outer parts of the disk have slightly different orbital planes and are connected at 40 to 60 AU (astronomical units) from the protostar, but the disk is point-symmetric with respect to the location of the protostar.
Webb's previous observations of L1527 showed that NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera)Astronomers were able to peer into the region, where the molecular cloud and protostar appeared in opaque, vibrant colors.
Both NIRCam and MIRI show the effects of outflows that shoot out in opposite directions along the protostar's rotation axis as the protostar consumes gas and dust from the surrounding cloud.
These outflows take the form of bow shock waves relative to the surrounding molecular cloud and appear as filament-like structures throughout the molecular cloud.
They also energize, or excite, the material around them, causing the areas above and below them to glow, imprinting bright hourglass structures in the molecular cloud.
“But unlike NIRCam, which primarily images light reflected from dust, MIRI will be able to probe how these outflows affect the thickest dust and gas in the region,” astronomer Webb said in a statement.
“The blue region that takes up most of the hourglass represents carbonaceous molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.”
“The IRAS 04368+2557 protostar itself is shown in red, along with the dense mixture of dust and gas that surrounds it.”
“Meanwhile, MIRI revealed white regions just above and below the protostar, which are not as clearly visible in the NIRCam view.”
“This region is a mixture of hydrocarbons, ionized neon, and thick dust, indicating that the protostar is consuming material from the disk in a promiscuous manner, pushing this material over great distances.”
“As IRAS 04368+2557 continues to age and emits energetic jets, it will consume, destroy or push aside much of this molecular cloud, and much of the structure seen here will begin to disappear.”
“Eventually, when the accumulation of mass stops, this impressive spectacle will come to an end and the star itself will become more clearly visible to optical telescopes.”
“Combining both near-infrared and mid-infrared analyses will shed light on the overall behavior of this system, including how the central protostar is influencing the surrounding region.”
“Other stars in Taurus, the star-forming region in which L1527 resides, may form in exactly this way, which could lead to the disruption of other molecular clouds, either preventing the formation of new stars or promoting their development.”
Very low-mass stars orbit rocky exoplanets more frequently than other types of stars. The composition of these planets is poorly understood, but it is thought to be related to the protoplanetary disk in which they form. In the new study, astronomers used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to investigate the chemical composition of the planet-forming disk around ISO-ChaI 147, a red dwarf star just one-tenth the mass of the Sun. They identified emission from 13 carbon-containing molecules, including ethane and benzene.
This is an artist's impression of a young star surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL.
ISO-ChaI 147 It is a red dwarf star with a mass 0.11 times that of the Sun, located about 639 light years away in the constellation Chamaeleon.
The star was observed as part of the MIRI Mid-Infrared Disk Survey (MINDS), which aims to bridge the gap between the chemical composition of the disk and the properties of exoplanets.
These observations provide insight into the environments and fundamental elements for the formation of such planets.
Astronomers discovered that the gas in ISO-ChaI 147's planet-forming region is rich in carbon.
This could be due to carbon being removed from the solid material from which rocky planets form, which could explain why Earth is relatively carbon-poor.
“WEBB has greater sensitivity and spectral resolution than conventional infrared space telescopes,” said Dr Aditya Arabavi, an astronomer at the University of Groningen.
“These observations are not possible from Earth because the radiation is blocked by the atmosphere.”
“So far we have only been able to identify acetylene emissions from this object.”
“But Webb's high sensitivity and spectral resolution allowed us to detect faint emissions from fewer molecules.”
“Thanks to Webb, we now know that these hydrocarbon molecules are not only diverse, but abundant as well.”
The spectrum of ISO-ChaI 147 shows the richest hydrocarbon chemical composition ever observed in a protoplanetary disk, consisting of 13 carbon-containing molecules. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Ralf Crawford, STScI.
The spectrum of ISO-ChaI 147 is Webb's mid-infrared measuring instrument (MIRI) displays the richest hydrocarbon chemical composition ever observed in a protoplanetary disk, consisting of 13 carbon-containing molecules up to benzene.
This includes the first extrasolar detection of ethane, the largest fully saturated hydrocarbon detected outside the solar system.
Fully saturated hydrocarbons are expected to form from more basic molecules, so detecting them here can give researchers clues about their chemical environment.
Astronomers also detected ethylene, propyne, and methyl radicals in a protoplanetary disk for the first time.
“These molecules have already been detected in our solar system, for example in comets such as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy),” Dr. Arababi said.
“It's amazing that we can now see these molecules dancing in the cradle of the planet.”
“This is a completely different environment to how we normally think of planet formation.”
The team note that these results have significant implications for the astrochemistry within 0.1 AU and the planets that form there.
“This is very different to the composition found in disks around solar-type stars, where oxygen-containing molecules (such as carbon dioxide and water) dominate,” said Dr Inga Kamp, also from the University of Groningen.
“This object proves that these are unique classes of objects.”
“It's incredible that we can detect and quantify the amount of a molecule that's well known on Earth, such as benzene, in an object more than 600 light years away,” said Dr Agnes Perrin, an astronomer at the French National Center for Scientific Research.
Animals have various ways to detect chemicals in their environment, which differ depending on the species. Mammals use their tongues to taste, while fish and other aquatic creatures use their skin to taste. Insects, on the other hand, have taste buds not only inside their mouths but also outside their bodies.
Researchers have discovered that fruit flies, scientifically known as Drosophila melanogaster, have developed unique ways to utilize their senses of smell and taste to locate food and avoid dangers in diverse habitats. By exploring how fruit flies’ senses have evolved, scientists aim to uncover how these insects have adapted to their surroundings.
To study the sensory capabilities of fruit flies, researchers at the University of Lussanne in Switzerland compared the smells and tastes of different fruit fly species. They collected five essential body parts related to the flies’ senses: 1) larvae head, 2) egg-laying part, 3) front legs, 4) antennae, and 5) mouthparts with palpation structures. These body parts were collected from six closely related species of fruit flies living in various environments and consuming different diets.
The researchers separated male and female fruit flies into three replicates for each sex and species. They anesthetized the adult flies with CO2 to collect samples without causing harm. They separated larvae from their food source and removed their heads for analysis. This process was repeated three times for each body part of the adults, larvae, and egg-laying parts.
Using RNA sequencing technology, scientists examined the genes in different parts of the fruit fly’s body to understand how they respond to stimuli. This method helped identify active and inactive genes in various body parts, shedding light on how Drosophila adapts to its environment. The RNA data was stored in the Genomics Database for future research purposes.
The researchers observed that specific genes controlling smell and taste in fruit flies vary in their activation patterns. Changes in gene activity were influenced by factors like temperature, humidity, and interactions with other organisms. Differences in gene activity between male and female fruit flies were also noted, potentially impacting their mate selection.
The complexity of gene regulation in fruit fly sensory organs may vary across species and sexes, affecting their adaptation to diet and habitat changes. Further research is needed to understand the genetic basis of odor patterns in fruit flies and how it aids in their adaptation.
New and impressive images of the supermassive black hole located at the center of our galaxy show that its powerful magnetic field twists and rotates in a spiral pattern.
This is a never-before-seen view of Sagittarius A* (or Sgr A*), the massive black hole in the Milky Way galaxy that consumes nearby light and matter.
The images suggest similarities in structure between this black hole and the black hole in the galaxy M87. Although the black hole in M87, which was imaged for the first time, is over 1,000 times larger than Sagittarius A*, both exhibit strong, organized magnetic fields.
This pattern hints that many, if not all, black holes may share common traits, according to the scientists who published their findings in the Astrophysics Journal Letter on Wednesday.
“We’ve discovered that strong, orderly magnetic fields are crucial in how black holes interact with surrounding gas and matter,” said study co-leader and NASA Hubble Fellowship Program co-author, Einstein Fellow Sarah Isaun, as stated in a press release.
Isaun worked with an international team of astronomers known as the Event Horizon Telescope to conduct the research. This team comprises over 300 scientists from 80 institutions worldwide.
This same collaboration captured the first direct visual evidence of Sagittarius A* in 2022 and also studied the M87 galaxy, which is located approximately 53 million light-years away from Earth.
The magnetic field around the massive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, known as M87*, is believed to play a vital role in its extraordinary behavior. Black holes emit powerful jets of electrons and other subatomic particles into space at nearly the speed of light.
Although no such bursts of activity have been observed from Sagittarius A*, the similarities between the two black holes suggest that hidden jets may still be detected. Researchers suggest this possibility in the new images.
According to astronomers’ best models of black hole evolution, the magnetic field within the accretion disk must be strong enough to push the accreted plasma out into the surroundings. New results from Sagittarius A*, the 4.3 million solar mass black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and its much larger cousin M87* provide the first direct observational evidence supporting these models.
This image from the Event Horizon Telescope shows a polarized view of Sagittarius A*. The lines superimposed on this image show the direction of polarization associated with the magnetic field around the black hole’s shadow. Image credit: EHT Collaboration.
In 2022, EHT collaboration The first image of Sagittarius A*, about 27,000 light-years from Earth, has been released, showing that the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole looks very good despite being more than 1/1000th smaller and lighter in mass than M87. revealed that they are similar.
This led scientists to wonder if the two men had more in common than just their looks. To find out, they decided to study Sagittarius A* in polarized light.
Previous studies of the light surrounding M87* revealed that the magnetic field around the supermassive black hole causes powerful jets of matter to be ejected into the surrounding environment.
Based on this study, new EHT images reveal that the same may be true for Sagittarius A*.
“What we’re seeing now is a strong, twisted, organized magnetic field near the black hole at the center of the Milky Way,” said astronomers at the Harvard University & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. said Dr. Sarah Isaun.
“In addition to having a polarization structure that is strikingly similar to that seen in the much larger and more powerful M87* black hole, Sagittarius A* has a polarization structure that is strikingly similar to that seen in the much larger and more powerful M87* black hole. We found that strong, well-ordered magnetic fields are important for how they act.”
Light is a vibrating or moving electromagnetic wave that allows us to see objects. Light can oscillate in a particular direction, which scientists call polarization.
Polarized light is all around us, but to the human eye it is indistinguishable from “normal” light.
In the plasma around these black holes, particles swirling around magnetic field lines impart a polarization pattern perpendicular to the magnetic field.
This will allow astronomers to see in clearer detail what’s happening in the black hole region and map its magnetic field lines.
“By imaging polarized light from glowing gas near a black hole, we are directly inferring the structure and strength of the magnetic field that flows through the streams of gas and matter that the black hole feeds and ejects.” said Dr. Angelo Ricarte. Astronomer at Harvard University and the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“Polarized light can tell us much more about astrophysics, the properties of the gas, and the mechanisms that occur when black holes feed.”
But imaging black holes under polarized light isn’t as easy as wearing polarized sunglasses. This is especially true for Sagittarius A*. Sagittarius A* changes so quickly that you can’t stand still and take a photo.
Imaging supermassive black holes requires sophisticated tools beyond those previously used to capture a more stable target, M87*.
“Sagittarius A*s are like enthusiastic toddlers,” said Avery Broderick, a professor at the University of Waterloo.
“For the first time, we see invisible structures that guide matter within a black hole’s disk, drive plasma to the event horizon, and help the plasma grow.”
“Sagittarius A* moves around while trying to photograph it, so it was difficult to even construct an unpolarized image,” said astronomer Dr. Jeffrey Bower of the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica in Taipei. Told.
“The first image is an average of multiple images from the movement of Sagittarius A*.”
“I was relieved that polarized imaging was also possible. Some models had too much scrambling and turbulence to build polarized images, but nature isn’t that cruel. did.”
Professor Maria Felicia de Laurentiis, University of Naples Federico II, said: “Using samples of two black holes with very different masses and host galaxies, we can determine what they agree on and what they do not agree on.” It’s important.
“Since both point us toward strong magnetic fields, this suggests that this may be a universal and perhaps fundamental feature of this type of system.”
“One similarity between these two black holes could be a jet. But while we imaged a very obvious black hole in M87*, we have yet to find one in Sagittarius A*. not.”
Collaboration with Event Horizon Telescope. 2024. Horizon telescope results for the first Sagittarius A* event. VII. Polarization of the ring. APJL 964, L25; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad2df0
Collaboration with Event Horizon Telescope. 2024. Horizon telescope results for the first Sagittarius A* event. VIII. Physical interpretation of polarization rings. APJL 964, L26; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad2df1
GN-z11 is an extremely bright galaxy that existed just 420 million years ago, making it one of the oldest and most distant galaxies ever observed.
This two-part diagram shows evidence of a gaseous mass of helium in the halo surrounding galaxy GN-z11. The small box at the top right corner shows her GN-z11 in the galaxy. The box in the center shows a magnified image of the galaxy. The left-most box shows a map of helium gas in GN-z11's halo. This also includes clumps that are not visible in the infrared colors shown in the center panel. The spectrum in the bottom half of the graphic shows a distinct “fingerprint” of helium within the halo. The full spectrum shows no evidence of other elements, so the helium blob must be fairly pure, made from leftover hydrogen and helium gas from the Big Bang, with little contamination from heavier elements produced by stars. It suggests that there is no. Theory and simulations near particularly massive galaxies of these epochs predict that pockets of primordial gas must remain within the halo, and that these may collapse to form Population III clusters. doing. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Ralf Crawford, STScI.
GN-z11 is an early but moderately massive galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major.
First discovered by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 2016, the galaxy is estimated to be just 420 million years old, or 3% of its current age.
GN-z11 is about 25 times smaller than the Milky Way, with only 1% of the mass of stars in our galaxy.
Remarkably, this galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole of approximately 1.6 million solar masses that is rapidly accreting matter.
using, near infrared spectrometer Astronomer Roberto Maiorino of the University of Cambridge and colleagues detected gaseous clumps of helium in the halo surrounding GN-z11 using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope's (NIRSpec) instrument.
“The fact that we don't see anything but helium suggests that this mass must be fairly pure,” Maiorino said.
“This is what was predicted by theory and simulations near particularly massive galaxies of these times. There should be pockets of primordial gas left in the halo, and these collapse into population III. They may form star clusters.”
Finding never-before-seen “Population III stars” (first generation stars formed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium) is one of the most important goals of modern astrophysics.
These stars are expected to be very massive, very bright, and very hot.
Their expected characteristics are the presence of ionized helium and the absence of chemical elements heavier than helium.
The formation of the first stars and galaxies marked a fundamental change in the history of the universe, during which the universe went from a dark and relatively simple state to the highly structured and complex state we see today. It has evolved into an environment.
“In future Webb observations, we hope to probe GN-z11 more deeply and strengthen our case for Population III stars potentially forming within the halo,” the astronomers said.
Despite its recent emergence, these technologies and concepts are not new.
The United States and the Soviet Union developed and tested anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) during the Cold War. Both nations also regularly utilized nuclear power in space.
As early as 1959, the United States initiated the development of anti-satellite missiles due to concerns about Soviet efforts to do the same. This led to a 1985 test launch by an F-15 fighter jet, which successfully destroyed a satellite by ejecting its payload at an altitude of 36,000 feet and hissing into orbit, carrying a deteriorating U.S. aircraft, according to the U.S. Air Force Museum.
A paper published by the Air Force’s Air University Press in 2000 stated that from 1969 to 1975, the U.S. government developed an anti-satellite system using existing nuclear missiles in “direct ascent” mode to destroy space targets.
In addition to nuclear weapons, the U.S. government placed its first nuclear-powered satellite into orbit in 1961. The Soviet Union similarly developed and deployed comparable technology that powered many satellites during that period.
History has demonstrated that these developments are not without risks. In 1978, a Soviet nuclear-powered satellite malfunctioned and fell from the sky, spreading radioactive debris over northern Canada.
However, what has not yet been publicly revealed is the existence of a Russian nuclear-powered satellite carrying weapons.
According to a 2019 technical essay published in The Space Review, nuclear-fueled satellites equipped with powerful jammers that can block communications and other signals over large areas for extended periods may be installed. Experts have responded to this week’s news.
Bowen, of the University of Leicester, stated that such a design would be “very expensive” and “waiting for something to go wrong could create a nuclear environmental disaster in orbit.”
Ultimately, while none of this technology is new, the actual implementation would certainly be considered an escalation, according to Bowen and Bugerin.
Some have questioned whether the disclosure is purely political in nature, rather than a military threat.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskovin suggested that the White House’s actions may be an attempt to manipulate Congress to vote on a funding bill that would provide new aid to Ukraine. He raised the possibility of a diversionary tactic from the other side.
Francesca Giovannini, executive director of the Atomic Stewardship Project at Harvard Kennedy School, noted that “Russia has long been attempting to develop weapons in space,” indicating potential misinformation or diversion tactics being employed.
Elon Musk, who has faced criticism for endorsing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and allowing anti-Semitic messages on X (formerly Twitter), paid a visit to the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on Monday.
Musk’s visit to this infamous site of Holocaust atrocities preceded his planned attendance at a conference on anti-Semitism organized by the European Jewish Association in the nearby Polish city of Krakow later that day.
Musk was photographed at the Birkenau location alongside Daily Wire podcaster Ben Shapiro, who was also set to participate in the EJA conference. Birkenau, a village near Oświęcim in southern Poland, is enclosed by barbed wire, and contains wooden barracks and the remains of gas chambers as a testament to the Nazi crimes committed there, as well as a monument to the victims. Annual international ceremonies are held at this site.
“Before attending the European Jewish Association conference, Elon Musk visited Auschwitz-Birkenau with EJA President Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev John, and others. Mr. Musk laid a wreath at the Wall of Death and participated in a brief memorial and service next to the Birkenau Monument,” the EJA said in an email.
Mr. Musk was slated to engage in a discussion on online anti-Semitism with Mr. Shapiro at a conference in Krakow ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
After acquiring the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022, Musk has been accused of allowing anti-Semitic messages on the platform and has faced criticism from the Anti-Defamation League and others. His actions sparked protests from the White House and elsewhere in November, when he posted “You told the truth” at X to a user who accused Jews of hating white people and professing indifference to anti-Semitism. He later apologized for the comment, calling it the most “stupid” post he had ever made.
Last year, several major brands, including Disney and IBM, took action after liberal advocacy group Media Matters found that their ads were running alongside pro-Nazi content and white supremacist posts on the platform. Advertising on the platform was suspended, and Company X subsequently sued Media Matters, alleging that the Washington-based nonprofit created the report in an effort to “drive advertisers off the platform and destroy Company X.”
During World War II, over 1.1 million people, including Jews, Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and homosexuals, were murdered at Auschwitz by the Nazis and their collaborators. In total, around 6 million European Jews lost their lives in the Holocaust, with approximately 7,000 survivors found when the Soviets liberated the camp.
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