In the vast expanse of the universe, a dramatic scene unfolds between two galaxies. One galaxy is using a powerful beam of radiation to hinder the growth of its neighbor. This cosmic battle has been ongoing for billions of years, and scientists recently got a glimpse of this intense interplay. The galaxies are so far away that the light from this event took 11 bil...
Astronomers have recently found a massive molecular cloud lurking near Earth. The cloud, named Eos, is enormous, stretching about 40 moons across. It's roughly 3, 400 times heavier than the sun. Despite its size, it has remained hidden until now. Molecular clouds are crucial for star and planet formation. They are made up of gas and dust, which can clump togethe...
The James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered a surprising twist in the life of a distant star. The star, known as ZTF SLRN-2020, is about 12, 000 light-years away. Astronomers initially thought the star had grown into a red giant and swallowed a nearby planet. This is a common event in some star systems. However, the Webb Telescope's advanced infrared tools told a di...
Uranus has been keeping secrets. It turns out that the planet takes a bit longer to spin on its axis than we previously thought. This discovery came from a recent study that looked at data from the Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope has been watching Uranus for over a decade. It showed that Uranus completes one full rotation in 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds...
Saturn is a planet that has always been a source of fascination. Its most famous feature, the rings, are set to disappear from view for a brief period. This isn't a permanent loss, but a natural event that occurs due to the planet's tilt and orbit. The rings are made up of ice and rock particles that orbit Saturn. They are not solid but are composed of pieces ra...
A newly discovered asteroid, 2024 YR4, has been making headlines lately. Why? Because there's a small chance it might hit Earth in 2032. NASA's latest estimate puts the odds at 3. 2 percent. That might not sound like much, but it's not zero either. First, let's talk about what this asteroid could do. If it hit Earth, it would be big enough to cause serious damage. T...
Imagine a planet where one side is always day, and the other is always night. That's what happens on WASP-107b, but there’s something strange about it. Its atmosphere is taller on one side than the other, making it look lopsided. This might not sound like a big deal, but for astronomers, it's a surprise. WASP-107b is what we call a gas giant, similar to Jupiter in o...