Traditionally, planet formation has been described as a “bottom-up” process, as dust grains gradually collect into bigger conglomerations over tens of millions of years: from microns, to centimeters, to meters, to kilometers.
Astronomers learn about the universe by pointing their telescopes to the sky. But what happens when a satellite comes between them and the cosmological objects they hope to study?
Socorro, NM – The US National Science Foundation (NSF) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (NSF VLA) have played a pivotal role in uncovering the origins of persistent emissions observed in some fast radio bursts (FRBs). An international team of astronomers has demonstrated that this persistent radiation originates from a plasma bubble, shedding new light on the enigmatic sources powering these cosmic phenomena.
An international team of astronomers have used a powerful array of radio telescopes to discover new insights about a magnetar that’s only a few hundred years old. By capturing precise measurements of the magnetar’s position and velocity, new clues emerge regarding its developmental path. When a relatively high-mass star collapses at the end of its life and explodes as a supernova, it can leave behind a superdense star called a neutron star.
Towards the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, in the constellation Sagittarius, astronomers have discovered 10 monstrous neutron stars. Astronomers already knew that 39 pulsars call Terzan 5 home.
At the 244th American Astronomical Society meeting, researchers presented groundbreaking findings on planet formation in circumstellar disks around young binary stars
Exploring the ongoing potential of the technical overlap between astronomy and medicine, experts from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the medical imaging field presented to an audience of around 2,000 at the prestigious International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Conference in Singapore.
An unusual group of stars in the Orion constellation have revealed their secrets. FU Orionis, a double star system, first caught astronomers’ attention in 1936 when the central star suddenly became 1,000 times brighter than usual.
Astronomers have discovered the secrets of a starburst galaxy producing new stars at a rate much faster than our Milk Way. This research revealed many different molecules, more than ever seen before in a galaxy like this.
Pocahontas County, West Virginia residents are set to experience a transformative shift in their internet connectivity, as the state of West Virginia announces substantial developments in the broadband infrastructure.
The Universe is almost inconceivably vast. So is the amount of data astronomers collect when they study it. This is a challenging process for the scientists and engineers at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). But what if they could do it over 300 times faster?
How does ground-based astronomical radar expand our understanding of the Universe? By allowing us to study our nearby Solar System, and everything in it, in unprecedented detail. Radar can reveal the surface and ancient geology of planets and their moons, letting us trace their evolution.
In our most basic understanding of our Solar System, planets are drawn into the orbit of our massive star, the Sun. But what happens to planet-sized objects that don’t have a star? A team of astronomers studying Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs) in the Orion Nebula are gaining a new understanding of these unusual systems.
Though far to the west of the St. Croix antenna, the Owens Valley antenna has some similarities, in particular being in a remote location. The high mountains surrounding the valley mean that access to the region is only possible from the south, or through mountain passes. This also makes for a unique geography. To the south are the dry bed remains of Owens Lake, and further beyond is Death Valley. To the East are the White Mountains, which is home to the great bristlecone pine forest, and some of the oldest living trees in the world. Within the Methuselah Grove of this forest is hidden a particular tree that was seeded nearly 5,000 years ago.
SuperKnova is a project to provide learning opportunities in radio technology for students in a way that is inclusive and equitable. Originally conceived at the Radio Astronomy Imaging and Analysis Lab (RADIAL), SuperKnova is a collaboration between RADIAL, NRAO, and educators and students from across the country.
The Green Bank Telescope has discovered over 250 gaseous clouds being blasted out of the center of the Milky Way into interstellar space. A decade ago, astronomers weren’t aware of this phenomenon. It took years of observations, and some surprising finds, to produce this latest result.
An international team of astronomers have found ring and spiral structures in very young planetary disks, demonstrating that planet formation may begin much earlier than once thought.
The National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) are joining efforts to expand the capabilities of the world’s most powerful millimeter/ submillimeter telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).