The more developed a galaxy is, the more chaotic the orbits of its many stars are, according to new research that answers an important detail about how galaxies age. Our sun revolves around the center of the galaxy once every 225 million years, at an average speed of 514,495 mph (828,000 km per hour). Astronomers … Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has zoomed in on the heart of the Cigar Galaxy, a region of space ablaze with an explosive bout of star birth. This starburst galaxy, also known as Messier 82 (M82), has a compact but turbulent environment at its core that could give scientists a clearer picture of how … Read more
A neutron star is the remains of a massive star that once died during a supernova explosion. Overall, neutron stars are considered some of the most extreme objects in the known universe – and that’s especially true when these incredibly dense stellar remnants sit next to companion stars (that haven’t yet ‘died’) close enough to … Read more
“Which came first: the galaxy or its monstrous black hole?” Technically, it’s an even older riddle than the chicken or the egg, even though we only became aware of it relatively recently. And according to new research, scientists may finally have an answer. It has long been believed that supermassive black holes that existed close … Read more
NASA scientists have spotted a stunning cosmic fossil that was formed when a supermassive black hole erupted more than 5 million years ago. The team at the space agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center used the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) space telescope with help from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory to spot the X-rays that outline cold … Read more
Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of cosmic ORCs, or “strange radio circles” as they are officially called, which are so large they are ten times as wide as the Milky Way and can encompass entire galaxies. A team of astronomers led by Alison Coil, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. A box-shaped cloud of opaque dust located at the center of our Milky Way has long baffled scientists, and observations that reveal a new detail about its composition deepen the mystery and potentially upend knowledge … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. A box-shaped cloud of opaque dust located at the center of our Milky Way has long baffled scientists, and observations that reveal a new detail about its composition deepen the mystery and potentially upend knowledge … Read more
Some of the largest, most intense regions of star formation are found in the smallest galaxies. Scientists think this is because stars that reach the end of their lives in so-called dwarf galaxies are more likely to turn into black holes rather than explode. supernovas. The contrast is so stark, the team says, that dwarf … Read more