Planet Formation Caught in the Act
Scientists have caught a planet in the act of forming within a protoplanetary disk. What can we learn as we watch it grow?
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Microwaves from Solar Flares
A new view of the Sun in microwaves has revealed fresh details of what happens when a powerful flare erupts from the Sun into space.
Could Binary Mergers Help Us Find Intelligent Life?
A new study explores how we can optimize the hunt for advanced extraterrestrial civilizations — by targeting galaxies that host observable neutron-star mergers.
Dark Energy Survey Reveals Stellar Streams
Three years of optical survey data have revealed delicate stellar trails that may help us understand how the Milky Way halo was constructed.
The Origin of the Satellite Segue 1
A new study has measured the first proper motions for our mysterious neighboring galaxy Segue 1, providing clues to its origins.
Exploring Imbalances in the Sun’s Magnetic Flux
What causes the variability in the Sun’s mean magnetic field — the imbalance left over after averaging out all the magnetic flux regions on the Sun’s disk?
Growing Black Holes Within Accretion Disks
How can stellar-mass black holes attain the large sizes we’ve recently observed in merging binaries? The accretion disks surrounding supermassive black holes may help out!
Red Clump Stars and the History of the Galactic Bulge
The Milky Way’s central bulge plays host to a population of old, red stars. What can a closer look at these stars tell us about their origin and distribution?
Shocks in the Solar Atmosphere
Shocks in the Sun’s atmosphere may be contributing to its mysteriously high temperatures. A new study explores these phenomena in more detail.
Searching for Exoplanets Around X-Ray Binaries
Could we hunt for planets around the black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs that live in binaries with companion stars?