Cosmic Intelligence
Not long after the big bang that created our universe, the cosmos had cooled enough for its matter -- mostly hydrogen -- to form neutral atoms. Astronomers know that neutral hydrogen emit...
Eavesdropping on the Universe
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Seattle, WA
Astronomers have proposed an improved method of searching for intelligent extraterrestrial life using instruments like one now under construction in Australia. The Low Freque...
The Gestation of Massive Stars
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Astronomers think that most stars form in clusters because evidence suggests that a nursery capable of producing one star efficiently is usually capable of birthing many. But precisely ho...
The Abundances of the Elements
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The universe created in the big bang consisted mostly of hydrogen, with a significant though much smaller quantity of helium, about 24% by mass, and some traces of lithium. All of the oth...
Massive Jets in Aging Stars
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Once a normal star like the Sun has burned its hydrogen fuel into helium, and then in turn converted its helium into carbon and oxygen, it begins to show its age. Already very swollen and...
The Shape of the Solar System
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One of the primary reasons why astronomers study planets around other stars is to learn whether our own Earth and solar system are typical or unusual, and to unravel new details about how...
Negative Vibes From Space
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Cambridge, MA
Astronomers have discovered the first negatively charged molecule in space, identifying it from radio signals that were a mystery until now. While about 130 neutral and 14 ...
Spinning Black Hole Pushes the Limit
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Cambridge, MA
The Spooky Sun
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Cambridge, MA
Just in time for Halloween, astronomers have taken a haunting new portrait of the sun. In this color-coded image from the Hinode spacecraft, the sun glows eerily orange as ...
Busted! Astronomers Nab Culprit in Galactic Hit-and-Run
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Cambridge, MA
The Andromeda galaxy, the closest large spiral to the Milky Way, appears calm and tranquil as it wheels through space. But appearances can be deceiving. Astronomers have ne...