Astronomers detect the closest example yet of a black hole devouring a star
The event was spotted in infrared data — also a first — suggesting further searches in this band could turn up more such bursts.
New black hole images reveal a glowing, fluffy ring and a high-speed jet
The observations will help astronomers pin down the physics of the plasma around black holes.
Exploring the bow shock and beyond
PhD student Rishabh Datta seeks further understanding of astrophysical phenomena.
A message to meteorite hunters: Put down your magnets!
A new study shows that simple hand magnets erase a meteorite’s magnetic memory.
Understanding our place in the universe
Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar Brian Nord trains machines to explore the cosmos and fights for equity in research.
Scientists map gusty winds in a far-off neutron star system
The 2D map of this “disk wind” may reveal clues to galaxy formation.
3Q: What we learned from the asteroid-smashing DART mission
Saverio Cambioni discusses new results revealing the redirected asteroid Dimorphos to be a dust-trailing rubble-pile.
Phiala Shanahan is seeking fundamental answers about our physical world
With supercomputers and machine learning, the physicist aims to illuminate the structure of everyday particles and uncover signs of dark matter.
Study: Without more data, a black hole’s origins can be “spun” in any direction
Current measurements of black holes are not enough to nail down how the invisible giants form in the universe, researchers say.
School of Science appoints 10 faculty to named professorships
Those selected for these positions receive additional support to pursue their research and develop their careers.
Mysteriously bright flash is a black hole jet pointing straight toward Earth, astronomers say
The observations could illuminate how supermassive black holes feed and grow.
International team observes innermost structure of quasar jet
New observations show the deepest parts of the quasar's plasma jet in a project led by MIT Haystack Observatory.
Method for decoding asteroid interiors could help aim asteroid-deflecting missions
Astronomers have found a way to determine an asteroid’s interior structure based on how its spin changes during a close encounter with Earth.
Astronomers find a “cataclysmic” pair of stars with the shortest orbit yet
The stars circle each other every 51 minutes, confirming a decades-old prediction.
Saturn’s rings and tilt could be the product of an ancient, missing moon
A “grazing encounter” may have smashed the moon to bits to form Saturn’s rings, a new study suggests.