X-ray Signal Points to Destroyed Planet, Chandra Finds – NASA

X-ray Signal Points to Destroyed Planet, Chandra Finds – NASA

A planet may have been destroyed by a white dwarf at the center of a planetary nebula — the first time this has been seen. As described in our latest press release, this would explain a mysterious X-ray signal that astronomers have detected from the Helix Nebula for over 40 years. The Helix is a … Read more

NASA Telescopes Deliver Stellar Bouquet in Time for Valentine’s Day – NASA

NASA Telescopes Deliver Stellar Bouquet in Time for Valentine’s Day – NASA

A bouquet of thousands of stars in bloom has arrived. This composite image contains the deepest X-ray image ever made of the spectacular star forming region called 30 Doradus. By combining X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue and green) with optical data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (yellow) and radio data from the … Read more

Black Holes Can Cook for Themselves, Chandra Study Shows – NASA

Black Holes Can Cook for Themselves, Chandra Study Shows – NASA

Astronomers have taken a crucial step in showing that the most massive black holes in the universe can create their own meals. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) provide new evidence that outbursts from black holes can help cool down gas to feed themselves. This study was based on … Read more

NASA Missions Spot Cosmic ‘Wreath’ Displaying Stellar Circle of Life – NASA

NASA Missions Spot Cosmic ‘Wreath’ Displaying Stellar Circle of Life – NASA

Since antiquity, wreaths have symbolized the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It is fitting then that one of the best places for astronomers to learn more about the stellar lifecycle resembles a giant holiday wreath itself. The star cluster NGC 602 lies on the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, which is one of the closest … Read more

Black Hole Jet Stumbles Into Something in the Dark – NASA

Black Hole Jet Stumbles Into Something in the Dark – NASA

Even matter ejected by black holes can run into objects in the dark. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have found an unusual mark from a giant black hole’s powerful jet striking an unidentified object in its path. The discovery was made in a galaxy called Centaurus A (Cen A), located about 12 million light-years … Read more

Astronomers Find Early Fast-Feeding Black Hole Using NASA Telescopes – NASA

Astronomers Find Early Fast-Feeding Black Hole Using NASA Telescopes – NASA

A rapidly feeding black hole at the center of a dwarf galaxy in the early universe, shown in this artist’s concept, may hold important clues to the evolution of supermassive black holes in general. Using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory, a team of astronomers discovered this low-mass supermassive black hole … Read more

Planets Beware: NASA Unburies Danger Zones of Star Cluster – NASA

Planets Beware: NASA Unburies Danger Zones of Star Cluster – NASA

Most stars form in collections, called clusters or associations, that include very massive stars. These giant stars send out large amounts of high-energy radiation, which can disrupt relatively fragile disks of dust and gas that are in the process of coalescing to form new planets. A team of astronomers used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, in … Read more

NASA’s Chandra Finds Galaxy Cluster That Crosses the Streams – NASA

NASA’s Chandra Finds Galaxy Cluster That Crosses the Streams – NASA

Astronomers using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have found a galaxy cluster has two streams of superheated gas crossing one another. This result shows that crossing the streams may lead to the creation of new structure. Researchers have discovered an enormous, comet-like tail of hot gas — spanning over 1.6 million light-years long — trailing behind … Read more

How Students Learn to Fly NASA’s IXPE Spacecraft – NASA Science

How Students Learn to Fly NASA’s IXPE Spacecraft – NASA Science

At LASP, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, students at the University of Colorado, Boulder, can train to become command controllers, working directly with spacecraft on pointing the satellites, calibrating instruments, and collecting data. De Herrera-Schnering recently completed her sophomore year, while Pichler had trained as a student and now, having graduated, works as … Read more

Coming in Hot – NASA’s Chandra Checks Habitability of Exoplanets – NASA

Coming in Hot – NASA’s Chandra Checks Habitability of Exoplanets – NASA

This graphic shows a three-dimensional map of stars near the Sun. The blue haloes represent stars observed with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton. Astronomers are using these X-ray data to determine how habitable exoplanets may be based on whether they receive lethal radiation from the stars they orbit. This research will help guide … Read more