Stars

The light from stars usually pulsates uniformly across the whole surface, but now astronomers have discovered a star that only pulses on one side. That’s thanks to its teardrop shape, as a close binary companion pulls it out of whack.

Astronomers have spotted a tiny, cool star putting on a stellar light show that would shame our Sun. This X-ray “superflare” was 10 times more powerful than anything the Sun can produce, and is completely unexpected for a star this small.

A collection of computer simulations based on data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray observatory is offering astronomers and the public alike the ability to explore cosmic objects in 3D. The visualizations let users pan around stars and supernovae remnants.

Even 100 years after the theory of general relativity, new observations keep confirming its predictions. Now, Australian astronomers have found that high-density stars in close orbit appear to be dragging and twisting the fabric of spacetime itself.

A solar super-storm capable of seriously disrupting modern day technology has erupted from our Sun on average once every 25 years, according to a new study. The research used data collected by stations in the UK and Australia dating back 150 years.

In 2016, astronomers discovered a potentially habitable Earth-sized exoplanet just four light-years away – and new observations suggest it isn’t alone. A second planet may be orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun.

The LIGO collaboration has announced the detection of gravitational waves from a pair of neutron stars colliding. This marks just the second time ever that this kind of event has been spotted, as the smash-up sent ripples through spacetime itself.

NASA has released a new panoramic infrared image of the center of the Milky Way. With data gathered by the Boeing 747-based SOFIA observatory, the image reveals new details of certain regions that have been traditionally tricky to capture.

The cosmic beauty of space never ceases to impress. New Atlas rounds up some of the most incredible space photos of 2019, including historic firsts, stunning starscapes, gorgeous galaxies and some new angles on our own solar system.

ESA has successfully launched its Cheops telescope on a mission to make detailed follow-up studies of distant exoplanets discovered by earlier space-faring telescopes, such as Kepler and TESS.

Scientists have discovered a massive planet evaporating as it orbits the remains of a Sun-like star. This is the first time evidence of a huge planet orbiting a white dwarf has been observed, and it could help reveal the fate of our own solar system.

Black holes are mysterious objects: just when we think we understand how big they can get, we go and find new ones that bend the rules. Now, astronomers have found a stellar black hole in our galaxy that’s so big it defies explanation.