Interesting Articles
The lowest-mass binary ever found consists of two Jupiter-sized objects drifting freely through space. Key Takeaways: Astronomers have discovered a pair of free-floating planetary-mass objects traveling together in the Milky Way. This binary system, 2MASS J11193254–1137466AB, consists of two objects with just 3.7 Jupiter masses each. Scientists estimate the pair to be about 10 million…
Hundreds of black holes may be clustered just 3.3 light-years from the Milky Way’s core. Key Takeaways: Scientists have found evidence that hundreds of black holes may be densely packed around Sagittarius A*. X-ray data from the Chandra Observatory suggests at least 12 x-ray binaries near the galactic core. These binaries serve as tracers, hinting…
Sagittarius A* may have collided with another black hole 9 billion years ago, altering its spin. Key Takeaways: The Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, is spinning rapidly and misaligned with the galaxy. Scientists now believe this unusual spin resulted from a massive black hole merger billions of years ago. Data from the Event…
TRAPPIST-1, a tiny star just 39 light-years away, hosts seven Earth-sized worlds. Key Takeaways: Scientists have discovered seven Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. Three of these planets lie in the habitable zone, where liquid water could potentially exist. The system is only 39 light-years away, making it one of the best places…
A massive underground lake, 20 km wide, has been found beneath Mars’ icy south pole. Key Takeaways Scientists have detected a subglacial lake of liquid water beneath the Martian south pole. The lake spans 20 km (12.4 miles) and is likely rich in salts, keeping it from freezing. The discovery was made using the Mars…
Gaia’s latest data mapped over a billion stars, unlocking secrets of the Milky Way and beyond. Key Takeaways The second Gaia data release provided astronomers with an unprecedented view of over a billion stars. Scientists have already used the data to uncover high-speed stars, ancient black holes, and white dwarf mergers. A white dwarf, likely…
A mysterious force tore a massive hole in the Milky Way’s halo, baffling astronomers. Key Takeaways Scientists have discovered an enormous hole in the Milky Way’s halo, and its cause is unknown. The disturbance, spotted in a tidal stream, suggests a recent encounter with a massive object. The object responsible could be a clump of…
A star near the Milky Way’s black hole lost energy as predicted by Einstein’s theory. Key Takeaways Scientists observed a supermassive black hole absorbing energy from nearby starlight for the first time. The discovery confirms Einstein’s prediction that gravity shifts light to lower frequencies. The star S2 traveled at 5,000 miles per second near the…
A black hole 40 billion times the Sun’s mass lurks at the heart of Holm 15A. Key Takeaways Astronomers have measured the largest black hole ever—40 billion times the Sun’s mass. This colossal black hole sits in Holm 15A, a massive galaxy formed by multiple mergers. The black hole likely formed from the merging of…
Breakthrough Listen scanned 60 million stars—still no signs of intelligent life. Key Takeaways Scientists searched 60 million stars for alien signals but found nothing resembling intelligent life. This was the most sensitive and deepest targeted SETI survey ever conducted of the galactic center. The study focused on periodic radio transients, potential beacons from advanced civilizations….