astrophysics Archives

Astrobiology (general), Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release

NASA SMD Town Hall for Planetary Science Research Programs on October 15

by Keith CowingOctober 15, 2024October 15, 2024

On October 15, 2024, at 3 PM Eastern Time, NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD) will host a webinar to discuss changes made to select upcoming Research Opportunities in Space and […]

[C/Fe], [N/Fe], and [O/Fe] abundances and C/O and N/O ratios as functions of [Fe/H] for observed dwarfs (left panel) and giants (right panel). Thin disc planet-hosting stars are represented by green circles, while pink circles indicate stars from the thick disc. Circles filled with both colours represent "in between stars" to thin and thick discs. The (coloured) diamond symbols represent the planets-hosts from Tautvaišiene et al. ˙ (2022). The comparison sample results are taken from Stonkute et al. (2020); Tautvaišien ˙ e et al. (2022) and indicated by empty grey squares (thin ˙ disc) and triangles (thick disc). -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Stellar Cartography

Chemical Composition of Planetary Hosts: C, N, and a-element Abundances

by Keith CowingOctober 12, 2024

Accurate atmospheric parameters and chemical composition of planet-hosting stars are crucial for characterising exoplanets and understanding their formation and evolution.

Voyager 2 Interstellar Probe Heads Outward -- NASA

Astronomy & Telescopes, Interstellar, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Radiation

Voyager 2 Interstellar Probe Science Instrument Turned Off To Save Power

by Keith CowingOctober 2, 2024October 2, 2024

The Voyager 2 mission has been working to postpone the shut-off as long as possible. Four other instruments aboard the interstellar spacecraft continue to operate.

The configuration of stellar associations in and around the LB. Left panel: Shown is a map of today’s LB and the locations of the nearby stellar associations. The shape of the LB is taken from (Zucker et al. 2022). Right panel: Shown are the positions in Galactic coordinates of the nearby stellar associations Tuc-Hor and Sco-Cen’s subgroups: Lower Centaurus Crux (LCC), Upper Centaurus Lupus (UCL), and Upper Scorpius (US). Also shown (bubble) is the new Galactic bubble discovered by Robitaille et al. (2018), which is likely the remnant of a supernova that took place in UCL. We anticipate an anisotropy in the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays that results from SN explosions hosted by these nearby stellar associations. -- astro-ph.HE

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Radiation, Stellar Cartography

Life in the Bubble: How A Nearby Supernova Left Ephemeral Footprints On The Cosmic-ray Spectrum And Indelible Imprints On Life

by Keith CowingSeptember 20, 2024September 20, 2024

The Earth sits inside a 300pc-wide void that was carved by a series of supernova explosions that went off tens of millions of years ago, pushing away interstellar gas and […]

This illustration depicts a binary star system consisting of a dense neutron star and a normal Sun-like star (upper left). Using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, astronomers found several systems like this one, in which the two bodies are widely separated. Because the bodies in these systems are far apart, with separations on average 300 times the size of a Sun-like star, the neutron star is dormant—it is not actively stealing mass from its companion and is thus very faint. To find these hidden neutron stars, the scientists used Gaia observations to look for a wobble in the Sun-like stars caused by a tugging action of the orbiting neutron stars. These are the first neutron stars discovered purely due to their gravitational effects. As depicted in this illustration, the intense gravity of the compact neutron star—which is about 100,000 times smaller than the Sun-like star yet heavier—warps our view of the sky around it, producing a distorted mirrored view of the nearby star. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Stellar Cartography

Sun-like Stars Have Been Found Orbiting Hidden Companions

by Keith CowingJuly 29, 2024July 29, 2024

Most stars in our universe come in pairs. While our own Sun is a loner, many stars like our Sun orbit similar stars, while a host of other exotic pairings […]

Astrobiology (general), Career Opportunities, Conferences and Meetings, Education and Outreach, Status Report

Astrobiology And The Future Of Life

by Keith CowingJuly 21, 2024July 21, 2024

The Astrobiology and the Future of Life meeting is scheduled for October 16–18, 2024, at the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas. This meeting is designed to explore […]

This image by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) features the central region of the Chamaeleon I dark molecular cloud, which resides 630 light years away. The cold, wispy cloud material (blue, center) is illuminated in the infrared by the glow of the young, outflowing protostar Ced 110 IRS 4 (orange, upper left). The light from numerous background stars, seen as orange dots behind the cloud, can be used to detect ices in the cloud, which absorb the starlight passing through them. Larger image

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Interstellar, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

JWST Sheds Light On The Structure Of Interstellar Water Ice

by Keith CowingJuly 5, 2024July 5, 2024

Using the JWST, a team of researchers including Paola Caselli, Barbara Michela Giuliano and Basile Husquinet from MPE, have probed deep into dense cloud cores, revealing details of interstellar ice […]

The Webb version of the Pillars of Creation image showcases orange and orange-brown dust that is semi-transparent, with light blue ionized gas against a dark blue background. larger image

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release

Astrochemistry and Astrophysics Interplay: The Pillars of Creation – Where Embryonic Stars Form

by Keith CowingJune 27, 2024June 27, 2024

Made famous in 1995 by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, the Pillars of Creation in the heart of the Eagle Nebula have captured imaginations worldwide with their arresting, ethereal beauty.

Integrated emission maps of non-blended transitions of CH3NH2 towards G358.93–0.03 MM1. The integrated emission maps of CH3NH2 are overlaid with the 1.02 mm (291.318 GHz) continuum emission map (black contour). The contour levels are at 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of the peak flux. The cyan circle represents the synthesised beam of the integrated emission maps. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Detection Of Possible Glycine Precursor Molecule Methylamine Towards The Hot Molecular Core G358.93−0.03 MM1

by Keith CowingJune 25, 2024June 25, 2024

The search for the simplest amino acid, glycine (NH2CH2COOH), in the interstellar medium (ISM), has become a never-ending story for astrochemistry and astrophysics researchers because that molecule plays a possible […]

This infographic compares the characteristics of three classes of stars in our galaxy: Sunlike stars are classified as G-type stars; stars less massive and cooler than our Sun are K dwarfs; and even fainter and cooler stars are the reddish M dwarfs. The habitable zones, potentially capable of hosting life-bearing planets, are wider for hotter stars. The longevity for red dwarf M stars can exceed 100 billion years. K dwarf ages can range from 15 to 45 billion years. Meanwhile, our Sun only lasts for 10 billion years. The relative amount of harmful radiation (to life as we know it) that stars emit can be 80 to 500 times more intense for M dwarfs relative to our Sun, but only 5 to 25 times more intense for the orange K dwarfs. Red dwarfs make up the bulk of the Milky Way's population, about 73%. Sunlike stars are merely 6% of the population, and K dwarfs are at 13%.-- NASA, ESA and Z. Levy (STScI)

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Status Report, Stellar Cartography

Exoplanet Host Star Classification: Multi-Objective Optimisation Of Incomplete Stellar Abundance Data

by Keith CowingJune 25, 2024June 25, 2024

The presence of a planetary companion around its host star has been repeatedly linked with stellar properties, affecting the likelihood of sub-stellar object formation and stability in the protoplanetary disc, […]