Astronomers discovered a star on the outskirts of the Milky Way that contains almost no metals and is made mainly of hydrogen and helium. It is the closest known example similar to the universe’s first stars.
Photo by Олег Мороз, Unsplash
Researchers propose that tiny energy from decaying dark matter changed gas chemistry in the first galaxies. This could let some gas clouds collapse directly into massive black holes, helping to explain early observations by the James Webb Space Telescope.
A team found rare signs that two planets collided around a distant star named Gaia20ehk. Rocks and hot dust blocked visible light while infrared light rose, and researchers say the debris likely came from a catastrophic planetary impact.
Astronomers imaged the dusty aftermath of two collisions between large bodies around the nearby young star Fomalhaut, the first such images beyond the solar system. Teams will track the expanding dust with Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.
A University of Zurich team created new interior models for Uranus and Neptune. The work shows the planets could be rock-rich or water-rich, helps explain their odd magnetic fields, and says we need dedicated missions to learn more.
A University of Michigan-led study using Chandra X-ray data finds many dwarf galaxies do not show signs of central supermassive black holes. The result suggests the biggest black holes may have formed large early and could be tested by future missions.
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