NASA’s Chandra Reveals Star’s Inner Conflict Before Explosion – NASA

NASA’s Chandra Reveals Star’s Inner Conflict Before Explosion – NASA

The inside of a star turned on itself before it spectacularly exploded, according to a new study from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Today, this shattered star, known as the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant, is one of the best-known, well-studied objects in the sky. Over three hundred years ago, however, it was a giant star on … Read more

X-ray and Radio go ‘Hand in Hand’ in New Image – NASA

X-ray and Radio go ‘Hand in Hand’ in New Image – NASA

In 2009, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory released a captivating image: a pulsar and its surrounding nebula that is shaped like a hand. Since then, astronomers have used Chandra and other telescopes to continue to observe this object. Now, new radio data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), has been combined with Chandra’s X-ray data … Read more

NASA IXPE’s ‘Heartbeat Black Hole’ Measurements Challenge Current Theories – NASA

NASA IXPE’s ‘Heartbeat Black Hole’ Measurements Challenge Current Theories – NASA

Written by Michael Allen An international team of astronomers using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), has challenged our understanding of what happens to matter in the direct vicinity of a black hole. With IXPE, astronomers can study incoming X-rays and measure the polarization, a property of light that describes the direction of its electric … Read more

NASA’s Hubble, Chandra Spot Rare Type of Black Hole Eating a Star – NASA Science

NASA’s Hubble, Chandra Spot Rare Type of Black Hole Eating a Star – NASA Science

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have teamed up to identify a new possible example of a rare class of black holes. Called NGC 6099 HLX-1, this bright X-ray source seems to reside in a compact star cluster in a giant elliptical galaxy. Just a few years after its 1990 launch, Hubble … Read more

NASA’s Chandra Finds Baby Exoplanet is Shrinking – NASA

NASA’s Chandra Finds Baby Exoplanet is Shrinking – NASA

A star is unleashing a barrage of X-rays that is causing a closely-orbiting, young planet to wither away an astonishing rate, according to a new study using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and described in our latest press release. A team of researchers has determined that this planet will go from the size of Jupiter down to a small, barren world. … Read more

NASA’s IXPE Imager Reveals Mysteries of Rare Pulsar – NASA

NASA’s IXPE Imager Reveals Mysteries of Rare Pulsar – NASA

An international team of astronomers has uncovered new evidence to explain how pulsing remnants of exploded stars interact with surrounding matter deep in the cosmos, using observations from NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) and other telescopes.  Scientists based in the U.S., Italy, and Spain, set their sights on a mysterious cosmic duo called PSR J1023+0038, … Read more

NASA’s Chandra Shares a New View of Our Galactic Neighbor – NASA

NASA’s Chandra Shares a New View of Our Galactic Neighbor – NASA

The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31 (M31), is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way at a distance of about 2.5 million light-years. Astronomers use Andromeda to understand the structure and evolution of our own spiral, which is much harder to do since Earth is embedded inside the Milky Way. The galaxy … Read more

NASA’s Chandra Sees Surprisingly Strong Black Hole Jet at Cosmic “Noon” – NASA

NASA’s Chandra Sees Surprisingly Strong Black Hole Jet at Cosmic “Noon” – NASA

A black hole has blasted out a surprisingly powerful jet in the distant universe, according to a new study from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and discussed in our latest press release. This jet exists early enough in the cosmos that it is being illuminated by the leftover glow from the big bang itself. Astronomers used … Read more

NASA’s IXPE Obtains First X-ray Polarization Measurement of Magnetar Outburst – NASA

NASA’s IXPE Obtains First X-ray Polarization Measurement of Magnetar Outburst – NASA

What happens when the universe’s most magnetic object shines with the power of 1000 Suns in a matter of seconds? Thanks to NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), a mission in collaboration with ASI (Italian Space Agency), scientists are one step closer to understanding this extreme event.  Magnetars are a type of young neutron star … Read more

Galaxy Clusters on Course to Crash Again, NASA’s Chandra Finds – NASA

Galaxy Clusters on Course to Crash Again, NASA’s Chandra Finds – NASA

New observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes have captured a rare cosmic event: two galaxy clusters have collided and are now poised to head back for another swipe at each other. Galaxy clusters are some of the largest structures in the Universe. Held together by gravity, they are monster-sized collections of hundreds … Read more