An “Impossible” White Dwarf Identified in Kepler Data
The latest discovery in the Kepler mission data? A light white dwarf that defies all expectations.
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Using Mergers to Understand Neutron Stars
Can the mergers of neutron stars with another type of exotic object, black holes, reveal important information?
Not so Fast: Some Stars Show a Spin-down Slowdown
Take a moment to relax with today’s post about stellar rotation slowdown. All the stars are winding down, too — or are they?
Inferring History from Atmospheres
Can we use clues from the present to figure out how a planet has been blasted by the radiation of its host star in the past?
A Speedier Check of Models
Astronomy is driven forward by a combination of novel observations and complex, inventive modeling. How can astronomers better analyze their models?
Five Years Watching Volcanoes on Another World
Five years of observations reveal drama on the most volcanically active world in our solar system: Jupiter’s moon Io.
Heating Up a Solar Flare
Just in time for a summer heatwave: What can models tell us about how solar flares are heated?
Exploring an Odd Stellar Death
Massive stars can die in a lot of different ways! A new study explores one possible channel in more detail.
Exploring a Black-Hole Mass Conundrum
Why were the black holes spotted by LIGO so massive? A new study looks at what happens when black holes interact in star clusters.
How Venus Reacts when the Sun Strikes
What happens to Venus when an enormous solar eruption slams into the planet? In 2011, the Venus Express spacecraft was on site to find out!