All articles tagged with #infrared observations
New research suggests that giant free-floating planets, similar in mass to Jupiter, can potentially form their own miniature planetary systems, complete with dust disks and signs of planet formation, challenging the notion that planetary systems only form around stars.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided new insights into the Sombrero galaxy, revealing its outer dust ring as turbulent and clumpy, and highlighting a sparse, dust-depleted inner disk. The galaxy, which combines features of both spiral and elliptical galaxies, contains a supermassive black hole and forms only one solar mass of new stars annually. JWST's advanced capabilities have unveiled details previously unseen, including numerous background galaxies, suggesting the Sombrero galaxy may represent a galactic end-state after consuming its neighbors.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a detailed image of Westerlund 1, the closest supermassive star cluster to Earth, located 12,000 light-years away. This cluster, with a mass equivalent to 63,000 suns, is a prime target for studying star and planet formation due to its dense population of massive stars. The JWST's infrared capabilities have revealed unexpected nebulosity and protoplanetary disks, offering insights into the starburst environment's impact on star and planet formation. The findings are part of the Extended Westerlund 1 and 2 Open Clusters Survey (EWOCS).
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has received its Optical Telescope Assembly, marking a significant milestone in its development. Delivered to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the assembly includes a primary mirror and supporting structures, crucial for the telescope's mission to survey the universe using infrared technology. The telescope's design and performance are critical for the mission's success, with rigorous testing ensuring its readiness for space conditions. The Roman Space Telescope is on track for a May 2027 launch, aiming to explore cosmic phenomena with unprecedented detail.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is being used to hunt for planets forming around infant stars by observing protoplanetary disks. The telescope's sensitive infrared instruments have revealed interactions between the disks and gas envelopes closer to the stars. Unexpectedly, the team led by scientists from the University of Michigan, the University of Arizona, and the University of Victoria found signals of a forming planet in the protoplanetary disk around the protostar SAO 206462, but it wasn't the planet they were expecting to see. Similar investigations into other protoplanetary disks have provided valuable insights into the formation of planets around young stars, shedding light on how materials are distributed across young systems and refining theories about planet formation and evolution.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured images of 19 spiral galaxies, providing new insights into star formation, galaxy structure, and evolution. These images, taken mainly in the infrared, reveal details about the earliest phase of star formation and the structure of dust and gas clouds within galaxies. The observations build on those of the Hubble Space Telescope, offering a clearer view through dust to see stars behind and within the enshrouding dust.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured unprecedented detailed images of 19 spiral galaxies, showcasing millions of stars and intricate structures in near- and mid-infrared light. These observations, part of the PHANGS project, provide insights into star formation and the evolution of galaxies. The images reveal clusters of old stars, supermassive black holes, and glowing dust surrounding still-forming stars. Astronomers are excited about the opportunity to study the vast number of stars in these galaxies and gain a better understanding of their life cycles.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured unprecedented detailed portraits of 19 spiral galaxies, revealing millions of stars and intricate structures using its ability to observe in different wavelengths of infrared light. These observations, part of the PHANGS project, provide insights into star formation and the evolution of spiral galaxies, shedding light on the distribution of gas and dust, the presence of supermassive black holes, and the life cycles of stars. Webb's new images are described as extraordinary and mind-blowing by astronomers, offering a unique perspective on the galaxies and their stellar contents.
MIT scientists have discovered 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) by looking for infrared emissions, doubling the catalog of known TDEs in the universe. By using infrared observations, the team found TDEs in a range of galaxies, resolving previous puzzles and discrepancies in the study of these events. The findings suggest that black holes can devour stars in various types of galaxies and may help estimate the rate at which TDEs occur. This research was supported, in part, by NASA.
MIT scientists have discovered 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) by using infrared observations, doubling the known TDEs in the nearby universe. These TDEs occur when a nearby star is drawn into a black hole and ripped apart, emitting bursts of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum. By looking in the infrared band, the team found TDEs in a variety of galaxies, resolving previous puzzles and providing a better understanding of how stars are devoured by black holes.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a cat's tail-shaped dust structure within the Beta Pictoris system, indicating recent dust production events and complex interactions within the system's debris disks. This finding expands our understanding of planetary system dynamics and provides new insights into the composition and temperature differences of the debris disks. The structure, estimated to span 10 billion miles, is believed to be the result of a dust production event, possibly a collision, that occurred around a hundred years ago. This discovery highlights the ongoing surprises and complexities within the Beta Pictoris planetary system.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a stunning near-infrared image of Cassiopeia A, a famous supernova remnant in the Milky Way. The image reveals new details and features, including a stripey blob called Baby Cas A, which is actually a light echo caused by Cas A's light hitting a distant clump of dust. The image also shows the inner shell of the explosion, resembling shards of glass, and the smoky outer shell expanding into interstellar space. Scientists are gaining transformative insights into how the star exploded and are studying the dynamics of the remnant.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a stunning image of a newborn star surrounded by a luminous cloud of gas and dust, known as a Herbig-Haro object. Using its Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam), the JWST observed the intricate details of the object, revealing shock collisions and heated molecules. The image also suggests the presence of twin outflows, indicating the possibility of two stars located in the dark hollow. Infrared observations are crucial for studying young stars and probing these cosmic bodies, as they can penetrate the gas and dust cocoons that surround them.
A new study has used infrared observations from the VISTA telescope to search for galaxies within the Zone of Avoidance, the central region of the Milky Way filled with interstellar gas and dust. By analyzing data from the VISTA Variables in Vía Láctea (VVV) survey, the researchers identified 182 galaxies, confirming 75% of the galaxies previously detected by the 2MASS survey. This study marks the first step in uncovering the hidden galaxies in the Zone of Avoidance and paves the way for further exploration using the VVV eXtended Survey.
A new study has used infrared observations from the VISTA telescope to look for galaxies within the Zone of Avoidance, a region in the central part of the Milky Way filled with dust that blocks visible light. By comparing their candidates with data from the 2MASS Extended Source Catalogue, the team confirmed 75% of the galaxies in the region. This initial step opens the door to further study of thousands of galaxies hidden in the Zone of Avoidance, providing a better understanding of the universe.