New Atlas

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Colossal X-ray "chimneys" discovered at center of the Milky Way

Michael Irving March 20, 2019

It's hard to really understand the large-scale structure of the Milky Way. Now, astronomers have peered towards the center of the galaxy using the ESA's X-ray telescope XMM-Newton, and discovered two colossal "chimneys" pumping huge amounts of energy and gas out into intergalactic space.

An artist's impression of two huge "chimneys" spewing energetic particles out of the center of the ...

Space

Explore the galactic center as a supermassive black hole in new NASA VR experience

Anthony Wood March 25, 2019

A new NASA VR experience is letting viewers explore the chaotic heart of our galaxy from the perspective of the supermassive black hole lurking at its heart, Sagittarius A*. The video was created from a combination of supercomputer simulations and data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

The new video shows massive stars and clouds of cosmic gas interacting with the supermassive black ...

Space Audio available

Astronomers spot new bumper crop of supermassive black holes in the early universe

Michael Irving March 13, 2019

To look through space is to look through time. Astronomers on a 5-years survey have turned up 100 supermassive black holes from a time when they were thought to be rare, suggesting we might need to rewrite our understanding of their evolution.

Space

Massive hypervelocity star escaping Milky Way hints at presence of hidden black hole

Anthony Wood March 13, 2019

A team of astronomers has managed to find the origin of an enormous star that is currently barreling out of the Milky Way having escaped from one of our galaxy’s spiral arms. The discovery challenges the theory that such stars come from the galactic center.

NASA graphic showing the structure of the Milky Way

Space Audio available

Doomed, rare black hole spotted near the center of the galaxy

Michael Irving March 3, 2019

Black holes tend to fall into two categories: fairly small or supermassive. It’s long been believed that there should be a middle class, and in recent years astronomers have found evidence of these “intermediate mass” black holes. Now a Japanese team has located one near the center of the Milky Way.

Japanese astronomers have discovered a rare type of black hole near the center of the Milky ...

Space

Sharper images of a supermassive black hole reveal new secrets

Michael Irving January 23, 2019

A team of astronomers has used a global array of telescopes to peer through the fog and capture some of the clearest radio images yet of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. And it may indicate that the object just happens to be pointing directly at Earth.

An artist's rendition of a supermassive black hole, such as the one at the center of ...

Space Audio available

Revolutionary new telescope picks up 13 fast radio burst signals, including one repeater

Michael Irving January 9, 2019

The CHIME telescope has picked up 13 unexplained radio signals coming from beyond the Milky Way. These fast radio bursts are part of one of the strangest mysteries of modern astronomy, but the new detections could help unlock their source, thanks to a rare one that seems to be repeating.

The revolutionary radio telescope CHIME has now detected 13 new fast radio burst signals, including a ...

Space

Brightest-known galaxy is cannibalizing its three neighbors

Michael Irving November 15, 2018

The galaxy W2246-0526 sits 12.4 billion light-years from Earth – almost the entire radius of the observable universe – and is the most luminous galaxy ever discovered, with the brightness of 350 trillion Suns. Now, astronomers have found that W2246-0526 is cannibalizing three neighboring galaxies.

An artist's rendition of W2246-0526, the brightest-known galaxy that is cannibalizing three neighboring galaxies

Space Audio available

Hubble snaps clearest ever shots of cataclysmic cosmic collisions

Michael Irving November 11, 2018

Galaxies smash into each other on a pretty regular basis, usually merging together. Using data and observations from Hubble and the Keck Observatory, astronomers have now imaged the late stages of this incredibly slow process for the first time.

Astronomers have observed pairs of supermassive black holes closer to colliding than ever before

Physics

Einstein proven right again as black hole gravity warps starlight

Michael Irving July 26, 2018

Discoveries that back up Einstein’s theory of general relativity are still being made. The latest comes from the Max Planck Institute, where astronomers have watched how the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way pulls and stretches the light from a star as it makes its closest pass.