Joint research led by Michiko Fujii of the University of Tokyo has unveiled a possible formation mechanism for intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) in globular clusters. These clusters, which can contain tens of thousands to millions of tightly packed stars, have long been suspected to host IMBHs, but direct theoretical evidence has been lacking until now. … Read more
MIT astronomers have observed the elusive starlight surrounding some of the earliest quasars in the universe. The distant signals, which trace back more than 13 billion years to the universe’s infancy, are revealing clues to how the very first black holes and galaxies evolved. Quasars are the blazing centers of active galaxies, which host an … Read more
The search for gravitational lenses is a fascinating endeavor in astronomy and cosmology that has revolutionized our understanding of the universe’s structure, composition, and evolution. Gravitational lenses are cosmic phenomena predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, where the gravitational field of massive objects, such as galaxies or galaxy clusters, bends and distorts the paths … Read more
The interstellar medium (ISM) is the vast expanse of gas and dust that fills the space between stars in galaxies. Comprising a complex mixture of elements, molecules, and particles, the ISM plays a crucial role in the formation and evolution of stars, planets, and galaxies. Understanding the properties and dynamics of the interstellar medium is … Read more
The origin and evolution of the universe have fascinated humanity for millennia. Modern scientific theories, such as the Big Bang theory, provide a framework for understanding these cosmic processes. The universe began as an unimaginably dense and hot singularity around 13.8 billion years ago, expanding rapidly and cooling over time. Through cosmic inflation, galaxies, stars, … Read more
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles originating from outer space that continuously bombard the Earth and other celestial bodies. These particles, which include protons, electrons, and atomic nuclei, carry immense amounts of energy and play a significant role in shaping the universe and influencing various processes on Earth. The study of cosmic rays encompasses a wide … Read more
Quasars, short for “quasi-stellar radio sources,” are among the most enigmatic and fascinating objects in the cosmos. They are incredibly bright and energetic, emitting radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to X-rays and gamma rays. Quasars are powered by the accretion of material onto supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, … Read more
Black holes are among the most intriguing and enigmatic objects in the universe, representing the mysterious endpoints of gravity’s relentless pull. These cosmic entities, born from the collapse of massive stars or through other astrophysical processes, possess such intense gravitational fields that not even light can escape their grasp. The concept of a black hole … Read more
A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration—which includes scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA)— has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the … Read more
A team of physicists has developed a method to detect gravity waves with such low frequencies that they could unlock the secrets behind the early phases of mergers between supermassive black holes, the heaviest objects in the universe. The method can detect gravitational waves that oscillate just once every thousand years, 100 times slower than … Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope has made one of the most unexpected findings within its first year of service: A high number of faint little red dots in the distant universe could change the way we understand the genesis of supermassive black holes. The research, led by Jorryt Matthee, Assistant Professor in astrophysics at the … Read more
Looking deep into space and time, two teams using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have studied the exceptionally luminous galaxy GN-z11, which existed when our 13.8 billion-year-old universe was only about 430 million years old. Delivering on its promise to transform our understanding of the early universe, the James Webb Space Telescope is probing … Read more
When they are active, supermassive black holes play a crucial role in the way galaxies evolve. Until now, growth was thought to be triggered by the violent collision of two galaxies followed by their merger; however, new research led by the University of Bath suggests galaxy mergers alone are not enough to fuel a black … Read more
Nearly every massive galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole at its center. When two galaxies merge, their black holes can form a binary pair, meaning they are in a bound orbit with one another. It’s hypothesized that these binaries are fated to eventually merge, but this has never been observed. The question of whether such … Read more
An extraordinary scientific endeavor led by astronomers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, spearheaded by Dr. Lukas Furtak and Prof. Adi Zitrin, has unveiled a remarkable discovery utilizing data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Their findings, published in Nature, shed light on an exceptionally red, gravitationally lensed supermassive black hole lurking in the … Read more
Using the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have characterized a bright quasar, finding it to be not only the brightest of its kind but also the most luminous object ever observed. Quasars are the bright cores of distant galaxies, and supermassive black holes power them. The black hole in this record-breaking … Read more