Tag

Gaia

All articles tagged with #gaia

science7 days ago•39 min saved

Gaia Uncovers a Black-Hole Swarm in Palomar 5, Destined to Dissolve

Gaia data reveal Palomar 5, a Milky Way globular cluster with an extensive tidal stream, may host over 100 stellar-mass black holes, making up about 20% of the cluster’s mass. Detailed simulations that include these black holes show they can eject stars into the cluster’s tidal tails, hastening its dissolution into a stream of black holes that will orbit the galactic center in around a billion years. The finding suggests such black-hole-rich clusters may be common and could be important for understanding black-hole mergers.

via Yahoo|

#black-holes #gaia #globular-clusters

space8 days ago•5 min saved

Hidden Black-Hole Swarm Shapes Palomar 5's Galactic Stream

Gaia data and N-body simulations indicate Palomar 5 hosts a substantial population of stellar-mass black holes—over 20% of its mass—which drove stars into its broad tidal stream; the cluster is on track to dissolve in about a billion years, leaving a black-hole–dominated remnant, suggesting globular clusters commonly harbor black holes and are key sites for future black hole mergers, with Palomar 5 acting as a Rosetta Stone for stream formation.

via ScienceAlert|

#black-holes #gaia #globular-cluster

space24 days ago•4 min saved

Most Milky Way Runaway Stars Aren’t Born in Binaries, New Survey Finds

Spanish researchers using Gaia astrometry and the IACOB spectroscopic database analyzed 214 O-type runaway stars and found that most did not originate as binary companions; the fastest runaways tend to be single, while faster rotators are linked to binary-supernova ejections, indicating multiple ejection mechanisms. The study also identified 12 runaway binaries, including three X-ray binaries with neutron stars or black holes, underscoring complex pathways for how these stars leave their birthplaces and influence galactic evolution.

via Universe Today|

#binary-systems #gaia #milky-way

science3 months ago•2 min saved

Pleiades Star Cluster Revealed as Part of a Vast Stellar Family

Astronomers using NASA's TESS and ESA's Gaia have discovered that the Pleiades star cluster is about 20 times larger than previously thought, containing thousands of stars instead of just seven, which could reshape our understanding of star formation and the galaxy's structure.

via Space|

#astronomy #gaia #pleiades

science-and-exploration5 months ago•5 min saved

Exploring Gaia's 3D Map of Stellar Nurseries

Scientists have created the most accurate 3D map of star-forming regions in the Milky Way using data from the Gaia space telescope, revealing detailed structures of stellar nurseries up to 4000 light-years away and providing new insights into how massive stars influence their surrounding interstellar medium.

via European Space Agency|

#3d-map #gaia #milky-way

science-and-exploration6 months ago•11 min saved

Gaia Reveals Our Skies Are Filled with Star Clusters

The European Space Agency's Gaia mission has revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way by mapping billions of stars with unprecedented precision, revealing complex structures, interconnected star clusters, and the dynamic processes shaping our galaxy, including the discovery of star families, tidal tails, and the large-scale interconnectedness of star-forming regions.

via European Space Agency|

#gaia #galactic-structure #milky-way

science7 months ago•5 min saved

Astronomers Uncover a Hidden Giant in Stellar Fog

Astronomers have discovered a large exoplanet, potentially up to ten times the size of Jupiter, hidden within the gas and dust of a protoplanetary disk around the young star MP Mus, using combined data from ALMA and Gaia, marking the first time Gaia has detected an exoplanet in such a disk and providing new insights into planet formation.

via Space|

#alma #exoplanet #gaia

science7 months ago•5 min saved

Astronomers Uncover a Hidden Giant in a Young Star's Fog

Astronomers using ALMA and Gaia have discovered a giant exoplanet, 3-10 times the size of Jupiter, hidden in the disk around the young star MP Mus, revealing new insights into planet formation and demonstrating a novel method for detecting young planets in protoplanetary disks.

via Phys.org|

#alma #exoplanet #gaia

science8 months ago•4 min saved

Astronomers Discover Rare Gas Giant Exoplanet Using Unique Microlensing Method

A team of astronomers used gravitational microlensing, a technique based on Einstein's 1936 theory, to discover a rare gas giant exoplanet, AT2021ueyL b, located over 3,200 light-years away in the galactic halo, marking only the third such discovery outside the Milky Way's dense center. This method allows detection of distant, cold planets in wide orbits, providing valuable insights into planetary formation in metal-poor regions. The discovery was facilitated by Gaia satellite alerts and ground-based telescopes, and it highlights the potential of upcoming missions like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to vastly expand our understanding of exoplanets.

via Earth.com|

#exoplanets #gaia #galactic-halo

astronomy1 year ago•4 min saved

"Close Encounter: Massive Stellar Black Hole Discovered Near Earth"

Astronomers have discovered a record-breaking stellar-mass black hole, named Gaia BH3, just 1,924 light-years from the Solar System in the constellation of Aquila. This black hole is the most massive stellar-mass black hole ever spotted in the Milky Way, with a mass 33 times that of the Sun. It was found in a binary orbit with a companion star, and its discovery raises questions about how many more undetected black holes are lurking nearby. The researchers anticipate finding even more black holes upon the fourth release of Gaia data.

via ScienceAlert|

#astronomers #astronomy #black-hole

astronomy1 year ago•4 min saved

"Unveiling the 3D Map of 1.3 Million Black Holes in the Universe"

A 3D map of over 1.3 million quasars, called "Quaia," has been created using data from the Gaia astrometric space mission, providing insights into the distribution and density of matter in the universe. Quasars, powered by supermassive black holes, serve as valuable guides for cosmological mapping and are located within the densest clumps of dark matter. By comparing the Quaia map with the cosmic microwave background, scientists have verified the distribution of matter in the early universe, offering new constraints on our understanding of cosmic history. This groundbreaking map, published in The Astrophysical Journal, covers the largest volume of the universe to date and presents a significant advancement in astrophysical research.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #astrophysics #dark-matter

astronomy2 years ago•6 min saved

"Study Challenges Overestimation of Dark Matter in Milky Way's Outer Stars"

New research from MIT suggests that the outer stars of the Milky Way are moving slower than expected, indicating a lighter core with less dark matter than previously thought. By analyzing data from the Gaia and APOGEE instruments, physicists found that the rotation curve of the galaxy remains flat until a certain distance, where it unexpectedly dips, implying a lower density of dark matter in the galactic core. This challenges current astronomical theories and may lead to a reconsideration of the state of equilibrium of the Milky Way.

via SciTechDaily|

#astronomy #dark-matter #gaia

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

Unveiling the Galactic Symphony: Harnessing Stellar Songs to Refine Gaia's Stellar Cartography

Astronomers have developed a new method of measuring cosmic distances by analyzing the frequencies of "music" played by vibrating stars. This technique, called asteroseismology, converts the vibrations and oscillations of stars into soundwaves, which can then be used to determine the distance to the stars. By comparing these distance measurements with the parallaxes obtained by the European Space Agency (ESA) satellite Gaia, scientists can improve the accuracy of Gaia's measurements and build a precise 3-dimensional map of the Milky Way. This method could also be used in upcoming space missions to detect and survey exoplanets.

via Space.com|

#asteroseismology #astronomy #distance-measurement

astronomy2 years ago•2 min saved

"Gaia's Next Trick: Unveiling Background Gravitational Waves in the Universe"

Astronomers propose using the Gaia probe to detect gravitational waves by observing their impact on the movement of asteroids in our Solar System. Current methods for detecting gravitational waves are limited to specific frequencies, but Gaia's highly accurate astrometric measurements could potentially reveal the passage of gravitational waves through the position of stars or nearby objects. The researchers also suggest that Gaia may be able to detect gravitational waves based on their effect on asteroids, particularly those with wavelengths ranging from the diameter of the Earth to the distance between the Sun and Pluto.

via Universe Today|

#asteroids #astronomy #gaia

astronomy2 years ago•4 min saved

"Gaia's Precision: Mapping the Milky Way and Predicting Microlensing Events"

The Gaia satellite, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), is creating a highly detailed 3D map of over a billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and beyond. The recently released data, known as Gaia DR3, provides precise measurements of stellar motions, luminosity, temperature, and composition. Highlights include the mapping of the Omega Centauri globular cluster and the identification of variable stars. The data also helps in understanding interstellar phenomena such as the absorption of light by interstellar matter and the formation of diffuse interstellar bands. Gaia's observations of quasars and asteroids contribute to estimating the age of the universe and improving the accuracy of asteroid orbits. The data analysis pipeline for Gaia DR4, expected in 2025, will incorporate even more data and features.

via SciTechDaily|

#astronomy #astrophysics #data-analysis