Astronomy and astrophysics

ABRACADABRA (A Broadband/Resonant Approach to Cosmic Axion Detection with an Amplifying B-field Ring Apparatus), consists of a series of magnetic coils, wound in the shape of a toroid, or donut, which is then encased in a layer of superconducting metal and kept at temperatures just above absolute zero. The scientists plan to use a highly sensitive magnetometer, placed inside the donut hole, to det...

Team simulates a magnetar to seek dark matter particle

Detecting “axion” particles may solve longstanding problem in particle physics.

October 7, 2016

This artist's depiction shows the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft contacting the asteroid Bennu with its Touch-And-Go Sample Arm. The mission aims to return a sample of Bennu's surface coating to Earth and to return detailed information about the asteroid and its trajectory.

MIT’s REXIS is bound for asteroid Bennu

Instrument will help OSIRIS-REx mission identify locations for collecting an asteroid sample.

September 8, 2016

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a huge, cubic-kilometer particle detector buried deep under the ice at the South Pole. After analyzing 20,000 neutrinos detected over the span of a year at the observatory, scientists were unable to observe any sign of sterile, or “hidden,” neutrinos.

Neutrino search finds no evidence of “hidden” particle

If discovered, sterile neutrinos may explain dark matter.

August 8, 2016

An artist’s depiction of planets transiting a red dwarf star in the TRAPPIST-1 System

First atmospheric study of Earth-sized exoplanets reveals rocky worlds

Two potentially habitable planets in nearby system are confirmed to be rocky.

July 20, 2016

An X-ray image of the Perseus Cluster from NASA’s Chandra Observatory.

Dead X-ray satellite reveals “quiet” center of massive galaxy cluster

Scientists find gas at center of Perseus cluster travels much more slowly than expected.

July 6, 2016

An image, taken by MESSENGER during its Mercury flyby on Jan. 14, 2008, of Mercury’s full crescent.

Researchers trace Mercury’s origins to rare meteorite

Experiments show planet cooled dramatically in half a billion years.

June 27, 2016

This illustration shows the merger of two black holes and the gravitational waves that ripple outward as the black holes spiral toward each other. The black holes — which represent those detected by LIGO on Dec. 26, 2015 — were 14 and 8 times the mass of the sun, until they merged, forming a single black hole 21 times the mass of the sun. In reality, the area near the black holes would appear ...

For second time, LIGO detects gravitational waves

Signal was produced by two black holes colliding 1.4 billion light years away.

June 15, 2016

This illustration depicts the view from outside of a rapidly-accreting black hole. The bright light toward the center represents the super-heating of gas as it falls onto the black hole. Emanating from the center is a jet of accelerated particles moving near the speed of light. Surrounding the black hold is cool, clumpy gas and dust, which are falling inwards and will eventually join the material ...

Scientists observe supermassive black hole feeding on cold gas

Findings suggest two dining styles for black holes.

June 8, 2016

An artist's drawing of a black hole named Cygnus X-1. It formed when a large star caved in. This black hole pulls matter from the blue star beside it.

A method to image black holes

New algorithm could stitch together astronomical measurements made across the globe.

June 6, 2016

Rainer Weiss wins Kavli Prize in Astrophysics

LIGO inventor shares award for direct detection of gravitational waves.

June 2, 2016

Rainer Weiss awarded the Shaw Prize in Astronomy

Physics professor emeritus shares prize with Caltech's Kip Thorne and Ronald Drever for designing the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.

June 1, 2016

(Left to right) David Shoemaker, Rainer Weiss, Matthew Evans, Erotokritos Katsavounidis, Nergis Mavalvala, and Peter Fritschel.

LIGO researchers awarded Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

Team that detected gravitational waves to share $3 million prize.

May 4, 2016

This artist’s rendering shows an imagined view of the three planets orbiting an ultracool dwarf star just 40 light-years from Earth that were discovered using the TRAPPIST telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory. In this view, one of the inner planets is seen in transit across the disc of its tiny and dim parent star.

Scientists discover potentially habitable planets

Just 40 light years from Earth, planets are best targets so far for search for extraterrestrial life.

May 2, 2016

This artist’s rendering shows the super-Earth 55 Cancri e in front of its parent star. The planet is essentially a heat-seeking fireball, orbiting extremely close to its star. It circles in just 18 hours, compared to Earth’s leisurely 365-day journey around the sun.

First temperature map of a “super-Earth” reveals lava world

Exoplanet lacks atmosphere, is covered in rivers of magma.

March 30, 2016

Dark Energy Survey image of the region surrounding the faint dwarf galaxy Reticulum II. The nine brightest known stars in the galaxy are marked with red circles. Spectra showing the unique chemical content of three stars are shown.

3 Questions: The origin of the cosmos’ heaviest elements

Unique galaxy offers clues to the extreme conditions that yield the heavies of the periodic table.

March 21, 2016

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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