Using Satellite Galaxies to Weigh the Milky Way
Scientists have tackled the challenge of weighing galaxies by harnessing incredibly precise measurements of the motions of Milky-Way satellites.
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Stellar by Day, Planetary by Night: Atmospheres of Ultra-Hot Jupiters
Simple chemistry may have a big effect on the atmospheres of extremely hot exoplanets.
Gas Velocities Reveal Newly Born Planets in a Disk
Two independent collaborations have simultaneously found the very first kinematic evidence for young planets forming in a protoplanetary disk.
The Aftermath of GW170817: Neutron Star or Black Hole?
What object was formed in the collision of two neutron stars in August 2017? New X-ray observations may have the answer.
Mars’s Leaky Atmosphere and Habitability
A new study explores Mars’s evolution from a potentially habitable world to an inhospitable environment.
A Massive Neutron Star with a Two-Faced Companion
In a recent study, scientists may have identified the most massive neutron star yet — by leveraging observations of its highly irradiated companion.
Dark Matter in NGC 1052-DF2: A Matter of Debate
Does the galaxy NGC 1052-DF2 really lack dark matter, or is this ultra-faint dwarf just misunderstood?
Bubbles in Titan’s Seas
The frigid seas of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, host a secret: something is causing features to appear and disappear within them. Could these seas be bubbling?
Disentangling the History of the Magellanic Clouds
New images of the faint outskirts of the Milky Way’s largest satellite galaxies reveal the extent of their complex interactions.
When Is Moving Dust Unstable?
Dust grains in fluids can be found in protoplanetary disks, stellar interiors, and even near black holes — and we may be missing important behavior of these systems.