Does the Milky Way move like a spinning top?

An investigation, carried out by the astrophysicists of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), questions one of the most interesting findings about the dynamics of the Milky Way in recent ...

Astronomers trace a star's three-year infrared glow to black hole birth

In 2014, a NASA telescope observed that the infrared light emitted by a massive star in the Andromeda galaxy gradually grew brighter. The star glowed more intensely with infrared light for around ...

Astronomers Reveal the Milky Way’s Magnetic Field Is Far More Chaotic Than Expected

A new radio survey reveals that the Milky Way’s magnetic field is intricate, widespread, and deeply connected to how the galaxy is organized.

Milky Way's massive black hole spaghettified filament of gas

A massive filament of gas and dust, designated X7, has been elongated during its long approach to the Milky Way galaxy's supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. See W.M. Keck Observatory imagery of X7 ...

This Is One of the Most Remote and Unique U.S. National Parks—With 120 Caves, a Bat Colony, and Pretty Desert Scenery

Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon. There are national parks that are known for their enchanting landscapes, wide-open ...

The Center of Our Galaxy May Not Be a Black Hole

What if the Milky Way’s central “black hole” isn’t a black hole at all? A new model proposes that an ultra-dense dark matter core could mimic its gravitational pull.

The Milky Way’s core may be dense dark matter, not a black hole

For decades, scientists have theorized that the Milky Way Galaxy’s supermassive black hole, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), ...
ZME Science

Astronomers Are Baffled by a Truly Amazing ‘Inside Out’ Star System That Places a Rocky Planet Where a Gas Giant Belongs

Typically, from what astronomers have gathered thus far, star systems follow a tidy logic: small, rocky worlds huddle close to the warmth of their star, while massive gas giants bloat up in the colder ...

The tiny English hamlet where stargazers can 'very clearly' see the Milky Way

The hamlet in Suffolk has been awarded special dark sky status in recognition of its low levels of light pollution. Thorington Street, in Dedham Vale is now recognised as England’s first dark sky ...
University of Birmingham

Astrophysics turned upside down by unique ‘inside out’ planetary system

University of Birmingham astronomers joined a global team of scientists to discover a distant planetary system that turns scientific understanding of planet formation upside down. In the Solar System, ...

Astronomers find a solar system in the Milky Way that breaks the rules of planet formation

A small red dwarf star in the Milky Way has drawn attention after astronomers mapped four closely orbiting planets around it. The system, known as LHS.

Small hamlet recognised as England’s first dark sky community

A hamlet in Suffolk has been recognised as England’s first dark sky community by DarkSky International. Thorington Street, in ...