Studying Star Formation History: Smooth or Bursty?
Researchers have analyzed images and spectra of hundreds of galaxies to determine if star formation proceeds smoothly or in fits and starts.
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From the Center to the Surface: Do Changing Stellar Interiors Affect Stellar Activity?
New research dives into tiny gaps and dips on the H–R diagram to study the connection between stellar interiors and stellar activity.
All Dust, No Ice: Comet 46P/Wirtanen
“Ice, Ice, Maybe?” Probably not in the case of comet 46P/Wirtanen.
Making Sense of the Many Metals in HD 222925’s Spectrum
We’ve measured more elements in HD 222925’s spectrum than we have for any other star except for the Sun. Could this star provide a new benchmark for our understanding of how heavy metals are created?
Astrobiology eXploration at Enceladus: Looking for Life on an Icy Moon
A recent article describes a spacecraft mission that aims to determine if Saturn’s tiny, frosty moon Enceladus hosts life in its global subsurface ocean.
Wanted: Surviving Companions of Stripped-Envelope Supernovae
Some supernovae may arise from stars that have lost their atmospheres to fierce winds or binary companions. How might we detect these binary companions, should they exist?
When White Dwarf Is on the Menu
Intermediate mass black holes, the younger siblings of supermassive anchors of galaxies, might sometimes play with their food.
A Midsummer Solar Physics Update
It’s summertime — beat the heat by checking out five recent research articles that tackle key issues in solar physics.
JWST Inspects a Quasar’s Neighborhood and Reveals a Strand of the Cosmic Web
JWST opens a new window onto the surroundings of quasars — extremely luminous galactic centers powered by accreting supermassive black holes — in the early universe.
Could Axions Help Fast Radio Bursts Escape a Magnetar’s Grasp?
Theoretical particles called axions might provide a helpful disguise for fast radio bursts, helping them escape the confines of a magnetar’s magnetosphere.